I have noticed on my factory rods that there is some kind of rubber plug inside the blank where the two pieces join, is this something I need to do on the rods I build? What is this plug called? Did I describe this well enough for you to know what I am talking about? Thanks, Shane

It will help to have it there. You can fashion one out of a piece of EVA grip scrap, or just pack some U-40 Rod Bond in there to a depth of maybe a quarter to half inch. The latter is probably the easier and better method.

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You can go to a hardware store and buy a small tube of DAP silicone gasket material in black. It comes with a tip that can be cut to varying diameters. Fill the end with the stuff and then set the end you just filled on a piece of aluminum foil and leave it for a day or two. The stuff works pretty well and one $3.00 tube will do several hundred rods.

I think the plug is there to give the female portion of the ferrule support against distortion (flattening) when loading the rod. So you'll want to use some material with some firmness to it.

So for years I have instead been using corks, with a light application of epoxy, to plug both the ferrule end (if needed) and the butt end of the blank - especially on pier rods. While not as firm (or as heavy) as a plug of rod bond, the cork has proved sufficient to prevent the blank from being crushed. I have seen several instances where a pier rod's (heaver) butt end has been stepped on, splintering the butt end of the rod. The rods, afterall, are many times fished leaning against the pier rail with their long lengths causing them to stick way out onto the pier deck.

I picked up a bag of 100 various sized corks for less than $5 on @#$%&.

Laters,

Lou

Recently, I received a high end fly rod blank from one of the major US manufactures and they had miss plugging one of the ferrules. I gave them a call to get their recommendation for a 'home remedy' (Just save the time and hassle of sending it back). They told that all they use is a two part epoxy. Needless to say, that was an easy fix.