As an angler, your fishing rod is obviously a valuable tool that needs to be maintained and protected. This means keeping it from the clutches of the predator known as your vehicle.
Long ago in a parallel universe, a war was instigated between two groups that has leaked over into our world. The two groups, of course, are the fishing rods and the vehicles on wheels. Get the two in the same basic area, and bad things seem to happen.
The fishing rod and car or truck are natural enemies. The fishing rod is generally considered an inanimate object, but anybody who loves fishing knows this is simply not the case. Lean a fishing rod up against a vehicle and what does it do? It leans to one side until it begins to fall. This, of course, leaves a nice scratch down the paint of the vehicle. Score one for the fishing rods!
Your car or truck is no better. A natural predator of the fishing rod, it has evolved to create no end of angles where your rod can be bent, snapped or crushed. A classic is the tailgate of a truck or SUV. Who hasn’t rolled up the window on a favorite rod and snapped the tip off? Who hasn’t slammed the tailgate closed only to here the grinding snap of the rod caught between the door hinge and body?
Your vehicle, however, also has subtle ways of hunting rods. One of its favorite attacks is to fling the vehicle to the road at high speeds. This can only be accomplished, of course, by your putting the rod on the top of the vehicle and then forgetting it. The vehicle usually accomplishes this by hiding your keys. After a frustrating search, you jump in the car, slam the door, fire up the engine and take off…with the rod lying on the roof.
There is only one way to deal with this conflict and avoid paying for new rods and paint job repairs. The first thing you do when returning to the vehicle is to take your rod apart and store it. Otherwise, you assume the risk!
Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of rugged fishing journals that make
unique gifts for men.
