Fly Fishing Rod Handles

Over time, fishing causes handle grips to wear down and become less effective, but with Winn's Overwraps, you can repair your favorite rods for another chance at peak performance.

Repair Fly Rod Handles in 5 Easy Steps

Fly-fishing, and other fishing applications alike, take a keen performance that depends as much on your patience and focus, as it does on your comfort and confidence using your angling equipment.

When anglers are worried about worn out grips, they often weaken their overall fishing performance. Uncomfortable and ineffective, damaged handles don't have any advantages, whereas with Winn Overwraps you can repair and improve your handle assembly to maintain the top performance.

1. Cut the Corner for a Straight Edge Start

First, the underside of the Winn Overwrap has a backing that protects the adhesive, so keep it on until you have it sized and ready for application.

Knowing the grip will be a spiral wrap, begin from the top of the handle at a 45-degree angle. Wrap the Winn Overwrap grip tape around once and make sure you overlap the traction edges as you go. The traction edges keep your Winn wrap from unraveling.

One wrap will expose a corner of the Overwrap hanging over the top of the grip. Draw a line across the exposed corner and then remove the Overwrap. Next, cut the exposed corner off along the line so that the spiral wrap starts flush with the top of the handle grip.

With the Winn Overwrap cut for a straight edge start, dry fit the remaining wrap and cut roughly an inch past where the it will finish.

2. Line Grip's inside with Double-Sided Tape

Now that the Winn Overwrap has been sized to fit, lay the grip tape down so the adhesive side faces up, and remove the backing. Then, apply double-sided tape along the entirety of the Winn Overwrap's adhesive side.

Although the Winn wrap comes with the adhesive backing, the double-sided tape heightens the adhesion to maximize your confidence when fishing in the future.

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3. Wrap the Grip on the Handle in a Spiral

Once the double-sided tape is in place, wrap the Winn Overwrap in a spiral from the top of the handle grip to the bottom. Again, make sure the traction edges overlap around the handle to ensure it never unravels.

After you have wrapped the handle completely, repeat the first step on the bottom edge by marking and removing the exposed Overwrap past the bottom of the grip. Simply make another mark on the exposed Overwrap and unwind one turn to accurately remove that extra material.

Finish the wrap so that it lies perfectly flush along the bottom edge of the handle.

4. Size and Install Quick Grip End Caps

As you will notice, the corner that finishes the Winn Overwrap will eventually try to peel away. The Winn Overwrap does include a finishing tape that wraps around the edges and keeps the wrap from unraveling.

Despite the adhesion of this tape and how well it works, it often leaves a look that lacks the professional finish custom rod builders love. This is where CRB Smooth Heat Shrink Grip Tubing comes in. Simply measure out two end caps and cut them from the CRB Tubing.

Then apply one to the bottom edge, where the Overwrap can unravel and using a heat gun, shrink the tubing to fit around and over the end. Acting as a butt cap that holds the Winn Overwrap in place, the CRB Tubing can be used to do the same to the top edge of the grip.

5. Seal Grip with Epoxy

The new revived grip will look and feel solid, but one additional step ensures the peak performance will outlast your time on the water. Use an epoxy finish, such as the two-part epoxy ProKote, and seal the area between the rod blank and the CRB Tubing end caps.

Sealing this risk point keeps moisture and damaging contaminants from deteriorating the handle from the inside out. Taking the extra step to epoxy the grip in turn keeps the handle feeling renewed and preserves its lifespan even further.

Improve Grips for Fly-Fishing

Reviving worn handles with Winn Overwraps gives your favorite fly rod or any favorite fishing rod that second chance it deserves. If you have chipped cork handles or EVA that's deteriorating, simply add Winn Overwraps to resurrect your grip to truly perform as great as it looks.

From repairing handles and improving grips, to adding more comfort and confidence to your fishing rod, Winn Overwraps restore and maintain your grip's best performance.

Just follow this 5 Step method with your favorite Winn Overwrap and you are good to go.