The new high-modulus specialty rods available now are very sensitive and really great, but there is a tradeoff. They’re not as tough as previous models and they can be compromised if you get a nick in the blank. Considering how much the best rods cost nowadays, I can’t understand why a lot of guys will invest, say, $200 or so in a high-modulus rod and then not protect it with a $5 or $10 Rod Glove or similar protective wrap.

The average rod locker in a boat might hold about a dozen rods, but we all keep about two dozen rods in there. Get in a hurry, try to snatch a rod from the bottom of the pile of tangled rods, and you’re liable to pop a guide eye out or nick the blank. The best investment you can make for a good rod is a Rod Glove. And while you’re taking care of the rod, don’t forget the handle, especially if it’s a cork handle. A Scotch Brite pad will take off all the dried gunk and dirt and keep it looking like new.

—– Scotch Brand Tape pro Ray Scheide, Dover, Ark.