If you’ve fished long enough, after a long day on the water you have experienced the sections of your rod stuck together at the ferrules. This can happen for several reasons, but regardless of the reason, it can be rather frustrating. However, nothing is more frustrating than cracking a ferrule or breaking off a stripping guide while attempting to separate them.
If you’re fishing with a buddy, it is very simple to safely separate the two “stuck” sections. In fact, our friend Louis Cahill of Gink and Gasoline and our very own JEB Hall have demonstrated this in the past via this video.
However, if you are fishing alone, and find your rod stuck together at the ferrules, try this quick tip to safely separate them without damaging your rod.
Grasp the rod on each side of the stuck ferrule with the rod behind your back (see photo above). With the rod lower than your butt, simply pull the rod in opposite directions to separate. Doing so allows you to pull only in one direction, reducing the chance of torqueing the rod in the wrong direction and cracking a ferrule. Also, while braced against your legs, you are far stronger pulling in this fashion than when awkwardly pulling in front of your body.
Still stuck? Lower the rod to behind your knees and use the outsides of your legs to push against your arms to increase pressure.
Or, just carry two little 4″x4″ squares of rubber kitchen shelf and drawer liner and you are good-to-go. Would make this technique even more effective, I suspect. Roll them up in an elastic hair band or two, and you are gooder-to-go. I keep them in my rod tube, but your storage may vary.
tried the trick of putting it down by my knees I was really skeptical about this made sure no one was around , and shocked the hell out of me it worked. thanks
Awesome Perry, glad it worked for you! Thanks for stopping by!
Amazing!!!
I have a tip to add here. One picked up on my own and am sure someone will say never do. But one that is super stuck. And these tricks dont work. Such as finding an older glass rod at a sale thats been outside a cpl years say.
Apply med heat to it slowly rotating so you dont get a hot spot. Elec stove top works well keep it 6-8″ above. Every few minutes use the behind the knee trick. It has saved more than one old rod from the scrap pile for me.