Other day I had the TV on in the shop and heard part of a discussion on Cabela's fishing show about a certain rod type that helped prevent line wrapping around the tip or last couple of guides when using jerk baits. This is a problem I run into with braided lines with topwater baits and jigging spoons - the line will foul around the guides when really ripping the bait. I wasn't paying attention to the show until I heard them mention this. But, I missed the details.

On the show they were using 'on-top' wrapped casting rods. All my casting rods are "on-bottom' wrapped. They mentioned a "bump" towards the tip to help avoid fouling. Anyone heard of anything like this or was I just hearing things?

I suppose if you build up some type of hump or something on the blank near the tip, any line that wraps around should just slip back down and off the tip. You could certainly do something like this but it might wreak havoc on overall rod performance. Such a thing might add quite a bit of weight in the very place you don't want it. I didn't see the program, so I'm only guessing at what they might have done.

I have wrapped a guide about an inch behind the tip top in order to prevent the type fouling you mention. It has met with at least some success but I can't speak for how it might work with all line types and sizes.

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They rerun those shows so many times it'll probably be on again. I'll pay more attention next time they run it.