This is the time of year when many folks are trying out the fly rods they got for Christmas. Yesterday, Pete Kutzer showed you how to set up your fly rod. Here, he demonstrates the process for putting it away at the end of a casting or fishing session. By using proper technique for separating the sections, putting them in the rod sock, and stowing the whole thing in the tube will ensure a longer life for your fly rod. Don’t just jam the sections in the sock willy-nilly. Instead, think about how aligning the the various sections will best protect them from damage. I’ll bet that few fly fishers–even those who have been fishing for a long time–know how to fold the sock before tying it closed.
Great tips. I like the final fold of the sock. My variants are: I reverse the section closest to the butt section so that the bundle is narrower for placing more rods in my larger travel tube. I can fit more in that way. If my rod is a little wet as it typically is after a day of fishing I may leave the tube cap a little loose or even completely off until I get it home for a complete drying out.
my extra $0.02 worth
* When you get to the leader, you should relax the tension you’re applying; or the leader/tippet can get pulled underneath the line and get stuck.
* when you put the rod sock into the tube, BE CAREFUL that the tip section doesn’t catch on the tube; it will break. (I’m speaking from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE here. Thanx for fixing my helios 4wt, Orvis!
Putting things away – pretty much like Pete says. One thing folks often forget to do is relax the drag on their reels. That’s usually the first thing I do before breaking things down. And as King Fisher mentions, never put away a wet rod. My SUV has a sliding shade cover in the back with a slight depression in it right behind the rear seats. If I’m in a hurry to head home after a day of fishing I usually allow my rod sections to sit on that cover on the way home. By the time I get back, they’re dry and ready to get put back into the sleeve and rod tube.
Another thing to consider is to make sure not to apply any force to the guides near the ferruls when breaking the rod down. I’ve tried twisting a stubborn section to release the ferrul and ended up accidentally bending a guide.