North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine October 2016 | Page 34

against head shakes, jumps and thrashing.
When the fish settles down, pull against the
line and put maximum pressure on the fish
by using only the butt of the rod and all of
the leader’s strength. There will be lots of
give and take, but be patient and pull with
every bit of power when you can. It’s far
better to have a story about landing that
thirty incher on a five weight than another
“I hooked a huge fish that broke my rod and
got away” story.

Keep it in the Case
Fly rods almost always come with a case.
The case is designed to protect the rod
when you are not fishing with it. I seldom
use the case unless I’m traveling. I keep my
rods strung together in the car or the boat
95% of the time. If not in the car, they are in
two pieces in the garage or the house, ready
to go at a moment’s notice. It saves me time,
but has led to some pet related mishaps and
that’s on me. You should probably protect
your rod by keeping it in a protective case.

Love your Fly Rod
I love fly rods. I hate breaking them and
seeing them broken by others. Respect the
rod. Use it in the way it was intended. Avoid
shocks. Keep your ferrules waxed and well
connected. Avoid the taco. Don’t bend it too
sharply. Play it safe with storage in the case
or a suitable location buffered from pets
and falling objects. Your fly rod will serve
you with many happy hours on the water.

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