Never use tools of any kind to twist or clamp the rod. Never bend your rod at extreme angles over a short distance. When setting up always thread line through rings keeping the rod straight. Do not hold rod at tip. Your rod is designed to flex throughout its complete length and not over a short section. Avoid sharp jerks when fly is caught or snagged. Point rod directly at snag and pull for a break. Avoid over stressing your rod by taking it past its fighting curve. Avoid sharp blows such as hitting gunwhales of a boat and overhanging branches. Avoid flies hitting rod blank when casting especially when using gold heads etc. Rub the spigots or joints regularly with candle wax. This prevents premature wear of the carbon joints, ( joint gap will vary from 1/8" to 1/4", a even larger gap of 3/8" is not a problem ) provides a secure friction fit during fishing and ease of separation at the end of a day's fishing. Always rinse rings and metal fittings in fresh water after use in salt or brackish water. Clean and dry rod after each fishing trip, especially under rod rings and the rings themselves, as sediment build up during fishing is the main cause of wear on rod rings. Dirty rings and line will cut down line speed and line shoot which reduces casting distance. Keep your reel fitting clean from dirt and grit and lubricate screw threads occasionally. Store in a dry environment. If your rod comes with a tube, store in this to avoid any accidents. Rod & Reel Repairs: We aim to ensure that all our products deliver functionality, reliability and durability throughout their lives. However, good care and maintenance will always help our products to continue to deliver their optimum performance. Hardy offers an award-winning refurbishment service for Hardy tackle. For rods we can strip down to the blank; check and adjust joints; clean, fill and sand cork handles (or replace them); polish handle fittings; re-tie and re-varnish (with new rings if required). For reels we can clean and overhaul whilst checking and replacing any worn small parts. All anglers have accidents with their tackle from time to time. If this does happen to your rods or reels, we can offer you immediate advice and help you decide on the best course of action for the repair. Hardy USA 1260 Corporate Boulevard Lancaster, PA 17606 Phone: 717 - 537 - 3900