Fishing Tip: Stuck Rod Sections

[Ben]

I've been using my 4 piece fly rod for the last half year, and have just kept it assembled and in the garage so it's ready to go whenever I am. I'm switching to another rod, and was taking it apart this evening to find that the butt section and #2 sections were stuck together like glue. I pulled and twisted like crazy and couldn't budge them.

Youtube to the rescue. Apparently this is pretty common, and people were talking about two big guys each pulling and getting nowhere. And then came this simple trick involving two pieces of tape:

https://youtu.be/aTXQCYSScJM?t=132

He talks a lot at the beginning, so I snipped to the tape trick. I did what he said, and the rod came apart easy peasy with about a tenth of the force I was applying with just my hands.

Anyways, learn something new every day. 

[HankB]

Interesting. I've got a couple of assembled fishing rods in my garage that haven't been used for 20+ years (don't ask me why I still have them) and have no idea if the sections are stuck. IF THEY ARE, I'll file this trick away in the back of my mind.

I probably would've tried a drop of penetrating oil on the joints . . . I DON'T think I would've tried grabbing the rods with pliers or channel locks! 

[230RN]

My father taught me to rub the male parts of the rod on my nose.  Apparently just enough natural nose-lube is transferred, without being too much, to allow separation when done, but not enough that the parts fly apart when casting.

Apparently, stuck rod sections has been a problem for many decades.  You'd think one of the brighteyed enjinears at rod companies could figure out a locking system which didn't interfere with the cast, but would eliminate the sticking problem.

Wasn't it Fred Bear who "invented" the compound bow which IIRC was decried as too complex and "unmatural" at the time, but is now pretty much standard?

And I'm reminded of the supposed remark by a razor blade maker regarding electric razors:  "What? You want to put a motor on a razor?  Why, you'd cut your face to ribbons!"



Incidentally, a quick application of moderate heat might work pretty well.  Quick, so the female section expands just a little without the male section getting warm.


Terry, 230RN

[Ben]

My father taught me to rub the male parts of the rod on my nose.  Apparenly just enough natural nose-lube is transferred, without being too much, to allow separation when done, but not enough that the parts fly apart when casting.

Terry, 230RN

I was taught that too. That was all pre-graphite and other "modern material" rods. Which, you would think "graphite" means that there is less chance of sticking, not more, but apparently not.

Also some videos were talking about freezing the joint, sort of like you heat stuck steel. Not sure how you fit even half a fishing rod in a freezer. 

I have to say that before the tape, I did turn a can of canned air upside down and applied that to the joint, but no go. The tape was like magic. Gotta wonder if that would work on stuff like stuck bottle caps and can lids, where you run into the same problem - you have the strength, but not the grip. I often tap stuck jar lids with something, but like pliers, that's not something I want to do with an expensive and fragile fishing rod.

[HankB]

. . . Gotta wonder if that would work on stuff like stuck bottle caps and can lids, where you run into the same problem - you have the strength, but not the grip . . .

I've got several circular pieces of thin rubber (they were freebie giveaways - most carry someone's advertising) that are made and intended for just that purpose - to keep your hand from slipping when you try to open a stuck jar lid. I use them often.

They didn't work last week when I tried to open a small jar that I'd used to store some wipe on poly I'd made up last year - in fact, channel locks were distorting the metal cover without it breaking loose.

With only a couple of ounces of wood finish at stake I quit at that point - I didn't want a glass jar breaking in my hands.

[RocketMan]

My father taught me to rub the male parts of the rod on my nose.  Apparently just enough natural nose-lube is transferred, without being too much, to allow separation when done, but not enough that the parts fly apart when casting.

Terry, 230RN

My father taught me that, too.  It worked pretty well for me over the years.