Skie Pole

Nothing lasts forever, especially when you do not take care of it! Fly rod care and maintenance is part of the program and is required to prolong the life of your rod.

Here are some quick tips to care for your stick.

1. Avoid at all times to knock the rod against hard surfaces. Small scratches and nicks may cause rod breakage or damage to the wraps allowing water to seep in and begin to destroy the integrity of the build.
2. After fishing, rinse your rod and dry it with a soft cloth before putting it back into the rod sock or rod tube. These is ESSENTIAL in saltwater!
3. Never store a saltwater rod in the rod sock immediately after use or before rinsing off with freshwater, this will impregnate the sock with salt and start to destroy everything.
4. Never stow a rod in its rod tube. This can trap humidity and cause corrosion of the guide rings.
5. At least twice a season or more frequently when fishing in saltwater, inspect the rod rings with a magnifying glass or slip a wad of cotton through them. Small scratches will hold some cotton... and also damage the line that goes through the ring. These rings should be replaced immediately.
6. Check if no water seeps under the wrappings and corrode the guide ring legs. Once rust is seen, the ring should be replaced immediately.
7. Wash the rod with lukewarm soapy water (Dawn works great) and a soft sponge. An old soft tooth brush will remove the dirt from the guide rings and reel seat.
8. Getting the cork grip to look like new again is easy. First clean with warm soapy water like above,  then take some very fine, waterproof sandpaper (the one used for car paint jobs). Wet the rod grip and sandpaper thoroughly gently rub the grip. Be careful not to scratch the rod itself or the reel seat. Rinse, let dry and admire the result.
9. Small holes can be filled with natural wood putty or with a mixture of cork filings and wood glue.
10. If you really love your rod, you can add a car wax or rain-X to it to help protect it. You can apply a very light coating of fine oil on the reel seat.
11. Avoid stuck ferrules by rubbing some paraffin (or candle wax) on the male ferrules.