Fenwick Eagle Hook Keeper Catching Line

[snake95]

Recently got a Fenwick Eagle spinning rod, and line gets caught on the hook keeper that sticks out to one side.  

 

Please let me know if you have an Eagle and have found a good work-around for this problem.

 

 

[MickD]

I looked at the ad for the rod and cannot find the keeper in the pic, so it must be at 270 degrees? In front of the fore-end?  I've been in discussions with rod-builders about the best place for a keeper.  Opinions run all over the place, but I've found that keepers on the sides do catch line more than those at 180 degrees just in front of the fore-end.  I have one I'm about to remove and replace, having believed the proponents of 90 degrees.  Not seeing it leaves me with no recommendation except to remove and replace it.  Not a big deal for an experienced builder.  You most likely will get recommendations to put it behind the reel, and I've tried that too.  I don't like it because it puts the lure near the hands when picking up the rod  But it doesn not tangle and is out of the way when fishing.

 

If you want, you can clip it carefully off and use a removeable one, like the Fuji.  Or use the frame of the first guide, but that puts the lure/hook way up the rod leaving no chance to put on a rod sock with the lure in the keeper, as I do with single hook lures when storing in boat tubes.

[D3FT]

I have a couple Eagle spinning rods and have not run into this problem.  What size reel do you use?

[snake95]

On 9/8/2017 at 4:55 PM, MickD said:

I looked at the ad for the rod and cannot find the keeper in the pic, so it must be at 270 degrees?

@MickD I am not certain where the 0 direction is, but assuming it is straight up, yes the keeper is at 270 degrees, so it points toward the left, when the rod is held in the right hand and pointing out horizontally.

 

I find the line often catches on the keeper as I cast.

 

 

@D3FT I am using a size 30 President supreme.

22 hours ago, D3FT said:

What size reel do you use?

It appears this might be me more than the rod, as I don't see complaints about it.  I might have to bend the keeper up or down to prevent snagging on the keeper.

[MickD]

Such a nice looking rod, shame to mess with the wraps.  Observe how the line gets tangled, probably coming down from the top?  If yes, you might try bending it down about 30 degrees so it will shed the line and still work as a keeper.  The one I had trouble with on the side was at 90, and it was a drop-shot keeper, open at the back.  Line would actually go into it. I built two rods and both my son and I had the same tangling problem.  I'm going to replace them this winter.   This one is not open, so some little change may make all the difference, so if you work on it, go slowly.

 

Also look at how you are handling the line and bail.  Maybe there is something in that action that could change the situation.