Care and Maintenance of your World Class Fulling Mill Fly Rod

Although covered by the original owner limited lifetime warranty, and almost certainly covered by your household or travel insurance policy (we urge you to check this) it is frustrating if something goes wrong with your rod which can ruin your fishing trip. These suggestions will minimize the chances of mishap.

Fulling Mill rods are made to the highest standards but however careful they are at inspection it is possible to miss something. If you find fault before the rod is used, contact Fulling Mill and they will do their best to sort it out immediately.

Breakages

Obvious maybe, but fishing rods are breakable! Failure during normal use, though, is unusual. Fly rods are designed to flex and bend gradually throughout, the bend being more pronounced towards the tip.

A common cause of breakage is pulling line out of the tip ring sharply back towards the handle. It causes undue stress at the tip of the rod and may result in a break near the tip ring (See Fig 1). This also applies when playing a fish. Make sure you use a net or keep the angles correct to avoid breakage.

Sometime your line becomes twisted around the tip section or your leader knot gets jammed in the tip ring. If there is any resistance, STOP, check, and clear the problem before you pull on the line.

Loose ferules will almost always result in breakage! Regularly check the joints through the day to ensure they are tight. If they are constantly loosening, apply a very light rub of candle wax to the male section.

Sometimes rods are broken when dismantling. In all cases, keep sections aligned when pulling apart. Sections should come apart with minimum force, just twist and pull apart. Use a piece of rubber to more securely grip each section if required. In stubborn cases use two people. Each holds one section in one hand and the other section in the other hand. (See Fig 2) Both people twist and pull at the same time.

Weighted flies can damage rods. If you are unlucky the fly hits the rod, generally about 2/3rds of the way up the rod. Usually you won’t notice but occasionally the speed of impact causes the rod to fracture, either immediately or sometime afterwards.

Most breakages are as a result of a knock. If you know you have banged a rod it is worth checking for damage. Over a long period of time or through heavy use, rods will start to fail because of this sort of damage. This is normal wear and tear.

Sometime you know exactly why your rod broke. It got trodden on, shut in the car door, driven over, even snapped in frustration! In these cases, perhaps your household or other insurance policy will help.

Taping the joints on your Salmon Rod

Fulling Mill provide 50m of top quality PVC tape with your Salmon Rod. TO avoid having sections twist (when Spey casting) and prevent breakage from loosened joints you should always tape the joints.

To use the tape, assemble your Salmon Rod ensuring a snug fit between male and female ferrules and alignment of rings and reel seat.

(See Fig 3a) Unroll 2 to 3 inches of tape from the roll and while holding the rod in one hand and the tape roll in the other, attach the tape end to the rod about an inch above the centre of each joint section. (See Fig 3b) Pull gently on the tape to stretch, and then slowly spin the rod in one direction. Guide the tape towards the butt at a slight downwards angle ensuring that the edge of each wrap overlaps the preceding wrap by about a third.

(See Fig 3c) Once you have cleared the joint centre by about an inch or so, pinch the tape off from the roll and flatten end down, or for a more secure joint (if you are leaving your rod up for more than a day) continue back over the wraps and finish where you started.

If your rod is going to be up for an extended period, we strongly advise you to replace the tape weekly. All residue should be cleared before applying new tape.

When removing tape, remove any residue from the rod by wiping lightly first with white spirit, then dry off with a clean cloth.

General Maintenance

Basic obvious care of your rod will ensure it lasts a lifetime. Dry rods and wipe clean after use. Clean cork handles with warm soapy water and allow to dry before storing. Use the ‘keeper’ ring, not the handle, to hold flies! Keep the reel seat clean and do not over tighten. Keep grit off your fly line which causes damage to the rod rings. Use a suitable line.

Most rods comfortably handle a line each side of the suggested rating (ie. A 7 weight will easily handle a 6, 7, or 8 weight line) but do not overload the rod.

Beware! Carbon rods conduct electricity! In a lightening storm, stop fishing; lay your rd on the ground and move away. Beware of overhead power cables.

Fly rods are actually remarkably strong and seldom break. If you do have a problem though, Fulling Mill will do their best to ensure you are back fishing as quickly as possible with minimal fuss and inconvenience.

Top Tip: It is always advisable to have a spare rod handy. Accidents happen, and it is as well to be prepared! Fulling Mill Travel rods are ideal for this. Store in the boot of your car, or in the bottom of your fishing bag.