For the longest time, my buddies would give me a hard time about how I store my fishing rods. I’d have ’em stacked up in just about every corner of my office and they’d be a tangled, hot mess; it looked like I was building my own little teepee village out of flipping rods. I take pretty good care of my stuff, but my argument was always the same: Why make them pretty and organized after I get off the water if I’m going fishing again in 10 hours?
Lately, however, I got pretty tired of the somewhat-organized chaos. Every time I’d want to grab one specific rod for a quick pond excursion, I felt like I was playing a game of Operation to break it free from the rest of my rods. I’d have rods resting on my shoulders and under my arms, all while trying to avoid the nearby ceiling fan. Disaster was imminent and it was time for a change.
So I finally broke down and ordered a pile of Rod Glove Rod Covers. I’ll be completely honest: I kind of feel like a moron for not getting them sooner. They’ve made my life much easier in many facets.
No more tangles
The elimination of maddening tangles has probably been the biggest advantage since I’ve started using Rod Glove Rod Covers. These sleeves completely cover all of your line guides (and of course, your line) so you can store a bunch of rods in a tight space without the first tangle. I have found this to be especially useful and a big-time convenience.
Not only can I quickly grab the specific rods I need from the pile without fighting 20 miles of fishing line wrapped around every line guide, but I can also transport my rods much easier. If I’m jumping in a buddy’s boat for a few hours after work, I can easily put them in the front seat of my truck and get to the lake. They also eliminate that obnoxious and constant rattle you’ll hear when you’re riding down the road with uncovered rods in your front seat.
Fit more rods into your rod locker
My boat’s rod locker does not have tubes, which can quickly create a mess in rough water. I used to spend a long time getting them all organized and by the time I got to my first fishing spot of the day, I’d have to Power-Pole down just to untangle the madness that was once my fishing rods.
Instead of fitting 10 or so rods in my locker, I can now fit roughly 20 if I use my Rod Glove Rod Covers. They stack much more compactly and I don’t have to worry about the blanks beating the tar out of each other or breaking a line guide on the lip of the compartment when removing rods. If the fish come up busting and I need to grab my topwater rod from the locker, it now takes just a few seconds.
Smaller footprint
The “rod teepees” in my office used to get so big that I’d have to walk around them just to get to my bathroom. Just this summer, I accidentally drop-kicked the pile with my pinky toe and broke two rods as a result. ‘Twas not a pleasant experience.
Since using the Rod Gloves, I can stack the same number of rods in a corner with less than half the footprint.
I can also see this being a big plus for those who store their fishing rods in a garage. You’ll be able to keep ’em in a small, organized stack completely out of the way so you don’t risk any damage to them when you’re doing other things.
Black wall marks be gone
If you stack your rods in the corner, I bet you’ll see a bunch of ugly, black marks where your rod tips touch the wall. That will not happen if you use Rod Gloves.
Tapered tip
The tapered tip of the Rod Glove Rod Covers aren’t just for a slicker look. They’re actually quite convenient when sliding your rods into an already-crowded rod locker. They don’t get caught on other Rod Gloves and if your locker does have tubes, they slide in much easier and insert correctly on the first attempt.
Hooks aren’t a problem
I was a little worried that this material may be bad news when combined with a bunch of treble hooks. They will get snagged occasionally, but if you squeeze the hooked section of the Rod Glove together (just like you would a Chinese finger trap) you’ll be able to pluck the hooks out without any issues whatsoever.
Available at Tackle Warehouse
I will not go without these Rod Gloves anymore; they’ve really made a tremendous difference in my rod organization. If you’re looking for an easier way to keep your gear straight, I’d absolutely recommend checking them out. They’re available in both casting and spinning rod models.
The Rod Glove Rod Covers are available at TackleWarehouse.com.
