I know this will seem like a stupid question but what exactly is a winding check?

Its a ring usually made of metal, rubber (and plenty of others items too) that make a transition between the rod blank and the grips or reel seat or buttcap.

thanks for the reply, so i take it that it protects or gives a more solid end to cork or other materials that might tend to wear away?

It's not for protection (it's usually way to small for that. It covers the transition between the grip and the blankk and is pretty much cosmetic.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

If you wrap the buttwrap all the way to the front of the foregrip, the winding check covers where they meet. It looks like the wrap goes under thew winding check, which in fact it does.

If you use a split grip (as on a surf rod or an open grip design), the winding check can hide where the wraps meet the grip components. Winding checks can be found in many colors and materials and can actualy compliment the wraps.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods