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Fly Rod Care Tip:
Take extra care when stringing your rod. Thread a loop of fly line through the guides and tip top and pull the line and leader straight through without bending the rod.
Avoid placing or transporting your rod against metal or abrasive objects. Small nicks and scratches damage the graphite and lead to broken rods.
When using weighted or large flies, adjust to an open casting stroke. This allows the fly to pass over the tip or to the side of the rod (a fly hitting the rod can also damage the graphite).
Avoid severe rod angles when fighting and landing fish. Snagged flies should be broken off by pulling on the line with the rod tip pointed directly at the snag.
Periodically wax the ferrules (where the rod pieces separate) lightly with paraffin to ensure a firm fit and proper function.
Take the rod apart when you are done fishing to avoid stuck ferrules.
Completely air dry your rod and place it in a cloth bag and tube before storing. The rod tubes can trap moisture, which can swell reel seats and ruin the rod finish.
To protect the tip, it is best to bag your rod with the tip top and cork handle up.
Occasionally clean your rod with warm water and soap and completely dry.
To shine, apply furniture polish and don't forget to protect the rod when finished.
Fly Fishing Basic Lingo
Load
When a rod loads, it is capturing the energy of the casting stroke. When the rod unloads, it imparts this energy to the fly line resulting in the cast. It sounds really scientific, but it's actually very simple. Every rod is designed to load and unload at a particular place on the rod, depending on whether it's a faster or slower action rod. Since different rods have different actions, anglers need to adjust their casting stroke and application of power to maximize a rod's performance.
Tip cast
Tip casting means you back off the power of the rod and utilize the rod's tip to perform the cast. This generally requires a very fast-action rod.
Line speed
Line speed is the key to casting performance. Line speed enables the angler to achieve superior distance, control and accuracy. High line speed also creates tight loops, which helps drive a fly through the wind. It is achieved through the loading and unloading of a fly rod.
