I have yet to use a spey rod...hopefully next week sometime...but I have Derek Brown's and Mel Krieger's videos. Brown recommends that the rod be taped (he doesn't say the type of tape to use so I guess it doesn't matter) but Krieger doesn't mention it. My question,then,is "is it really necessary or is it something that would need to be done after a rod has seen some service"? I know I have a trout rod that the tip sometimes separates from and end up in the water...but that rod is about thirty years old and has considerable wear...a brand new spey rod...really has to be taped? Also, someone has mentioned something about waxing...this would seem to be counterproductive to the taping. Am I to assume that that is to make the rod easier to break down after fishing? I know I have a habit (picked up from someone well over forty years ago) of rubbing the male end of each section behind the ear before inserting in the female end...same as waxing, I guess.