Multi-piece rods provide great advantages for anglers who travel, even if it is just from their home to the nearest beach or boat ramp. The ability to reduce the length of a rod for easier storage or transport significantly reduces the possibility of breakage and makes it feasible to carry rods in vehicles and planes.
The downside, however, comes when ferrules jam in place, since it can be hard to get a strong grip on a slick graphite or fiberglass surface. If you grab a line guide for extra purchase, you risk damaging or ripping it completely off the rod. With the advent of powerful multi-piece deep-jigging rods and surface-lure rods that allow you to fish 80-pound braids, or heavier, this problem manifests itself more often, as the ferrules seem to set in even harder following a heavy tussle on a big fish.
Even with the help of several friends, I couldn't detach a recently stuck ferrule. The problem wasn't our lack of strength; it was getting a good grip on the rod. I looked for anything that might improve my grip. I tried a section of rubber cut from a car-tire tube, but this slipped and bunched up. I had almost resigned myself to owning another one-piece rod when, while visiting some "horsey" friends, I discovered a horse-grooming aid called a rubber grooming mitt.
As the name suggests, this tool consists of a rubber mitt with small rubber protrusions. After borrowing one from my friends, I took it home and the unruly rod ferrule never stood a chance - I easily separated the sections all by myself. You can find these cheap devices in saddle shops and some pet stores. If you use any multi-piece rods, it's definitely a good idea to keep one in your tackle box or on the boat.
Sam Mossman
Auckland, New Zealand
