How long do you leave the plastic on your cork?

[Columbia Craw]

My buddy left the the plastic on his rods until the cork was green from mildew.  Drove me crazy. Come to think of it, his couch still has a plastic cover on it.

[ironbjorn]

I mean, isn't it slippery to have plastic on the cork,?

[Bandersnatch]

On 6/1/2023 at 5:19 PM, Jig Man said:

I fish it once to be sure that I want it.  Then I take it off and put shrink tubing on.

I too have started with shrink tubing. I enjoy the grip. Don’t get me wrong, fresh cork is better but the heat shrink is nice too

1 hour ago, ironbjorn said:

I mean, isn't it slippery to have plastic on the cork,?

Yes 

 

1 hour ago, ironbjorn said:

I mean, isn't it slippery to have plastic on the cork,?

Yes 

On 6/1/2023 at 7:07 PM, WRB said:

Who still supplies rods with plastic covered cork handles?

Tom

 

Many rods. My steez rods come with it as well as my conquests/NRX rods and Megabass P5s if I remember correctly 

[JackstrawIII]

On 6/1/2023 at 5:45 PM, MN Fisher said:

I take the plastic off soon as it arrives and U-40 the cork ASAP.

Yuppers. The plastic stays on for 0 seconds. 

[Bigassbass]

I haven't had a new rod with plastic cover on it in many years. Seriously  why put anything on a cork fishing rod?  You bought the cork because you like it so enjoy it as is.  Take the stupid plastic off the rod and go fishing!  Cork lasts a long time and it doesn't need polyurethane spray on it either. 

[bowhunter63]

Leave it on till I get home 

[the reel ess]

It's a fishing rod, not a piece of furniture. It never even occurred to me to leave plastic on.

[Boomstick]

Unless I am not sure if the rod will serve its intended purpose, I remove it in precisely 38 seconds after taking the tag off.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Boomstick said:

I remove it in precisely 38 seconds after taking the tag off.

We're gonna have to put you on a stop-watch, dude.

 

[Boomstick]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

We're gonna have to put you on a stop-watch, dude.

 

I waited 40 seconds once and I broke that rod my second outing with it - so I'm convinced that's bad luck

[Spankey]

On 6/1/2023 at 10:23 PM, MN Fisher said:

All my St Croix's have come with 'shrink wrap' over the cork.

I don’t find this with SC’s I ever bought. I don’t believe I’ve ever ordered one by mail. Bought from a dealer. Some still in plastic sleeves, but no shrink sleeve on cork. 
 

But I think if you received ones with plastic cork protection that’s a positive. Most of my Abu rods have come with shrink sleeve. 
 

Good fishing. 

[Dan N]

I never understood why people leave the plastic on. To me it seems ridiculous. Why buy cork, then leave it covered with plastic??

[Bird]

I've never left plastic on over the cork handle, kinda defeats the purpose. Imo 

[CrashVector]

On 6/1/2023 at 4:12 PM, Dumbbassanglr said:

Just thought this is a fun random topic. When you buy a new rod do you take the plastic off right away or do you fish it for awhile until the plastic breaks off?

 

 

I take off the plastic immediately and treat it with silicone.

 

Makes it easier to clean.