Avoid at all times if possible to knock your rod against hard surfaces. Small scratches and nicks may cause rod breakage.
After assembling the rod always apply rod joint tape ( with DH rods only ) in a spiral with touching turns to the joints before you commence fishing. This will prevent ferrule damage resulting from joints working loose during casting.
When threading the fly line, loop the end over and carefully pass the loop through all the rings in turn – avoid bending the rod tip.
Keep your reel seat clean from dirt and grit.
After every fishing trip wash your rod with lukewarm soapy water and dry with a clean soft cloth. Also take good care of the guides by using an old toothbrush, dirty guides will have a negative influence on casting performance.
Always rinse all metal parts on the rod in fresh water after use in salt or brackish water.
Cleaning the cork grip can be done easily and quickly. Take some very fine, waterproof sandpaper and a bar of ordinary hand soap. Wet the rod grip and sandpaper thoroughly. Apply soap on the sandpaper and gently rub the grip taking care not to scratch the rod or reel seat. Rinse with clean water and leave to dry.
Store the rod in a dry enviroment when not in use.
Regularly treat the ferrules with candle wax. This makes it easier to seperate the parts and helps to protect the carbon from wearing out prematurely.
Once the rod is completely free from dirt and grime and throughly dry, spray it with plastic renovator or furnishing spray. You can also apply a very light coating of fine oil on the reel seat.
If your line is ever caught, don’t force it loose by using the rod. Always pull on the line with your hands.
Don’t bend your rod at extreme angles over a short distance. The rod is designed to bend throughout its complete length.
Never lift fish out of the water with your rod – alway use a net.
Try not to lean a rod against an open car door or boot – someone is sure to close the door on it. Never place a round on the ground – someone is sure to stand on it.
To protect the rod tip, it is best to bag your rod with the tip top and cork handle up.
Never use tools to take apart fastened joints. Big changes in temperature make the carbon expand and get stuck. Disassemble the rod after each fishing trip to avoid this happening. If joints are stuck, Sportfish’s top tip is to place a frozen pack of peas or something similiar and leave for five mins. This time should have cooled the sections down and make it easier for the parts to come apart.
