painting rod tips

[Foxy Jig]

never done it but it makes sense to me..what type/color of paint do you guys use..and is it spray paint or brush..do you worry about getting any on the guides?

thx for all responses
dp

[rango]

i paint all my night fishing rod tips white. I use flat white krylon. wrap a piece of electrical tape around the second eye to stop the paing and make it look neat. when i get done and its dry, which dont take but a few minutes, i take a qtip and with brake parts cleaner, swab the paint out of the eye back to the smooth ceramic. If youve never fished at night with the painted rod tips, you are are in for a treat as it makes it much easier to see the bite when it comes. I see you are from rock hill. do you fish wylie muchd? thats where we do most of our nightstalking.

[whizkids]

Tape the tip and eyes if you use spray paint. I use 3/4 inch paint tape from Lowe's.I always measure down from the tip however long I want to spray, several feet, and use 2"Paint tape to mark where I want to stop painting. The paint tape is easier to remove than regular masking tape. I use fluorescent red after I spray a base coat of white primer. I also clear coat the red. Makes it not fade as quick. I do not tape the outside of the tip. I make sure the tip of the rod, less the insideof the eye is painted. Actually several times fishing will remove any paint from the eyes but I think it is neater to not paint the inside. I have coated the inside if eye and inside of the guides with vaseline and just wiped it off after I painted. Just be carefull and not het vaseline where you want to paint as paint won't stick to it.

Little cold to be painting outside in RC today or tomorrow, could get those rods white. :rolleyes:

[Foxy Jig]

yes rango and i nightstalk too but mostly in the summertime..i like to troll and nightfish both..have enjoyed reading your posts and looking at your pics on this board and on the sc board, as well as on the crappie killer board (im slab molester there)

keep the pics coming!..i can look at them at work and it's like im on the lake for a brief moment

[whizkids]

i paint all my night fishing rod tips white. I use flat white krylon. wrap a piece of electrical tape around the second eye to stop the paing and make it look neat. when i get done and its dry, which dont take but a few minutes, i take a qtip and with brake parts cleaner, swab the paint out of the eye back to the smooth ceramic. If youve never fished at night with the painted rod tips, you are are in for a treat as it makes it much easier to see the bite when it comes. I see you are from rock hill. do you fish wylie muchd? thats where we do most of our nightstalking.

White is probably better at night, but in the sun with just a little ripple on the water sometimes the tips seeem to get lost in the water reflection. I find that especially true when I tight line. However my trifocals may be the problem and not tip color.

[rango]

yes rango and i nightstalk too but mostly in the summertime..i like to troll and nightfish both..have enjoyed reading your posts and looking at your pics on this board and on the sc board, as well as on the crappie killer board (im slab molester there)

keep the pics coming!..i can look at them at work and it's like im on the lake for a brief moment

anytime you hear we heading out, feel free to join us. let me know when and if you're wanting to join up and well let you know where were gonna be at. I like trolling in the spring and fall, but mostly in the spring. we nightstalk year round, weather and cold permittin. i dont do much of it when it turns bitter at night, but love drifting the creek channels when the waters cold. we're gonna make a striper venture to wateree sunday if you wanna join us. (im dedicated to crappie fishing, but will venture off on catfish, brim, striper or whatever strikes my fancy.) right now everyone seems to be fired up about the wateree striper fishing so thats the train we riding right now. well be in colonels creek and ill be in a green sea ark. i should be easy to find as ill be the boat with the biggest striper aboard if you make it, holler at me and ill take your photo this time of year when theres not much fishing activitiy going on a few photos can generate a lot of traffic and keep things lively and enjoyable so i try to keep plenty posted as i carry a camera with me about every trip i make out.and as the guys that fish with me will testify to, say cheese is a common statement aboard the beast at night

[rango]

White is probably better at night, but in the sun with just a little ripple on the water sometimes the tips seeem to get lost in the water reflection. I find that especially true when I tight line. However my trifocals may be the problem and not tip color.

Ive never tired red but agree that white is the wrong color for daylight stalking as the white is easy to get lost in the water reflecitons. all my night fishing rods tho are mostly ultralites that i dont use for nothing but nightstalking and except for the 9 foot crappie rods, i dont use em during daylight hours. i dont clear coat em, but id imagine it would help with the chippin problem i hve with the white paint chippin off and having to repaint the tips occasionally.

[Mike Simpson]

I was intrigued by the bright chartreuse color on the tips of my 10’ Richard Williams rods, for me that is the best color for any condition. I have done some experimenting and painted a few of my own rods to try and match that color. The best thing I have come up with is two or three light coats of white vinyl paint, followed by two light coats of chartreuse vinyl. I let the paint dry for two whole days before I top coat it with clear vinyl topcoat. I take the top half of the rod and rest it in a makeshift cradle, (anything the rod will rest on and turn freely without hanging up on the guides) and I use an artist brush to dip my paint. I hold the brush against the rod and spin the rod with my fingers to apply the paint. Then I spin it for a few minutes while the paint dries. (Boy, could I use a rod wrapping setup with a motor! :p ) The trick is to use thin enough paint, and use light coats. Then when I apply the topcoat, I spin the rod for a while to make sure no lumps form as it dries.

It’s a lot easier than it sounds, it takes a bit of work but sure does look good when you are done!

Best fishes!

Mike

[unknown 5]

I put a small piece of reflector tape on my catfish rods when fishing at night. I don't see why it wouldn't work on a crappie rod also.