3 Ways to Fix a Broken Fishing Rod
Hold the new tip top with a pair of pliers and put the pieces of rod cement in the hollow tube at the end of it. Use your lighter to heat the rod cement for 4-5 seconds and melt it so you can attach it to your rod. Once the rod cement is melted, work quickly so it doesn’t solidify again. If the pole doesn’t fit snugly inside the fishing rod, then wrap the pole with duct or masking tape to make it thicker. Sand the rod and foot of the new guide to get better adhesion.
Drip some crazy glue into the hollow ends of the fishing rod and place the round rod of choice into the hollow portion of both broken ends of the rod. Be sure to get to a least one inch of your round rod into both sections of the fishing rod to ensure strength. Do this part quickly and ensure you slide the two portions of broken rod together straight by aligning the eyes because the glue will set fast. Heat the tip top of your fishing rod with a lighter to loosen the adhesive. Hold a lighter underneath the tip top of the rod, which is the ringed piece at the end of the rod, and heat it up for 4-5 seconds at a time.
You can either try to tape your rod back together or get a new one. Use a hacksaw to cut out a 12 in section of the pole so it can fit inside your fishing rod and support the rod without breaking. If you’ve been around different fishing circles, you might’ve heard of the terms fishing rods and fishing poles. Once you’ve applied the finish, you’ll need to put your rod into the dryer so that the finish stays evenly distributed as it dries. A rod dryer rotates the fishing rod slowly to ensure adequate coverage with no drips or pooling. If you’re installing a double foot or trolling guide, you’ll repeat this step to secure the second foot of the rod guide.
Use 120- or 220-grit sandpaper to get rid of any leftover adhesive and to add tooth to the rod. Rub all the way around the rod on the spot where you want to place the new guide. Then, use your sandpaper on the foot of the guide, which is the flat part that rests against the fishing rod. Apply 2-part epoxy to the exposed side of the fiberglass pole.
First up, before we go any further, I want to dispel the misconception that a guide insert/ring itself can be replaced if broken. I see this request a lot of non-rod builders, but it cannot—so far as I am aware—be done. Instead the entire guide must be removed and a new one secured in its place. Inch (0.32 cm) of the guide so the middle of the looped piece is held against the rod.
Once you know that measurement, you should be able to pick up a replacement guide from a local tackle shop or online. Many manufacturers offer fishing rod eyes repair kits that include an assortment of different size guides if you’re still unsure of which size you need for the job. For this DIY job, you will need crazy glue, sandpaper, sewing thread and something durable that is a snug fit in the hollow ends of the broken portion of your fishing rod.
Use that as your starting point, carefully align the new eyelet in the proper position. Rip a thin piece of masking tape and wrap it around the guide to secure it to the rod. Once you’ve gathered the tools for the job, it’s easy to repair your broken rod in the following steps. Inch (1.3–1.9 cm) from the guide’s foot on the side closest to the handle.
When you are about 6-8 wraps from where you want the thread to end, place a doubled-over piece of braided fishing line with the loop end sticking out from the wraps towards the guide ring. Continue wrapping over the braid, trim your thread leaving a 3-inch tag and insert it into the loop. Pull the loop back under the thread wraps, trim with a razor blade and quickly touch with the flame of a lighter to melt any frayed ends.
Gently file the backside of the guide foot to remove any burrs or sharp areas which can compromise your rod blank. In fact, I have done a few quick, in-season repairs with this stuff with the intent to remove and “wrap correctly” come the winter, never to put the rod in question back on the lathe. Some of those rods have seen many years of solid service after the repair. The benefit of the quick-set epoxy is the fact that you can fish it about one half a day later. However, unlike slow-cure epoxy made for rod building it will likely yellow over time and is far more brittle. With true rod building epoxy, due to its slow curing time, I recommend at least 48 hours before a rod is fished but suggest at least a week or more if possible.
If you can’t find any, a two-part epoxy finish will work fine. Once you’ve heated the broken guide, use the razor blade to carefully slice through the rod finish. You’ll want to slice through the finish directly over where the foot is on the rod guide.
Dion Liriano is a 51-year-old American zookeeper who has retired from the business. He was once a highly successful director of the Zoo and Aquarium, but he has since hung up his gloves and moved on to other ventures. Dion's passion for animals began at a young age, when he would help his father care for their family pets. This love grew exponentially when he started working at the zoo; Dion quickly became one of the most experienced keepers in the business. He credits his success to the relationships he built with both staff and animals over the years.