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Jersey-Coast
03-02-2009, 12:26 PM
After your done shoveling the snow and the boss lets you take a rest, it may be a good time to check out your tips on your rods. Defective tips are responsible for more lost fish than any other single problem. They take the most abuse and often the ring inside cracks. This results in sharp edges that damage your line, causing it to snap during casting or fighting a fish.

After a visual inspection, you can take a Q-TIP or a cotton ball and run it through your guides to check for cracks or burrs. Doing this will ensure that you catch even the smallest of sharp edges.

In most cases, it is cheaper to repair or replace a guide than it is to replace the rod. The guides that are most affected are usually the ceramic style rings or the stainless guides that over the years may develop some corrosion. On the corrosion topic, a soft rag soaked in Coca Cola will remove the corrosion better than alot of cleaners on the market. Something with the acid removes the greening that you see the rods. (imagine what it does toyour stomach).

I have a few articles on this that have been published in magazines. I will get them to CAPT Z to post up here on the site.

Reel Nauti
03-02-2009, 01:41 PM
Very good tip.

A few years ago, I was out with brand new custom rod my wife had made for me. We were drifting GSN reef and I had lost a couple of nice hits when my 50lb Power Pro parted. I found the tip of my new rod had a chip out of the guide that acted like a razor knife on the braid.

sportfishingus
03-02-2009, 02:59 PM
great now i got to get in the garage and check everything out!!

might keep you busy for a while! lol

Jersey-Coast
03-02-2009, 06:34 PM
great now i got to get in the garage and check everything out!!

might keep you busy for a while! lol

LOL! Not every rod has a problem, dont worry! If its a tip, thats a 2 min job and you can even do it yourself.