I am new at this fishing stuff. I bought an Ugly Stick ok.. What is the small eye near the handle for. Do I string my line thro

[deernest]

I am new at this fishing stuff. I bought an Ugly Stick ok.. What is the small eye near the handle for. Do I string my line through that eye or not?

[jay]

Don't run your line through it. The small eye is for your hook, lure etc when you are storing your rod.

[Sourdough Dave]

It is a safe place to secure your hook or lure so it isn't flapping around getting caught on things or people when you are not fishing. They are handy. I wish all my rods had them. Welcome to the fun and habit forming sport of fishing. Good luck.

[Beekeeper]

Hook loop, don't run your line through it!

[WVOtter]

All of the above are right, and it's something all rods should have!! Rather than hooking your lure/swivel to one of the existing eyes, keep it safe there. All (or at least most) fly rods have them, more spinning rods should follow suit. Congrats on your Ugly Stik, I have a few of different weights and they all serve me very well.

[Cgull]

Some rod makers add these hook loops for us to attach our lures or hooks so we do not attach them to the rod guides, posibly damaging the guides. Most sporting good stores sell slip on hook loops that can be slipped over the rod and brought up just above where the reel seat is. If you're adventurous, you can cut V's into the center of both ends of a shoebox, buy some string that matches the string that have been wrapped on your rod guides, clear fingernail polish and some bent peices of wire. Use the shoe box v's to cradle the rod while you wrap the string on both ends of the wire, try to mathc the amount of wraps that have been put on the guides, tie a coouple of half hitches then coat with a couple coats of nailpolish to finish.

[MPN]

You know I have one of those also but I never use it, I always hook the hook on one of the eyes.

[Cgull]

You're taking a chance of pulling a guide off or nicking the insert inside the eye. A nicked insert will slowly fray your line and posibly cause a lost fish while fighting a fish. Best to use the hook loop if you have one.

[blake425]

Hook Loop

[vtbasser]

Yeah, you shouldn't hook your lure to the guide, it will damage the guide and could chip the insert causing it to nick and break your line. Also, ditch the Ugly Stik and get something you can feel fish with (IMHO).

[Mark J]

Like the others have said it's a hook loop. Put the hook of your lure in the loop and reel up the slack and your good to go.

[Duckkiller4]

its all for the hook not for the line

[littledeer_2]

dont put your line through it its for hooking your hook/lure to wwhen your not fishing

[MPN]

Cgull,
I've actually had that problem but I just always forget about that eye made for the hook. Just been hookin it on the eye for so long it's turned into a bad habit.

[jerry1958]

good choice with a strong rod and you keep the hook in there while not fishing