Securing rod parts

Check your ferrules

Martin Joergensen

Some rods have a tendency to slowly come apart while you fish with them. The ferrules will loose their grip and finally the parts will be so loose that the tip might fly off in a cast or -- even worse -- come partly off and break the male ferrule.
This has a very serious risk of totally wrecking the rod and should be carefully avoided. There are several tricks, which will help you avoid the problem:

• Make sure the parts are always very firmly set together, and make sure you always assemble and separate the rod parts in a straight line. Do not turn or twist the parts, which will wear the ferrules.
• Check the connections occasionally while you fish. Look up the rod from the side opposite the guides, and check their alignment. If they are twisted, sound the alarm. You can also routinely press the parts lightly together.
• If the rod is worn or a ferrule often comes loose, rub the male ferrule with some very hard wax or a candle. This will deposit a thin, non-sticky layer that binds the parts together.
• Tape the parts with gaffer or duct tape. This method is commonly used by salmon fishers with two hand rods where the load is dramatic and the results of a loose tip are fatal. It is not elegant, but it works.