Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

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russ57
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Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by russ57 » Fri Apr 24, 2020 4:48 pm

Do you guys take rod sleeves and reel covers on your nice combos with you wherever you go?

I am starting to get really sick of carrying them around but I don't want to mess up my nice stuff.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by Drakestar » Fri Apr 24, 2020 5:05 pm

Rod sleeves only for me. Too many trees around.

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scrapiron
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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by scrapiron » Fri Apr 24, 2020 5:18 pm

Rod sleeves for the AGS rods, nothing for anything else. I store rods with sleeves and reels in covers over the winter.

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Cal
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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by Cal » Sat Apr 25, 2020 7:32 am

For the last several years, Zander and I's routine has been to meet up at his place the night before our fishing/testing trips, and drive up to our location in his vehicle. We usually get there close to midnight, spend an hour or two unpacking and setting our combos for the next day, then head to bed.

During all that driving, that sound of the rods rattling in the car has always annoyed, and concerned me. That, plus having all those tips pointing in different directions. We usually lay them right down the middle of the car with the handles in the trunk, and the tips up at the front poking into your underarm at the middle console. Reels are always left off for ease of stacking the rods in the car and to protect the reels from scratching.

To help protect the rods and reduce the rattling noise, I started using those polypropeline sleeves like the product from Rod Glove. This kept the rods quiet, but didn't do much about the vulnerability of the tips being right at our elbows. Granted, nothing has happened to date, but you never know.

So then, I started taking the rod sleeves that come with the Megabass Orochi XX and Destroyer rods and sticking two sticks at once inside those sleeves - one rod with a Rod Glove sleeve, the other without to protect the sticks from one another and make it easier to slide the rods in and out of the Megabass sleeve.

This last step works great for transporting sticks to and from locations. Takes a little extra in packing and unpacking, but it's so much easier to load rods in and out of the car and just carry them around in this manner.

Granted, Zander still goes no sleeve whatsoever and sometimes leaves his reels on the rods but he's obviously not as OCD about his sticks as am I. ;)
Cal, Managing Editor
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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by mark poulson » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:45 am

Cal wrote:
Sat Apr 25, 2020 7:32 am
For the last several years, Zander and I's routine has been to meet up at his place the night before our fishing/testing trips, and drive up to our location in his vehicle. We usually get there close to midnight, spend an hour or two unpacking and setting our combos for the next day, then head to bed.

During all that driving, that sound of the rods rattling in the car has always annoyed, and concerned me. That, plus having all those tips pointing in different directions. We usually lay them right down the middle of the car with the handles in the trunk, and the tips up at the front poking into your underarm at the middle console. Reels are always left off for ease of stacking the rods in the car and to protect the reels from scratching.

To help protect the rods and reduce the rattling noise, I started using those polypropeline sleeves like the product from Rod Glove. This kept the rods quiet, but didn't do much about the vulnerability of the tips being right at our elbows. Granted, nothing has happened to date, but you never know.

So then, I started taking the rod sleeves that come with the Megabass Orochi XX and Destroyer rods and sticking two sticks at once inside those sleeves - one rod with a Rod Glove sleeve, the other without to protect the sticks from one another and make it easier to slide the rods in and out of the Megabass sleeve.

This last step works great for transporting sticks to and from locations. Takes a little extra in packing and unpacking, but it's so much easier to load rods in and out of the car and just carry them around in this manner.

Granted, Zander still goes no sleeve whatsoever and sometimes leaves his reels on the rods but he's obviously not as OCD about his sticks as am I. ;)
Cal, just think of it as you are balancing things out for him, so the two of you average out to normal+-. :lol:

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by Houndfish » Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:11 am

I keep rod and reel covers on 100% of the time a rod is not in my hands or in a holder on boat or yak. The reel covers are to keep sand and grit out, I drive an Outback and the combos are in the trunk with my tackle and fishing stuff. There is often more sand and grit back there then I would like so it's a no brainer to keep the covers on. The rod sleeves are there to protect the rods and to keep the guides from snagging, but their main role is visabality. When getting into and out of the car the rod tips are in the front with me and I want them to be as east to spot as possible. If I am on a longer trip I steal a bright sock from my wife and stick it over all the tips to keep them wrangled and to add even more visibility.

I have broken 2 rod tips in 5-6 years of obsessive fishing and don't want to break any more, so a little time spend preventing it is fine with me.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:14 pm

Nope, but I absolutely should. I have them should I ever decide to wise up.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by hoohoorjoo » Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:18 pm

Reel covers, yes and religiously. Rod sleeves, no.
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by Slazmo » Sat Apr 25, 2020 1:32 pm

I've made my own reel baggies, from thick grade flannel cotton into drawer string design. Cotton is good as it's both absorbant and breathable. Rod sleeves also, but yeh with my own twist. Certainly helps taking that clatter out when stored together on the road.

Having a light colour rod bag / sleeve helps you see it against the cars interior, so you don't lean against them or accidentally put something onto the tip.

A mate of mine packed his rods first and then put camping gear in the back. When he got to his location 3 of the 5 rods were snapped from being pushed against. Lessons learned pack rods last...

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by accodn2ryan » Sat Apr 25, 2020 3:04 pm

I always use rod sleeves and reel covers whenever transporting them in my car, since I usually at least have anywhere from 2-6 combos with me. Once I get to the dock and on the boat, I take off the rod sleeves, but leave the reel covers on until I'm ready to fish.

If I'm bank fishing or going for a hike where there's a bunch of trees or a place I'm unfamiliar with, I'll leave the rod sleeves on, since I'm usually bringing 2-3 rods with me. Last thing I need to be worrying about when hiking and concentrating on the terrain is one of my rod tips being snapped and ruining my day.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by domthewon » Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:08 am

Yes and Yes. Even on the deck of my boat. I cut up a yoga mat because it’s soft and water resistant and lay it under where my reels rest. I take the covers off as I fish a spot and when I’m ready to use the big motor I put everything back on. The mat really protects the reels and keeps them in place when not covered because the rubbery material. I fish some pretty decent gear and want to keep it as close to new as long as possible. Most are JDM and without warranty, so it just makes sense to take care of my gear when not in use.

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MardukFIN
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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by MardukFIN » Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:15 am

Sleeves yes, Covers not. I use only custom rods and most of them are w/o varnish (or coating on blank).

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by tywithay » Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:21 pm

I used to use the sleeves, until I watched a couple fly off out of the back of the truck. My rods weren't damaged, but somehow the sleeves caught air and went for a ride.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by John G » Wed May 06, 2020 5:34 pm

Always use a reel cover and I have never used a rod cover.

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Re: Do you guys always use reel covers and rod sleeves?

Post by slipperybob » Sat May 09, 2020 12:33 am

Yes, and yes....just helps to prevent tangling and rattling annoyance.
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

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