Fishing rods and reels are an anglers investment in hopes for the return of a great catch. However, when your gear starts to become unreliable and causes you to start losing fish you need to start making changes. Rods and reels these days are not cheap! It is not as simple as just going out to get a new one for a lot of anglers. Most damage to rods happens in the eyelets. When eyelets become damaged they knick and fray the line as you cast out and reel it back in leading to broken lines and lost fish or lures. Unfortunately, replacing a single eyelet is not possible without a quality rod technician and this can take a lot of time and money to correct. Luckily there are a few tricks that you can use to repair eyelets that don't break the bank!
The usual culprit for broken lines from damaged eyelets is due to a chip or crack in the ceramic ring in one of the eyelets. You can tell if the is the issue but running the line through each eyelet and applying a little bit of tension while rubbing along the sides. If it cuts or frays that eyelet is your problem. While the ceramic insert can't be replaced what you can do it sand it down (if needed) and apply a few layers of clear nail polish to smooth the edge. This will eliminate the edge which is cutting your line and allow you to continue fishing with the rod. When applying the clear polish be sure to do multiple layers (3-5) and be sure to wait sufficient time to dry between each layer. You won't want to put the polish just on the chipped area but rather the whole ceramic insert in order to make one uniform smooth surface.
If only the top eyelet is damaged or tip has broken off not all hope is lost. There are rod tip repair kits available on Amazon and most sporting goods stores that can have you fixed up in a hurry. The new spot on the rod for the eyelet will be thicker than the previous piece so be sure to pick the replacement eyelet which fits the most snug. You will want to ensure that crazy glue is put on the rod prior to sliding on the new eyelet to be sure it stays snug during use. Shrink tubing can also be used on the outside of the eyelet to secure it to the rod.
One of the kits we have used in the past which offers a variety of sizes to ensure you get the best fit can be found at the link below:
