OK, time to be humble and ask this. Haven't seen anything like it discussed (disgust, maybe). So I have a 9-foot 5-wt, and often need to reach the tip top.

Reasons include initial threading, weight of line pulled the leader short, got line wrapped around the end of the rod, algae...

I'm 6'3" and 35/36" sleeve, but my arms aren't mounted at the top of my head so reach is way less than 9'.

The simple action is to put the butt of the rod down and walk to the tip, or stay and walk the butt away. "Down" might mean wooden walkway, concrete, rocks, dirt, tall weeds, gravel, stream,... Since the reel is heavier than air and water, it goes lowest, and since the rod angle needs to be pretty shallow, the reel scrapes, digs, sinks into "down". At this early point in my fishing life, the rod and reel are servicable, but not treasured, so superficial scrapes are no big deal, but functional damage from grit, bends, shock, floating away, ... should be prevented. I expect to aquire more-treasured hardware before too long, then even minor scrapes will be sad.

Surely many here have treasured reels and perhaps some aren't perfect at never needing to reach the tip? So what little gems of tricks do you have for this problem?


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Keepeth they back cast out of the freakin' flora.


[This message has been edited by DavidInMD (edited 25 May 2006).]