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oday’s fishing rods are precision tools, re-
markable feats of engineering and design.
Constructed with the latest in high tech
cutting edge materials, the end products are incredibly sensitive and feather light. It would not be
a stretch to say that most avid bass anglers have a
small fortune invested in their rod arsenal. It therefore
seems only wise to be protective of your investment.
BE MINDFUL
“High performance bass rods are not high end because they are more durable,” cautions Charlie Albright, the Customer Service Manager at Cousins Tackle Corporation. “They (rods) are made out of higher modulus graphite which weighs less and is more sensitive. These rods are performance based not durability based.” Keep this in mind and act accordingly.
USE THE HOOK KEEPER
“Rod manufacturers put hook keepers on their rods for a reason,” advised Albright. “It does not matter if it is on the left side or the right side or the top or the bottom. It is designed to be there to be used. Don’t put your hooks on your guides. The hook points and barbs can damage the surface of the guide.”
In conjunction, wrapping your line around the rod and guides several times to create a slight amount of tension will keep your lure from bouncing against the blank when in transit.
A surprising number of anglers have developed the bad habit of reeling their lure right up against the tip guide. For co-anglers who do not have the luxury of laying their rods flat on the deck of the boat, this can be compounded when the rod tip is left to bounce up and down when running about the lake, further subjecting both the rod and tip guide to undue stress and impact.
CHECK THE GUIDES
It goes without saying that maintaining your guides is an important part of rod care. Guides take a lot of abuse and are subject to wear and tear. They
get stepped on and bent back into position. Eyes can crack and fall out.
“Take a handful of Q -Tips and go through the guides,” said Albright. “If it catches and some of the cotton comes off, then you have a scratch or a nick in your guide and you will need to get that guide replaced. A Q-Tip is a really good way to find out if your guides are in good condition.”
AVOID THE HIGH STICK
A rod is designed to bend and flex but overloading the tip of the rod is a sure recipe for disaster. “High Sticking” occurs when the angler raises the rod to a near vertical position creating an undue amount of stress on the tip section of the rod. This can occur when fighting a fish or attempting to free a snag.
“I’ve had guys tell me that they’ve broken their rod because they hang up on the bottom and they’re jerkin’ their rod trying to get it free, they basically high stick their rod and break the rod,” explained Albright. “Throw away $5 (cost of lure) or possibly $200 to $500 (cost of rod). Better yet, invest in a lure retriever. Or if you know you are going to break off, point the rod directly at the snag, don’t put any pressure on the rod, and pull. Watch out because spectra can dig into your reel spool.”
KEEP IT CLEAN
Cleaning your rods is one of the easiest things you can do to prolong the life of your rods. It is a simple a
SUMMER 2016
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