Rod Socks Seem Goofy But They Are Important
The pro fishing stars these days are using fishing rod socks to store their fishing rods. If you are like me, you are wondering why they would do that? I mean we have gotten by for years without them and done just fine. Why would I use a fishing rod sock? Like you, I was a skeptic until I did a little research on them.
What are rod socks?
Most of the rod socks sold on the market today are made from nylon hose and cable covering. One end is closed and the other is flared and finished so it won’t unravel. You simply slide your rod inside and it is protected from damage. The build of this material breathes well and is resistant to getting damaged by fishing hooks.
Why Use A Fishing Rod Sock
This is the fundamental question and the answer is, you may not need or want to. What a fishing rod sock does is cover the bulk of your rod, from the tip back to the reel. They simply slip on and cover everything up, it is that simple. What they do is the important part. Having all your rods in fishing rod socks means that when they get set together, the eyelets and fishing lines don’t all get tangled.
I’m sure you have experienced reaching for your rod (no pun intended) only to have to stop and take out all the rods in the pile and take the time to untangle them. Besides being annoying, tangled rods can lead to broken rods. Never a good thing unless you are in love with buying new rods. Even if tangles aren’t an issue, fishing rod socks protect both the rod itself and your line from damage.
Now if you only fish with one rod and it isn’t expensive, you may not need to bother. However, with good rods starting at $70 these days and going up sharply from there, a $5 investment to give it protection seems like a wise investment.
Buy The Right Fishing Rod Sock
There are two styles of fishing rod socks, one for spinning rods and one for casting. The difference between the two is that spinning rod socks are wider to accommodate the spinning rod’s larger eyelets. If you get casting rod sleeves, they won’t fit over the spinning rod, it is as simple as that.
When it comes to material, most fishing rod socks these days are woven plastic. There are some that are fabric, but they are not preferable as if hooks get snagged in them, they are much more difficult to get out and will likely damage the sock.
One big tip is to always get ones with a bungee or some way to attach the sleeve to the rod or reel. Cheap fishing rod socks don’t have these and can lead to the socks sliding off or worse yet blowing away when you are powering between locations.
No Glove, No Love
If you like your rod at all, wrap it up. Both figuratively and metaphorically. Get yourself a couple of fishing rod gloves and cover those things up. You will find that it makes keeping them organized easier and is easier on them as well.
Be nice to your rod, be careful where you stick it and always wrap it up. That way it will serve you for a lifetime. Unless you break it doing stupid things, but then that is your own fault.
