Pete Kutzer does it the way I do:
This is the time of year when many folks are finally trying out the fly rods they got for Christmas. Yesterday, Pete Kutzer showed you how to set up your fly rod. Here, he demonstrates the process for putting it away at the end of a casting or fishing session . . .
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I never heard of Pete Kutzer and while I put my rod sections away the same as he (and a few others) do, I take SERIOUS exception with his method of winding in the line at the end of the day.
NEVER, EVER, EVER wind up the line willy-nilly when you are putting a reel away, especially like he did without looking because the line can get wrapped around the tip of the rod and you CAN break it off.
I
have seen it happen to a guy putting away a bamboo rod before I had a chance to scream "STOP" and I've seen a few close calls with graphite rods.
What you SHOULD do is hold the rod upward in front of you and gently PULL the line through the guides while watching the tip top until gravity takes over and dumps the line on the ground. THEN use the reel to wind up the line off the ground.
If you feel compelled to wind it all the way using the reel, do it S-L-O-W-L-Y while holding the rod in front of you and watching the tip top. Pressing the rod butt against your stomach will help to minimize tip bouncing, the cause of line getting wrapped around the tip section.
This advice also goes for winding excess line while fishing when you have out too much line or are reeling in excess to move to another pool. Unless all of the excess line you plan to reel in is BEHIND your stripping guide, go SLOW and keep an eye on your tip top!!
Another tip; when putting the rod sack back in the tube, use your thumb and index finer to make a ring around the opening on your rod tube and gently slide the rod sack into the tube using you fingers as a bumper. This prevents the guides from whacking against the hard metal rod tube opening which can damage or loosen them, especially if you just shove the rod sack in the tube like Pete.
😎
I'm also not a fan of drawstrings on rod sacks, especially on bamboo rods because if you tie them too tight and store the rod for a long time, you risk putting a set in a rod section. If I use them at all, I tie them LOOSE.
If your rod sack doesn't have a flap, you also need to be careful because I once had a tip top guide break when it smacked against the inside of the hard metal cap. What I do now with rod sacks without flaps is to make what I call, "rod condoms" from the upper 2" - 3" of the toe portion of a thin old sock. If you don't have thin old socks but have a sewing machine, they are a breeze to make from some light poplin.
To use them, just slip the rod condom (or roll it down if that feels more familiar
😉) carefully over the end of the rod sack and the ends of the rod sections, screw on the cap and your rod tip top is safe.
FWIW - Rod condoms are a better solution than some padding in the cap because in the case of my broken tip top, there was cushioning in the top of the cap, but not on the sides and that's where the tip top guide smacked the inside of the rod tube/cap.
Finally; when I get home or back to camp, the rod I was using, the rod sack, the tube with the cap off AND the reel out of its case are left out in a safe spot overnight or longer to COMPLETELY dry out.
The following day(s) I'll put it away for the next outing.
