Yeah, but the fish like the pretty rod cases better than the ugly PVC ones.

". but you can address Cliff's concern by ordering some decals from Sage or Orvis, etc online."

Nope, the fish I catch like St. Croix decals the best. I have a few I'll be glad to sell at a discount rate.

Brent, I've never seen any two-ounce larva hatching in the places I've fished. Y'all must have some HUGE bugs up there!! And HUGE fish to eat them!!

I'm a cheap old codge so I've been using pvc for a while. The black pvc looks the best but man, they have raised the price. Electrical pvc is gray, which gives a different color choice. I've been painting my thin wall white pvc with the plastic paint they sell at wally world. It sticks pretty good if you wipe the pvc down beforehand with acetone although it will chip pretty easily. I paint it and use duct tape on the bottom so I only have to buy one cap which saves a little! (Cliff is gonna laugh when he reads this because he knows how frugal I am!!!)-p-

I've been buying bunch of Sharpes bamboo and since they don't usually come with a tube I've been going the PVC route. Only problem I've had is caps get hard to take off if put on to hard. I've started using Oatey pressure test caps on the top of tube for easy entry. They loosen and tighten by a wing nut on top of the cap. Buy them at Lowes and Home Depot in the plumbing departments.

Barry

mmckenzie:
As I say, my experience is exclusively with the ABS black pipe, but I have had that same problem. However, since I started adding a bit of twine to hold the cap to the tube while not in place, I've found the problem less so. I drill a hole in the center of the cap and a hole through the tube about 1.5" down. I poke the string through the tube hole and tie a double knot and trim. Then the string goes through the hole in the cap, same knotting treatment. Leave enough line so the cap can come easily clear of the tube. Then, soak the knots in epoxy or superglue or some such to keep them from untying. It seems as though that little bit of air that leaks through the holes helps with the release. I used decoy line for the string.
The other choice is to use screw caps, although I don't know that they are available for PVC.
brent

I've made up several PVC rod tubes and the screw on caps are available. I had that same problem with trying to remove a stuck on cap.

Larry

Well, I guess that you're screwed, huh Gene? Or maybe unscrewed.

Price and availability mostly.. I picked up some pipes from an irrigation company that have the thinnest walls, 6 or 8 1 1/2" X 8' for $20 with an end cap for each. these are very light and feel like the type used with the cloth covered tubes. Almost scary light, i'll use to store in but something heavier to transport in.

Mark

I prefer the Oatey Caps with the wing nuts, but to help with regular pvc caps I take a grinder and cut a few slots in them. They are still secure on the tubes, but come off much easier.

Barry