Magnetic Fly Rod Insurance

[CaseyP]

for ages, i have used a horseshoe-shaped magnet to hold my rod to the side of the car while assembling and disassembling my gear on the way to and from the stream. it was available at the fly shop in a small plastic bin next the register, and ever since i bought it, i've suggested it to anyone i see buying a rod. "You need a $7.95 insurance policy," i would tell them.

today i benefited from my own advice. for the first time ever, i had decided to save time and rig the rod at home, and leave the tube behind. leaky waders and gathering gloom made me hurry on my way off the water. yep, you guessed it: on the way home i stopped at the kebab house to buy supper, and when i came back out to the car there was the rod, happily erect, still securely held to the side of the car by the magnet. by some genuine holy miracle, the line had not snagged on anything in the busy 4-lane insanity we call secondary roads around here.

so i'm back to never, ever, traveling with a rod anywhere but in its tube. now to empty my pockets into the little blue box on my desk that says, "...accept we pray these outward signs of our profound and continuing thankfulness for all the blessings of life..." because my favorite small stream rod and itty bitty no-longer-available reel are safe!

[J Castwell]

Kewl! I put MY HAT,,, on the ground, set (vertically) the rod butt in it, lean the rod to the rear fender and hold it with a U shaped magnet.

[catman]

Your a lucky man,.& fish too

[Big Bad Wulff]

I guess I'm not understanding what this does. Are you saying you put it on the magnet in case you forget to put the rod in the car/truck?

[Clay]

Congrats are in order. I'll drink a beer tonight while thinking that you are one lucky man. I've been putting the rod in the van totally ready to fish between spots, but I have also made a commitment not to transport the rod up and ready to go while traveling anywhere except between spots. I think that more rods are broken taking them in or out of vehicles than many realize.

I'm taking it that one of the guides on the rod stopped the reel from dragging on the ground as you drove down the road. I have lost one rod before and now the rod only gets placed on the front windshield by the drivers side. I won't sit it down outside of the vehicle anywhere these days. The cost of one outfit was a great teacher in this matter. Now I feel like I have earned my masters in rod preservation.

Rick

[dudley]

I put my rod on the windshield, driverside....the butt under the wiper

I left my rod on the car roof once. Drove off to have lunch, which included driving on busy US.1
The 10wt was still on the roof when I pulled into MickiD's
I never want to do that again

[J Castwell]

It keeps the wind or whatever from knocking the rod down while I take care of other gear or get ready to put it away or to hold it while I get ready to go fishing.

[Normand]

the best "insurance" for me is to break down the rod, put it in the back of the vehicle and then go to grab a bite to eat. i couldnt take the chance of a tiny magnet holding anything at 65 mph

[CaseyP]

Are you saying you put it on the magnet in case you forget to put the rod in the car/truck?--Big Bad Wulff

the magnet holds the rod vertical at the side of the car so it won't fall down while i clip off flies, pull off waders, etc., etc. since i work out of the trunk usually (but not last night), it's convenient to have the rod right there where i can see it. yes, the last stripping guide holds the rod off the ground. thank God!

the discipline of putting it on the hood or under the wiper is also a cool idea. i'll try that next time i try to save time.

and yes, these magnets are small, but they are very, very strong. they often get left on the side of the car, but we've never lost one yet on the highway. BTW, 4 lanes doesn't mean 65 mph around here--more like 35. ahhhh, city fishing--nothing like it! at least there are take-outs on the way home...

[Big Bad Wulff]

I guess I now know why I didn't know what this was for. I have cars that have "pass-thrus" in the rear seat and/or a split/fold rear seat. No need to break a rod down when going for lunch or to another spot to fish.....just slide it in and go. I just lay my rod on the ground....away from where prople will walk before I start fishing. I break them down when the day is done.