So you have just started fishing and you now own a rod. While reading about your rod, you have probably heard all kinds of terminology that doesn’t really make much sense. There are a lot of different types of rods out there but they all use the same names for the different bits. Don’t worry if it’s confusing, I’m going to break down all the parts of your rod and the technical terms for them.
Rods Broken Down
To begin with, it’s worth mentioning that rods these days can come in a various amount of pieces. You can buy a 1 piece rod all the way up to a 6 or even 8 piece travel rod. All this means is that the rod comes in a certain amount of pieces that you put together to create the rod. Most rods these days are either in 2 or 4 pieces.
Action
The rod you own has probably been described as having some kind of ‘action’. Action simply refers to the flexibility of the rod. Action describes how much and where the rod bends and there are three main types. A fast action rod is stiff and bends at the tip of the rod. A medium action rod bends in the middle of the rod and is more flexible. A slow action rod bends at the but end and is very flexible. Different actions are used in different situations and also depend what species you are targetting.
The Butt
You may have guessed it but this is the bottom of the rod at the end of the handle. It is the part of the rod that you push into your body when you are fighting a fish. It can be made of rubber, plastic or cork. If you are using offshore trolling rods, the but will often be made of metal or hard plastic with a cross carved into it. The cross is there so you can clip the rod into a rod holder securely.
Grip Or Handle
This is the area above the butt and is usually made from foam or cork. This is where you hold the hold and thanks to the material, it should be comfortable.
Reel Seat
The real seat sits in amongst the grip or handle. It is usually made of plastic and/or aluminum and it’s where you attach your reel to your rod. The mechanism usually involves one or two sleeves that you slide over the end of your reel and twist either up or down to secure it in place.
Hook Holder
Not all rods have a hook holder and quite often you can use a guide or put the hook into the cork or foam if you need to. If your rod does have one, it’ll be a little metal ring above the handle attached to the rod.
Butt Section
This is usually how you would refer to the bottom piece of your rod if you have a 4 piece rod. I actual fact, the butt section begins where you handle ends and is simply referring to the thickest part of your rod. This is the most powerful part of the rod and is the area you want to use when you’re fighting a big fish, especially if you’re trying to lift it from the depths.
Guides
Guides are the little rings that run down your rod where you thread your line through. They are often referred to as ‘eyes’ as well. The number of guides you have on your rod depends on the manufacturer but usually the more guides the better.
Windings
Windings are what holds the guides on the rod. The name aptly describes the process. A thin thread is wound around the top and bottom of the guide and the rod. It is then coated in epoxy or resin to hold it firmly in place.
Ferrules
If you have a rod that comes in pieces as mentioned above, it will have ferrules. Ferrules are simply where the pieces connect. You have a male ferrule and a female ferrule, similar to the naming used for speaker or electrical equipment. Quote often, anglers will wax or even wrap electrical tape around the ferrules to make sure the rod does not come apart when they are casting.
Tip
The top section of the rod is referred to as the tip. It’s the thinnest and most flexible part of the rod.
Tip Top
This is the last and top guide on your rod. It is the most important guide and you are going to end up breaking a few of them. We all have. They often end up snapping when you trip and poke them into the ground. If you do break it, try and get it back. Then you can simply heat the guide with a lighter and pull it to take it off the broken piece of the rod. Then you can epoxy the guide back on to where it broke off in the top section.
Summing Up
There you have it, fishing rods and their parts explained. This information is very useful especially if you are describing a repair you need or something specific you want from a rod you are looking to buy.