fly rod help

[ironman]

I've had a cabela's fly rod now for about three years, 5wt , 4 piece. Well the last time I used it went fine until it came time to take it apart and pack it away. Bottome two pieces are stuck. I cannot separate them at all. I've already pretty much ruined the the first line guide trying to spin it off with now suck luck. This thing is stuck. Unfortunately it stuck with the guides improperly lined with the reel, so it's not even really usable right now. I've tried to get some wd-40 in there but that hasn't worked either. I hope someone out there has a solution. Has this happened to anyone else?

[mark p]

Try holding the 2 pieces behind your legs with your legs fairly close together. Then use your legs/knees to push your arms apart. This has worked for me a couple times when I couldn't get 2 sections apart by hand.

[so haaad]

If all else fails, just return it to Cabelas. I believe their return policy for thier own products are similar to to Gander's policy with the guide series.

[thistlekicker]

you might consider gently cooling the connection, like with a cold pack, try to get some contraction going. But be careful because it may get brittle.

just a thought...

[ironman]

I'm gonna try the leg trick and see what happens if nothing else I'll take it to Cabela's and hopefull they can do something. Thanks for the tips! How can one prevent this from happening to my other rods?

[DEADhead]

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How can one prevent this from happening to my other rods?

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invest in some ferrule wax. if you forget it on your next trip out, take your finger and get some of your earwax, or the grease behind your ear or on your forehead, and rub it on the ferrule. I know it sounds gross, but it will work in a pinch.

[Ufatz]

MarkP offers useful advice. Try hot water ABOVE the female ferrule. Rather than placing any oily lubricant on a graphite rod just keep it nice and clean and maybe occasionally rub it with just the tiniest bit of hard wax. Taking it back to Cablela's as a return is a little tacky don't you think? I mean, I know everybody abuses the "free" rod nonsense,but returning a rod four years later because it is stuck together is a little much. It is stuck together due to operator error-no other reason. It has happened to all of us. The grown ups take care of it one way or another on their own......well, maybe with some help from friends on the Forum.

[ironman]

I agree...which is why I didn't just rush back to the store when it happened. My first thought was to bring it in and show it to someone who has experience with such things...it never entered my mind that they would just hand over a new one. I just want my 5wt back

I could use the 8wt but little sunnies and trout dont give up much of a fight that way.

[Ufatz]

Okay. I misunderstood. Try hot-cold or the legs trick. Best way to avoid is to keep rods clean and break them down when done fishing , bt we've all had the problem. SMALL amounts of hard wax will help too. Good luck....it can be a real bugger!

[theoilman]

A silicone spray lube on the parts should help prevent sticking in the future, but I doubt if it will help to separate the stuck sections. I don't recommend WD-40 (contains mineral spirits) or any other oil on a graphite rod, they may damage the rod itself.

[FishingIdiot]

St. Croix fly rods used to come (maybe still do) with a plastic container of hard wax to put on the ferrule.

Sears makes a rubber strap wrench (same idea as an oil filter wrench) that I used to carry around to take apart my big surf rods. You have to wrap the strap around the rod shaft a few times in order to be within adjustment range - you'll see what I mean.

[rushing]

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invest in some ferrule wax. if you forget it on your next trip out, take your finger and get some of your earwax, or the grease behind your ear or on your forehead, and rub it on the ferrule. I know it sounds gross, but it will work in a pinch.

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That works great, its free and you also always have it with you!

My grandpa taught me to rub the male end of the ferrule on the side of my nose before joining my rods.

[DEADhead]

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My grandpa taught me to rub the male end of the ferrule on the side of my nose before joining my rods

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yeah my dad tought me that trick growing up, when we would go out inshore fishing (saltwater).

[sodajerk]

I was just in a WalMart today and I noticed that they sell those little tea-lites candles. The package I noticed was 50 of them for $1.98. I imagine they have smaller packs too. They are unscented, clean white wax.

If you'd remove the candle from the little aluminum cup it's in, just one of them would probably last a couple years of heavy fishing, and the price is right too. A 50-pack would set a guy up for a century for less than 2 bucks.