Rod Care

Fishing Rod Repair and Maintenance

WeaverCraft Custom Fishing Tackle

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ROD CARE

This information is printed and provided with each rod at the time of sale.

Rod Care and Maintenance

Store your rod in its case or rod sock.

Make sure to keep your rod case or sock out of the sun and weather – both when your rod is being stored in it, and, when using your rod. Want to make sure your case and sock stay clean and dry.

Avoid exposing your rod to extreme temperatures such as stored in a hot car or left out in the cold.

Wash off your rod (and reel) before putting away and storing. Especially if used in salt or brackish water.

Wipe down and clean guides including feet, frames and rings. Make sure to clean where the guide feet meet the blank for saltwater rods. This is the most likely place for corrosion.

Periodically clean your rod with warm soapy water and use a plastic non-scratch scouring pad to clean away stubborn materials. For stubborn stains use rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth. Never use anything stronger than alcohol as it could damage the rod finish.

Make sure dirt and grime is gone from grips, reel seats, blank, and guides, especially before putting in your case or rod sock.

To give your rod that like new show room finish, use lemon pledge (has to be lemon pledge) and a soft cloth to wipe down the blank. (Now you know why when you get your WeaverCraft rod it smells like lemons!)

Cleaning grips

· Use warm soapy warm water to clean cork and EVA grips.

· Toothpaste with baking soda, rubbed in a circular motion with a soft cloth is probably the best to clean all grips.

· For stubborn stains on natural cork use equal parts water and bleach. Do not use bleach on synthetic, burl, colored cork, or, EVA as discoloration may occur.

· Armor All cleaner (not protectant) wipes or liquid, and also Windex on a soft cloth, are good to clean and wipe down synthetic or colored cork, and, EVA.

Make sure your rod is completely dry before storing.

Dogs love to chew on cork and foam. They especially love the “popping” sound that is made when the thread breaks from tight wraps. For obvious reasons, keep your rod away from dogs – especially if there is a “scent” on the rod (another reason to ensure the rod is clean before storing).

Keep children away from your rod – young children like to chew on cork and foam as well.

Keep the rod away from possible contact with oils or solvents.

Be careful when transporting your rod(s) – even if in a protective case. Disassemble if a multi-piece blank and remove the reel to protect both rod and reel.

Avoid placing or transporting your rod against metal or abrasive objects. Small nicks and scratches damage the graphite that can lead to rod breakage. Also, be sure to place your rod where nothing can fall on it, or slide into it.

Be careful storing your rods with the reel still on it for extended periods of time. Dirt, grime, and especially salt, can bond to the reel foot and reel seat making it almost impossible to remove, and/or cause damage to both while removing.

Lubricate your reels seats with small burst of WD40 or gun oil. This is especially true for rods used in the surf and brackish waters.

Never use a graphite rod in an electrical storm or when lightning is present. Graphite rods will conduct electricity.

Do not reel in weights, baits, or terminal tackle all the way to the rod tip. Several things can occur – all of which are bad:

· Your tip top could get damaged. Scratches in the finish or ring of the tip top will scrape your line causing fraying.

· The blank could get hit by the tackle, scratching or fracturing the blank - which could lead to blank failure.

Always, Always, Always use the recommended line weight for your rod. Using a heavier line could result in breaking the blank in extreme situations. All blank warranties are voided if the blank is broken while using too heavy a line.

Your line should be the weak link in the chain. It should break before your rod and all terminal tackle.

Do not bend a rod to test flexibility with your thumb and finger – ie, grabbing the tip in your fist and bending between the thumb and index finger. Flexibility should be tested by holding it at the grip and shaking in a plane to determine action.

Do not "high stick" your rod when fighting or landing fish. Graphite rods, while very durable, will break when they are bent in arcs that are tighter than they were designed to be bent.

Do not place your hand(s) anywhere on the rod blank above the handle(s) / grips while fighting or landing fish. Putting your hands above handles and grips puts excessive pressure on the blank where your hand is placed instead of allowing the rod to distribute the pressure evenly over the entire length of the blank.

If using weighted flies with a fly rod, be careful not to let the fly hit the rod blank. This will damage the blank and greatly reduce its strength.

Proper Assembly for Multi-Piece Rods

1. Remove any dirt or debris from the male ferrule section before inserting it into the female ferrule section.

2. Insert the tip of the male section into the female section with the guides offset by 90 degrees.

3. Slowly twist and push the rod sections until the guides are properly aligned and the union is tight. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN.

4. Check tightness by attempting to pull the sections straight apart without twisting. If the connection holds, they're tight enough.

5. To disassemble, reverse steps 3 through 1 above.

6. Periodically apply a thin film of wax to the male ferrule section. This will allow the rod sections to seat securely, which prevents them from separating during use. There are several good ferrule waxes available, but I recommend St. Croix’s Ferrule Wax.

7. Never use the guides for leverage when assembling or disassembling your rod.

Freeing a Snagged Lure

If your lure gets caught or snagged – DO NOT USE YOUR ROD TO PULL LOOSE - unless your lure cost more than the rod. It’s tempting to high stick the rod and use the rod for increased leverage, but, this could easily result in snapping the rod in multiple pieces. Instead, point the rod tip directly at where the lure is caught and pull back along the rod blank axis.

Do not crank down on the reel drag for added pressure. You can use some reel drag, but do not muscle the drag to maximum on your reel as the drag plates could get damaged. The best method is to carefully use your hands on the line to pull. BE CAREFUL WITH BRAIDS AS THEY WILL CUT!!!! If you can’t hold the line with you hands, wrap the line around a stick, pliers handle, etc. to pull the line. If the lure will not come loose your line will break. Better to lose a lure than break a rod in almost all cases.

WeaverCraft Custom Fishing Tackle

150 Shotts Farm Rd.

Chapel Hill, NC, 27516

Contact Information

Phone: 919.812-2431

Email: eddie@weavercraftfishing.com