Want to go fishing with friends and family, but you are not sure if you will be able to master the pole-folding technique? If you are not very experienced with the use of a fishing pole, and you want to master it, I will show you, step by step, how to properly set up a fishing pole.
It is much easier with prior knowledge to go to the river or the sea and know on the spot what to do. We will start with the most basic information … Before you start assembling the pole, it is important to know all its individual parts.
Rod Parts
The Handle
You will hold your fishing pole by the handle, which is located at the very bottom of the stick. It is very important that the material from which the handle is made or coated is resistant to slipping. This is very important in case your palms sweat or the rain starts to fall.
Another name for the handle is grip because of the soft rubberized grip around it. When buying a pole, pay attention to the comfort of its handle. Rubber handles are cheaper, but EVA foam ones are better quality and they can be found at different prices.
The Butt
The butt is the bottom section of the fishing rod. Its purpose is to prevent the rod from falling out if your hand due to an unexpected and large kickback. It is usually made of rubber or other soft materials. It is possible to protect this part with additional guards, which will allow you to fish in somewhat more difficult conditions.
The Tip
The most flexible part of the rod is certainly its tip. It allows the fishing pole to bend. This part of the pole used to be made of bamboo so that it could allow the pole to be flexible. The material for this part of the stick is now chosen by the same logic as before. It is most often made of fiberglass or graphite metal.
Of course, when buying a fishing pole you can choose the tip that suits you. There are also slightly harder tips that are firmer but offer less flexibility. What kind of tip you choose depends on what you will use that fishing rod for. If you are going to use it for fishing in saltwater you will need a harder tip so you can get the heavier fish out of the water.
The Guides
The guides extend along the rod. They are cylindrical in shape. Those better guides are made of graphite or ceramic. Guides are a very important part of the rod because they allow the line to stay close to the rod, and thus not get entangled in water or on the reel. The distance between the guides and their quantity differs with different types of rods.
Their position also varies, they are located in different places in spinning and baitcasting types of rod. Baitcasters have their rod guides facing up to the sky while rod guides in spinning rods face toward the ground. Another little gadget that can benefit you is the hook keeper. It does exactly what its name says. It is a metal ring that is attached to the rod and which allows easier transport of the rod.
The Ferrule
Ferrules are part of those rods that do not consist of one part. Generally, beginner rods consist of two to three parts. They refer to the joints of these parts. Ferrules can be male or female. Male ferrules fit into the join of another piece, therefore extending the length. Females receive the opposing ferrule.
The strength of the ferrule is very significant because the using period of the rod depends on it. It is important that there are no cracks on them and that they are solid because you do not want your stick to fall apart or recede. Be very careful when disassembling the rod as well. You do not want to damage them by rough disassembly.
The Windings
They are normally made of string or some other material. They’re usually glued to a stick and then coated with some other material. They prevent the guides from tearing off the rod and help reduce friction separating the coil and on the wheel. They do not play a major role in fishing pole performance. The only thing that matters is that they are nicely attached to the pole so that they handle a range of different pound-test lines.
The Reel
There are different types of reels. They differ in material, shape, appearance, type of fishing for which they are intended. A fishing reel is a mechanical device attached to a fishing rod. It stores, releases, and collects the fishing line. There are three main types of fishing reels: baitcasting, spinning, and spincast.
Also Read: How to Clean a Fishing Reel – Make Your Job Easier
The Lure
Depending on what kind of lure you want to use, it will also depend on which line you will use. Fishermen generally like to use the lighter ones-usually in the 6 to 10-pound-test range. Follow the recommendations of your rod manufacturer before purchasing the lure.
Having the most suitable lure for your requirements is the best way to help fine-tune your fishing. There is a couple of types of lure-jigs, spinnerbaits, in-line spinners, safety-pin spinners, beetle spin, and tail spinners, spoons, and many others.
Assembling the Pieces
Step 1
Recognize the parts of your fishing pole. Familiarize yourself well with the terminology given in the previous paragraphs.
Step 2
What some people often forget, and it is very important, is to clean the fishing pole before using it. Clean dust and dirt from the pole carefully so that you do not damage the surface of your pole.
Step 3
Connect the parts of the stick. Place the male and female parts on a flat surface, then holding the female firmly, anchor the male ferrule around it. If you do not succeed at first, do not push but read the instructions you received. Some fishing poles have a locking mechanism. If you force it you can break the pole.
Step 4
Attach the Fishing Reel attach the reel to the pole. Insert your reel to the reel seat. Next up, put the reel seat over the butt. Rotate till the parts all feel secure. Be very careful not to overtighten the reel. That could ruin the pole. Rotating clockwise will tighten the thread, and counterclockwise will loosen it.
Step 5
Lift the bale arm- If you don’t know what it is, it’s a silver piece on a reel that you can pick up and flip it up to the other side of the reel with a little pressure. If this doesn’t go easy, you may be pulling the wrong part. No great pressure should be applied to the bale arm. Check that the spool of line unwinds the same way as the reel rotates.
Step 6
Thread the line through the guides. Most fishing rods on the market have four or five guides attached to the rod. Starting at the guide closest to the reel, thread it with the line from the bottom to the top.
Also Read: Baitcaster vs Spinning Reel – Learn More About It
Step 7
Choose a lure you like. Choose the lure according to which fish you want to catch. If you like fishing in freshwater, I suggest you give a try to a jig. With its feathers and a metalhead, it will attract fish. The lure that is good if you want to catch big fish is spoon lure.
The spoon will wave back and forth to simulate the movement of a fish, attracting the bigger ones to your lure. And if you want a universal lure, try a spinner. I hope you find my advice useful. Follow these steps and you will easily and efficiently master the technique of assembling the rod without much effort.
