Introduction: DIY: Tenkara Fishing Rod Plug - Cap Holder
Here is an easy modification for a Tenkara rod that will allow you to attach the rod plug to the butt cap. I am good at losing things so I wanted an easy way to keep up with my rod plug while fishing. I decided this would be an easy, inexpensive and functional way to do that. With so many Tenkara rods on the market, there is a good chance you will have a different butt cap and/or rod plug. If so, you may have to adapt the procedure to fit your rod.
Please see the embedded video if you would prefer to watch the steps as opposed to reading them. Visit my YouTube channel for more fishing related videos!
Step 1: Planning/Tools/Materials
Planning: You will need to take a look at your rod plug and butt cap and determine if you can drill holes in them to fasten loops to. If your rod cap and plug are like mine, just follow along with my Instructable and you shouldn't have any problems. If yours is different, take your time and determine how you want to proceed. The size of the holes you drill into your butt cap and rod plug will depend on what material you use to make your loops with.
Tools: You are going to need drill bits and a way to drill your holes. I used a lathe to drill my holes. You can just as easily drill your holes with a handheld drill or a drill press.
Materials: You are going to need something to make two loops with. I used small diameter paracord for mine but what you use to make your loops with is entirely up to you!
Step 2: Drilling the Butt Cap
The butt cap for my rod is made out of aluminum. It had a black rubber insert in the middle of the threaded section of the cap. The rubber insert is easily removed by using something sharp (like a fish hook) to insert into the rubber and pull it out with. I drilled a hole a little smaller than the hole the rubber insert was in through the center of the cap. The larger hole where the rubber insert was is just big enough to put the knot of the paracord loop in but the small hole I drilled into the center of the cap isn't. This prevents the paracord loop from pulling out of the cap. This will make more sense in the next step.
Step 3: Installing the Butt Cap Loop
Tie your loop and install the loop in the butt cap. The hole where the rubber insert was is just large enough that the knot from my loop can be pulled down inside of it. It is a tight fit. The hole I drilled in the end of the cap is slightly smaller and the knot can't pass through it. This keeps the loop from being pulled out of the cap. I heated the end of the paracod and flattened it down. Reinstall the butt cap on the rod.
Step 4: Drill a Hole in the Rod Plug
Now you are going to need to drill a hole through your rod plug. My plug has a wood top with a rubber plug on the end. I drilled the hole against the wood grain to keep it from splitting along the grain near the hole. I chose to make the hole in the wood big enough that the paracord would fit loosely inside the hole so the loop can move around freely.
Step 5: Install the Rod Plug Loop
Now you can install the rod plug loop. The larger hole in the plug allows the loop to move freely which will make attaching the plug to the cap easier in the next step.
Step 6: How to Connect the Rod Plug to the Cap
Now to store the plug while fishing, simply attach it to the cap with a simple loop to loop connection!
Step 7: Finished!
That is it! It is a simple idea that is an easy modification to make and should be pretty inexpensive (free for me). As a bonus, it looks really nice too!
Thanks for checking out my Instructable and please let me know if you try this mod and how it turns out. If you have any comments or questions I would love to hear them and I will try to help if I can.