A fishing rod of a type that has multiple sections assembled together in a telescopic manner in which smaller diameter, more distal sections collapse telescopically into and extend telescopically out of one or more larger diameter, more proximal sections that extend from a handle includes a rod plug that is sized and shaped for removable mounting in a distal end of the larger diameter section to retain the smaller diameter sections when collapsed into the larger diameter section and a handle plug with a storage hole that is sized and shaped to receive and retain the rod plug in a removable manner. A base section retainer apparatus receives and releaseably holds a proximal end of the base section in the handle.
