If you feel as though you've done several hours' worth of bicep curls at the gym after fishing the surf with plugs or crankbaits, your rod could be too tip-heavy. Fix it by adding weight to its butt. With a balanced rod, you'll be able to swim lures more easily and effectively, and catch more fish as a result. Here's how.

STEP 1 Take off your rod's butt cap. The interior of the rod blank will be hollow. Measure its diameter.

STEP 2 Buy several egg sinkers that will fit loosely into the blank.

STEP 3 With the reel on the rod, insert a sinker into the blank and temporarily replace the butt cap. Attempt to balance the rod across one finger at a spot just forward of the reel foot. Keep adding sinkers until you achieve that balance.

STEP 4 Remove the butt cap and take out the sinkers, then wrap them in electrician's tape until they form a package that fits snugly within the blank.

STEP 5 Slide the bundle into the butt of the blank and replace the cap securely.