While not directly pertaining to rod building but certainly associated, what have all of you found to be the best preventative to keep, or at least minimize, fish scales from “bonding” themselves to the blank and grips (and everything else for that matter)? I freshwater-rinse, wipe dry and apply a coat of carnauba wax to all my rods (especially saltwater) after each outing. While the wax seems to help “de-bonding” the scales from the blank itself, removing them from the cork or shrink-wrap grips is ^$#(*&@&#&!!! This pertains more to saltwater fishing. Please bail me out!!! I am here to learn.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark,
2-words.

Simple green.
Spray the rod down with Simple Green cleaner, let it sit for a few minuted and then using a a hand brush, or tooth brush, wipe down the rod and the scales are gone.

As the words say - Simple.

[simplegreen.com]

I also use the cleaner to clean grips with the cleaner, a hand brush and tooth brush. Simply clean when complete.

The brush/s of your choice:

[www.menards.com]

For example:
[www.menards.com]

[www.menards.com]

[www.fleetfarm.com]
[www.fleetfarm.com]

[www.walmart.com]
[www.walmart.com]





Take care



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2021 12:11AM by roger wilson.

Mark, I kept a damp rag stuck in my belt next to my pliers. That one was for bait/fish slime. I kept a dry one on the other side for my glasses. Fish were typically gaffed and put straight in the cooler. If a hook wasn't easy to remove with pliers I cut the hook and put on a new one.

In short, I tried hard not to touch my rod with slimy hands.

Even for fresh water catch and release I'll use a rag.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Roger that is 3 words unless I forgot how to count.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thank you to those who took the time to reply. While there may be those who do not consider it of utmost importance, I take extremely good care of my equipment; the rods I built 6 years ago still look like the day I finished them; even the rods purchased 20-30 years ago still look good, albeit a scratch or two here and there.
While washing-down the boat after an offshore outing, we always spray-down the rods and reels as well. But they are dry by the time we get back home when I wash them down again, wipe dry and apply wax. It is that drying period that seems to allow the scales to bond themselves to everything.
Roger,
Your suggestion is too “simple” lol. I use Simple Green for other things and will give it a try on the grips. Admittedly, I am pessimistic but nothing ventured = nothing gained.
Russell,
You are correct in that we typically live-bait fish out here on the Left Coast, usually sardines but squid when available and we can afford it. To be honest, I think it would be inconvenient to bait my hook and then wipe my hand before grabbing the rod and I would also think it impossible to wipe off all the scales anyway. But I’ll give it a shot nonetheless.
Robert,
Hey, you be nice to Roger lol.
One way or the other, it is absolutely amazing how fish scales BOND themselves to everything, making them almost impossible to remove. Hey, maybe I’ll mount my next set of guides with just fish scales and eliminate the tedious thread wrapping and finish!!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark,
Remember, fish live in water.

So, if push comes to shove remove the reel from your rod and submerge the rod completely underwater over night.

I expect that when you take the rod out of the water bath in the morning, that you can simply wipe the rod down with a cloth and have no scales on the rod.

If you need a long bath - just pick up a 10 foot section of rain gutter and fill it with water. Now, you have a nice 10 foot long bathtub for your fishy fishing rods.

Certainly the bath is not going to hurt the rod.

Take care

Thanks, Roger. That may be the best idea yet. The grips are of my most concern as they are subjected to the vast majority of scales and the few that make it onto the blank usually come off fairly easily. I would only need a tube long enough to cover the grips. I have wrapped the grips in wet towels before for a few hours with modest success; your idea may be just the ticket.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

"So, if push comes to shove remove the reel from your rod and submerge the rod completely underwater over night."

This was the recommendation for us on a bonefishing trip to the Bahamas. I didn't go along, and simply hosed my equipment down. I had no problems with corrosion or anything else. One guy who soaked his rod/reel had his Orvis grip come loose from the blank, and my son had his very expensive fly reel not being so smooth the next year. When he sent it back for service it was found to be really messed up inside. It seems that "water tight" isn't necessarily "water tight" when you give water a lot of time to work.

It is my position that immersion is not a good idea, but hosing down as soon as possible will do the job the best. If it doesn't get all the scales then use the other methods Roger and others propose. But not long time immersion.

Michael,
If you reread my post, I did suggest that one removes the reel, before being soaked.

Also, if a grip comes loose by being soaked, I think that there is an issue with the rod construction. A rod that is used in all weather, should have no issues with being wet for a prolonged period of time.

I have pulled rods off the bottom of the lake. I threw away the reel, cut off the guides, scrubbed down the blank and tied on new guides and tip top and had a great rod. No issues at all with the grip being a problem after likely months or years of immersion.

Michael and Roger,
I think it is safe to say that most (the three of us anyway) agree that submerging a reel is not a good idea. As Michael’s son discovered, I thought I was doing my new Daiwa Saltist 2-speed a favor by soaking it in freshwater but quickly learned it was actually damaging it. Now I simply spray it off, wipe dry and let it sit in open air for a week to thoroughly dry, inside-out.
I must agree with Roger that, even though an Orvis grip, there must have been something wrong with the construction; one reason why I always use epoxy and not glue. That being said, I must admit to having my reservations with soaking the rod. Cork will swell to some extent when exposed to water; that is what helps seal wine corks. The most used is my Calico / YT rod which I built with X-flocked shrink tubing over cork tape for the rear grip and natural cork rings for the fore grip. I have noticed two small bumps in the shrink tubing, presumably from the cork tape swelling at those spots. I cannot see any slits or pinholes in the shrink tubing which would allow water inside to swell the cork and none of my similar grips show any bumps.
Maybe the best solution for a picky bastard like me is to use PTFE (Telon) tubing to make slick-butts; nah, those dang scales would probably stick even to that as well lol (but I’m not really laughing).

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.