Rod Repairs off the beaten track
Being a rod builder I see a lot of anglers return from their fishing trips with tales of rampaging fish and how their rods had a tip broken off or damaged in some form. If half those tales were true they would have taken out first prize on Funniest home Video’s. The other half of the tales of broken rods hit a sore point with me as most of this damage can be avoided if you take a little care and fore thought before, during and after your trip.
As with any trip away there is the preparation phase before departing which will determine if your trip is to be a success or nightmare. Unfortunately the humble fishing rod tends to get neglected to a curtain degree with a good portion thrown in the boat or strapped to the roof racks. One of my pet hates is seeing anglers leaving their in their fishing rods in the boats while traveling to and from their fishing destination. This type of treatment has the potential to cause all kinds of damage and stress to the rod blank and guides.
Spare Parts
How many have thought of taking spare parts for their fishing rods? I would imagine not a great deal would think of packing extra guides, tips glue or binding thread. Unless you take an arsenal of rods with you it will pay to purchase spare tips and guides when you visit your local tackle store.
Broken tips are the most common occurrence when it comes to fishing rods. These breakages are caused by a number of different situations. When you stock up on terminal tackle, take the rods you intend to use with you and get the tackle shop to assist in getting the correct tip size and guides. In some cases of a rod breaking a couple of inches from the tip, you need to measure this section of the rod and select a tip of the approx size, even go a little larger as you can always use some binding thread to fill in the gap.
When it comes time to replace a tip, you need to use a heat source such as a cigarette lighter. The majority of tips have been stuck on using a 2 part epoxy glue which will separate with minimal heat. A ‘tip’ for young players, do not keep the heat source directly on the tip for too long as this will cause damage to the blank and ultimately snap the tip. The best way to apply the heat is to move the heat source (cigarette lighter) back and forward across the top section of the tip and use a pair of pliers to remove it.
Gluing the new tip on is a simple process of either using 5 minute or a 24 hour 2 part epoxy glue. I have found that the 5 minute araldite in the double syringe style to be the quickest and easiest method of gluing. I carry this glue everywhere ever I go and have found it invaluable, not only for rod repairs but it for most other mishaps that occur on the road.
When it comes to the remaining guides breaking , this can mean all sorts of problems if you only have a couple rods and rely on the broken one for a particular fishing need. Fear not, as repairing guides is not a complex one and can be rectified within a short amount of time. The first step is to make sure you have roughly the correct size and style you require, which does not mean you need to carry every guide on the market. When you visit the tackle store ensure you include a variety of sizes and styles pertaining to the rods you are taking.
You also need to purchase a spool of rod binding thread and a bottle of varnish that will coat the thread for a temporary fix. I have found that Speed thread in C Grade to be the cheapest and easiest to use on the road and to coat the thread I use Speed Varnish which as it stats is a varnish, not an epoxy, but will protect the thread enough until you return home for proper repairs.
Binding the guides on can be a bit tricky for those who have never attempted this before, so, I recommend you talk to your local tackle shop owner and have him show or pass you on to someone to show you how to bind a guide on when you purchase your spare parts. With the rod repairs out of the way you are ready to hit the water and enjoy what your intentions were. However to avoid a lot of the disappointment of broken rods you need to think about storage in order to reduce the risk of snapping the tip off your $600.00 investment.
STORAGE
This point has been covered many times before, but I am sad to say that it is an area that is still over looked in many situations. As for me, I care for my rods like they are made of gold and the first thing I do when I finish building a new rod is place it in a protective bag.
You can buy them for as little as $6.00 from any good tackle store. This will protect the blank from scratches and rub marks, which has the potential of causing a weak point in the blank. You will also keep most of the dust out or reel seats and guides, especially roller guides, which can create real problems when the guides are under load.
Storing your rods in your vehicle is a problem in its self. If you have the room inside the car would be ideal, but like most of use the car is packed to the roof with everything but the kitchen sink. So, the only solution is to stow the rods on the roof racks. All my rods fit into PVC tubes which are fixed to the roof racks and are made out of 100mm sewage PVC tubing with a screw lid on one end. I have found that the sewage PVC pipe to be the strongest and have had no problems with damaged rods as a result.
If you are traveling long distances especially over rough tracks it will pay to wrap the rods together and add extra protection around the rods such as foam when placing them in the tubes. By doing this you will stop the rods from rattling and knocking against the tube which may cause damage to the guides.
MAINTAINENCE
The last item on the list is regular maintenance of your rods and reels, which will reduce a large portion of damage and prolong their life span. Over time you will get a buildup of salt and dirt around the reel seat and guides, fish slime and who knows what else on the grips. In order to keep your gear performing to your expectations giving your rods and reels a quick rinse in fresh water to remove the buildup of crap will help reduce rust and corrosion and unnecessary wear and tear on your gear. I have found a product called SALT X that dissolves salt and crude which will save water and you can use it on any surface that is affected by salt build up.
It does not matter how much you prepare there will all ways be Murphy’s Law at your side. All we can do is do our best and just accept the unfortunate mishaps. Caring for your fishing rods should be as important as maintaining your vehicle or boat. I was told a saying many years ago when I enlisted into the Army which states, Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. This saying has stuck with me every time I prepare for a trip and has saved my skin on many occasions.