Fishing Rod Repair: Replacing the Top Eye
This article has been written for anybody that needs to know how to mend a fishing rod. In this example situation I’ve mangled the rod tip and I don’t even know how I did it! This tip should have a ceramic insert within the tip that’s been lost when the rod was crushed somehow.
A Mangled Rod Tip
This is a fairly common situation, often the result of getting crushed in a car door or trodden on when out on the bank. This will also works if you’ve snapped off the rod tip entirely. In that situation you need to make a clean cut at the top of the rod using a hack saw, before removing the top eye from the snapped off section and placing it back on by following the steps in this article.
The Tools You Need
You only need a few tools to replace you rod tip. They are:
- File
- Pliers
- Superglue
- Lighter
Step 1: Heat up the Mangled Rod Tip
Take your lighter and heat up the top eye. Try to make sure that you don’t burn the rod itself. You’re heating up the metal which in turn will melt the glue that’s holding it in place.
Step 2: Try to Remove the Tip Using Pliers
Take the pliers and try to remove the rod tip. Make sure that you don’t apply too much force. It should come off fairly easily. If it’s not coming off it’s important that you don’t keep tugging! You will need to apply more heat to ensure that glue has melted.
Step 3: Heat the Rod Tip Again
Apply more heat before trying again to remove it with the pliers. Repeat this process if necessary.
Step 4: Eventually the Tip Will Come Off
Keep heating and then trying again with the pliers and eventually the rod tip will slide off.
Step 4: Try and Fit the New Rod Tip
Attempt to fit the new rod tip eye. You should be able to purchase this from your local tackle shop. I recommend that you take your rod tip into the shop with you, to help them size up the eye accurately. You might get lucky and get one that fits perfectly. If this isn’t the case then you’re better off getting a tip eye that’s slightly too small as opposed to slightly too big.
Step 6: If it’s too Small Just File it Down
In this situation I purchased a tip that was very slightly too small. To get it on the rod, I simply needed to file down the carbon tip a little before trying it again. Be carefully not to purchase a tip that’s well undersized. This will result in you filing off too much and creating a very weak tip section.
Step 7: Push on the New Rod Tip
You should take off a little as a time with the file and keep retrying the tip. Eventually the new tip eye will push on.
Step 8: Add the Glue
You now know that the tip eye fits perfectly. Pull the tip eye back off the rod tip before adding an even coat of superglue.
Step 9: Fit the New Tip
Push the new tip eye back onto the rod tip. Make sure the eye is lining up with the other eyes on the rod by looking along the rod.
Step 10: Add Glue to the Outside
Finally, add some superglue to the outside of the base of the eye. This will add more strength and secure the new rod tip eye into position.
Job Done
Leave the glue to dry and your fishing rod is now ready to use again. You’ve managed to replace the tip on your fishing rod without the expense of buying a new rod or paying someone else to fix it for you. It’s an easy job, so follow the steps in this article and you’ll be back out on the bank in no time!
