Richard Stone Custom Rods

05/21/08  Preventive maintence for your rod.

Just like your truck or boat, your fishing rod requires some maintence to keep it looking new and finding any problems that may show up and ruin your fishing trip. The following are some tips for maintaining your rod for optimum performance.

First, give it a good cleaning and wax job. At least once a year, wash your rod using soap and water or a diluted cleaning solution like simple green or 409 (do not use full concentrate as it may damage the finish). Once you get all the dirt and grime off it's a good time to do an inspection to check for any potential problems. Look the rod over for cracks, chipping, or any signs of potential blank failure. Use a cotton swab and check the guide rings for any damage, the most common being grooving or cracked rings. If the cotton snags then your line will snag and break as you use the rod. Check the guide wraps to make sure the epoxy finish isn't chipping off and make sure the guides are still tight to the rod blank with no movement.

Next, clean the handles using a brush and the soap and water or cleaner you used on the rod. If you have heavy soil, use 400 grit or finer sand paper to remove the dirt. If you notice chucks of cork missing from the handle that's normal. Most production rods use a filler material to fill the pits in the cork. This will fall out over time. 

Finally, use some sort of protectant on the rod. I recommend some inexpensive car wax or the unscented furniture polish. I like to keep some of the furniture polish wipes handy to give the rod a quick clean up if it gets really dirty on a trip.

Remember, if you use your rod in saltwater or brackish water make sure you clean it after every use!