How long do you leave fly rods rigged?

[bugs4]

Rods are rigged up and in the back of the ole' suburban from about Valentines day till the 4th of July.

 

[PlainClothesHippie]

Mine are broken down and in the tubes when at home or in the car. As others have said, the rod is the last to be set up and the first to tear down. It's worked for me so far.

When motorcycle camping, I set up the rod as soon as the tent and cook stove are set up. I rarely break down the rod until it's time to strike camp and head for home. Of course, if I decide to ride to another fishing spot during the day, I have to break down fully in order to carry it on the bike. At camp I usually find an out of the way place to lean it against something. It's not the best idea, but I've never had anything stolen or molested (yet).

Setting up and breaking down provides an excellent opportunity to inspect and clean the rod.

 

[Bamboozle]

Mine are broken down and in the tubes when at home or in the car. As others have said, the rod is the last to be set up and the first to tear down. It's worked for me so far...

As a human and despite being as disciplined as I am, I find it extremely difficult to rig up my rod last and never forget something, forcing me to look for a place to set the rod I just rigged while I dig around in the car. I also like to have a place for the rigged rod to be while I drink a pre-fishing beer or two.

For that reason, I made myself a sweet magnetic rod/reel holder that goes on the side of my SUV that I use when setting up and breaking down. It allows me to string up my rod without having to set it on the ground and it holds my rod & reel safe and secure and out of harms way if I have to fuss with other stuff at or in the car.

No more danger of slamming it in a car door, looking for a tree to lean it against or having it blow off the roof which I've seen happen to others. When I get back after fishing, I can put my rod & reel in it until I take off some gear like my Richardson Box, which gets in the way when trying to put the rod away.

Because I am very disciplined in the order I pack up and I NEVER have a beer until everything is stowed, I have never had an issue with this new gadget.

 

[PlainClothesHippie]

As a human and despite being as disciplined as I am, I find it extremely difficult to rig up my rod last and never forget something, forcing me to look for a place to set the rod I just rigged while I dig around in the car. I also like to have a place for the rigged rod to be while I drink a pre-fishing beer or two.

For that reason, I made myself a sweet magnetic rod/reel holder that goes on the side of my SUV that I use when setting up and breaking down. It allows me to string up my rod without having to set it on the ground and it holds my rod & reel safe and secure and out of harms way if I have to fuss with other stuff at or in the car.

No more danger of slamming it in a car door, looking for a tree to lean it against or having it blow off the roof which I've seen happen to others. When I get back after fishing, I can put my rod & reel in it until I take off some gear like my Richardson Box, which gets in the way when trying to put the rod away.

Because I am very disciplined in the order I pack up and I NEVER have a beer until everything is stowed, I have never had an issue with this new gadget.

I hear ya on the forgotten somethings to dig around in the car for. If I have to, and I often do, search around in the car, I lean the rod on the far side of the car. It's a habit from losing the tips of spinning rods long ago. I think it's self-anger at having lost them that keeps it close to mind.

I'd be curious to see a photo of your magnetic rod holder if you have any handy.

 

[Arminacast]

I'd be curious to see a photo of your magnetic rod holder if you have any handy.

Me too.

 

[rrt]

I let my frequently used rods assembled for weeks/months at a time -- never a problem with breaking one. The only problem I have is a kink in the leader when I put the two pieces (i use mostly 2-section rods) together when getting ready, but a swipe or two thru rubber from an inner tube takes care of this till the leader gets pretty old.

The rods I've broken have been in car doors, yanking flies from trees, and even playing a trout (not even a big one).

Maybe I'm just too lazy to re-rig each time I go out.

 

[tomgamber]

These have been around for a long time. Never got one but always thought I should. It's like that snap on a vest no one uses.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/wapsi-magnetic-rod-guard?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CGeneric%7CAllProducts%7CHigh%7CSSCCatchAll&gclid=CjwKCAiA866PBhAYEiwANkIneGWAXl-Gcp2Y0qIUPCUnzdh50v5Ep4kYohb4CZnF9g5pgjHEncPPoBoCLWQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[wildtrout2]

My St. Croix Imperial is always tubed, except when I'm fishing. I set it up when I get on the stream, and it goes back in it's tube for the hike out.

 

[CRB]

First thing I do after opening the gate on the Jeep[ is to un-line the rod, remove real(put it away), and dissemble and place the rod in its sock and tube. I then place inside.
I can't afford not having a rod for my next outing.
I've broken 4 rods and each was a great inconvenience sending it back and waiting on rod warrantee repairs.
And, now the warrantees are not a generous as in the past.

 

[JMP]

These have been around for a long time. Never got one but always thought I should. It's like that snap on a vest no one uses.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/wapsi-magnetic-rod-guard?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CGeneric%7CAllProducts%7CHigh%7CSSCCatchAll&gclid=CjwKCAiA866PBhAYEiwANkIneGWAXl-Gcp2Y0qIUPCUnzdh50v5Ep4kYohb4CZnF9g5pgjHEncPPoBoCLWQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I won one of these at a TU event. I have never used it. I guess it is time to take it out of my gear bag and try it.

 

[kbobb]

Being relatively new to the world of fly fishing, I was wondering if any of you folks leave your fly rods rigged and if so, for how long? Being a decades-long spin fisherman, I always leave my spinning & baitcasting rods rigged. Is there any reason not to leave a fly rod rigged, other than the sort of obvious reason about safely transporting & storing a 9' rod with a skinny tip.

Thoughts on pros & cons?

I have a couple of cases which hold the rod with attached reel. I rig up a rod at home, put it in this case and when I get to the stream just have to put the sections together and put on a fly. I leave my 10' nymphing rod setup together in one of these cases for most of the season.
AS others mentioned the first thing I do getting back to the car is wipe off the rod and case it with the zipper open to air it out on the ride home. At home everything is aired out overnight to completely dry.

 

[krayfish2]

Wow, it appears that I'm a bad example based on these responses.

I have the luxury of living alone and don't care if I get company, so..... March 15 through October, I have at least 5-6 fully rigged rods ready to go. My couch is off limits to the pets and the rods are laying from one armrest to the other. Waders hang in the hallway always ready to go.

The new puppy LOVES to chew sticks so we have done a little training that fishing rods are a no go zone. Pretty sure refresher training will be due in another month or so. I've been pretty lucky so far not to lose a rod or line to the dogs.

 

[shoog]

I typically leave 3 rods. 2 & 4 weights (all older Orvis Super & Ultra Fine models - I usually grab the 7-11) setup year round. This past winter was the 1st time in several years that I took them apart and stored them with the plans to get new lines for each this year.
I am very very fortunate to live on a wonderful trout stream in Wisconsin's Driftless, so it just makes sense to leave them rigged all the time.

 

[wbranch]

I leave three 4 piece rods together from May 01 until I leave for Montana the 3rd week of June. I leave a 9' #7 together all year but after November I loosen the ferrules. Just make sure the male and female ends are clearof any dirt and dust. Apply a little ferrule wax to the male end.

 

[boychick]

Here's what I've learned from hard experience, plus good advice from flyfishers on this forum:

When you're done fishing and get back to your vehicle, the very FIRST thing to do is break down the rod and put it in its case, and put the case back in the vehicle.

Do that before you take off your vest, boots, etc. Don't rest the rod against the vehicle, or lean it against a tree, etc.

Just right away, put it in its case, and put the case in the vehicle.

This prevents breaking the rod. And it prevents leaving the rod behind when you drive off.

Both leaving the rod behind, and breaking fly rods are common. I've done both. When you're tired after fishing, it's easy to make mistakes.

This is the best advice. I have done both too. You can’t break a rod in its tube.

 

[troutbert]

I leave three 4 piece rods together from May 01 until I leave for Montana the 3rd week of June. I leave a 9' #7 together all year but after November I loosen the ferrules. Just make sure the male and female ends are clearof any dirt and dust. Apply a little ferrule wax to the male end.

For people that leave their rods rigged, how do you transport them in your vehicle and store them between fishing trips?

 

[dryflyguy]

I have a pickup with a cap, that has a sliding window between the cap and bed.
I just open that slider and lay the rod up through it.

I also carry rigged rods in my wife's - and other peoples - cars.
Just about all newer cars have fold down seats that allow you to lay the rod from the back end of the trunk or hatch, up to the dash.

My buddies and I all do this when moving around to different spots.
However, when finished for the day, first thing we all do, is put them away properly!

 

[poopdeck]

What dryflyguy said. My pick up is the worst but I can fit most of my fly rods on the diagonal. my cars are no issue. When I get home I have DIY racks on the joists in my basement. I can store 41 assembled rods overhead. Anything over 9’, which amounts to a Couple surf rods, gets broken down.

 

[wbranch]

For people that leave their rods rigged, how do you transport them in your vehicle and store them between fishing trips?

I have a Subaru Outback wagon. I can easily transport 2 - 4 assembled 9' fly rods by laying them on the retractable trunk cover. Handles towards the rear, tips forward. I can actually transport two 10' steelhead rod by laying them diagonally across that cover. Handles to the far left. The tips to the the far right. They still clear the windshield.