Repairing Fishing Rods

These are just a sample of the rods I have customized or repaired; I can make a rod from blank shafts in 30 minutes and do a repair like the one I am going to show you in fifteen minutes. Many of the rods I get are from the garbage others are given to me and some I buy or build with parts I buy or salvage.

I was out for a walk when I spotted this fishing rod in the garbage the but end was broken just in front of the guide behind the ferrule and it was covered in a thick layer of dust. The price tag saying $47.95 was still on the rod telling me they broke the rod just after buying it and left it in storage for some time before throwing it out.

The first thing I did for this repair was to take the reel off the rod, clean and test it. The reel looked and worked like new, this rod was worth taking out of the garbage just for the reel.

The but is the strongest part of the rod and breaks like this one happen for two reasons; cold and stressed or just over stressed, this can happen when the drag on the reel is set too heavy, the line is too heavy, and you pull to hard, or try to lift a big fish. It can happen when the drag is set right the line is the right poundage and the rod is very cold. This reel is rated for 6-8-10 pounds and the rod is rated for 8-10-12 pounds. I tested the old line and estimated it was 15 pound test.

First I checked the tip to see if it seated tightly in the but of the rod, if it does this will be the new ferrule.

Then I marked the rod where I wanted to move the guide to.

I removed the guide by cutting the whipping along the foot of the guide with a utility knife.

Then I scraped off the resin and squared the frayed end of the but for the ferrule in a miter box.

I smoothed the edges with sandpaper and tested the tip seating in the ferrule one more time before whipping.

Whipping strengthens the ferrule so the graphite doesn’t split when stressed as well as whipping is used to connect the guides and hook keep, it is done by winding strong thread around the shaft of the rod, the feet of the guides and the feet of the hook keep, then coating them with resin or clear lacquer.

This is the finished repair.

You don’t need much in the form of tools and materials just strong thread, tape, a utility knife, guides, a shaft, and clear lacquer or resin.

I used a wooden dowel to demonstrate whipping because my rod and thread were too dark to video or photograph well.

First cut a piece of thread six inches long and set it aside for later use.

Then take the but of your rod in one hand and the thread in the other and place the two together and hold the thread in place with one finger.

Wrap the thread around the shaft of the but over top of the end of the thread and continue wrapping until you have wrapped the length of the ferrule.

Then take the six inch piece of thread you put aside and make a loop.

Place the loop on the shaft and wrap the thread on top of the loop six or eight times.

Cut the whipping thread with extra length and run the end through the loop.

Grab the ends of the loop sticking out of the whipping and pull the whipping thread through the whipping. You do not need to pull all the thread through the whipping just enough so when you cut the thread the end of the thread is under the whipping and discard the scraps.

And there you have it the ferrule whipped.

Whipping the guide or a hook keep is the fame as whipping the ferrule with a couple additions, take a piece of tape and place it on the end of the foot of the guide and tape the guide where you want it on the shaft.

Place the thread on the opposite side of the shaft as the foot and hold it in place with your finger, make your first wrap in front of the guide strut and the rest of the wrapping behind the guide strut on top of the foot. You start and end the whipping on the opposite side of the shaft from the foot so the wrapping holds the thread tightly.

Wrap until you cover the foot completely plus a couple turns.

Then take the six inch piece of thread you put aside and make a loop.

Place the loop on the shaft and wrap the thread on top of the loop six or eight times.

Cut the whipping thread with extra length and run the end through the loop.

Grab the ends of the loop sticking out of the whipping and pull the thread through the whipping. You do not need to pull all the thread through the whipping just enough so when you cut the thread the end is under the whipping and discard the scraps.

And there you have it the guide and the ferrule whipped now all you need to do is coat the wrapping with resin or clear lacquer and your repair is complete.

Once the lacquer is set reattach the reel put some fishing line the right poundage on the reel and you are ready to go fishing. Depending on how fast the resin or lacquer sets this repair can take as little as one hour.