CLOSED: Broken Fly Rod Poll;

[Ard]

Our broken rod poll is ten years old and for those who have already entered data points regarding how you broke a rod the poll will not allow you to enter a second set of responses. So, we need a new poll for those who are still cracking away at those rods.

If you look at the collection of broken rod data on the old thread it's pretty evident how these things are happening. I think it's important to have this information so that when new people get into fishing and start asking about what kind of car will their 9 foot Sage X fit into without being put in the tube we can refer them to the poll results.

I combined the responses into just 3 choices because the rods being chipped by bead heads / split shot and the sudden snapping syndrome are sometimes related. Please enter your data and if there are any problems in doing so contact me.

Ard

 

[jeep.ster]

I still break more rods falling down than anything.

 

[Ard]

Hi Steve,

I haven't done that myself and somehow I just don't fall down very often at all. I'm sure that may change as the years continue to stack up for me but not looking forward to the change. Ever since I crossed over into the realm of rods between 11 1/2 foot and 15 foot I've became hyper aware of the endless possibilities. Not to say I'm so cautious that I don't relax while on the river, I've trained myself to automatically do things that help to preserve the rods.

I popped back up and edited the poll Steve; replaced Accidental with Incidental and created a fourth response category as Accidental with regard to falling while fishing or hiking.

 

[TristianSutton]

I broke a rod on a bridge, after a fish broke me off due to poor rod angle tip slapped concrete and rod went crack

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[bumble54]

How far back do we go?, it's over thirty years since I broke one, thank the lord.

 

[Ard]

How far back do we go?, it's over thirty years since I broke one, thank the lord.

If that's the one you broke it counts here so go ahead. I've never reported an Ike Walton bamboo I broke in the 80's and should do that.

 

[Supplicate]

Three rods have been broken due to carelessness.

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Most recent was one of those North Fork Composites super small diameter blanks that I broke getting it out of the rod sock. Grabbed the top section in the wrong place, sock slipped out of my other hand, and snap crackle pop went the rod. More than a few swear words about that, I hadn't even cast the rod once yet.​

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The other two were both broken at the same time by a friend closing them in the tailgate of his truck along with three of his own rods. That was a really expensive day.​

Bunch of rods were broken incidentally. But you could classify some of them as wrong tool for the job.

Used to break one rod almost every week when fishing steelhead on ultralight spinning rods, definitely got my use out of the old Loomis warranty on those.​

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Snapped a 6wt in half on a hook set that shouldn't have barely even put a bend in the rod it was so gentle.​

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Had a baitcast rod blow up on a hard cast throwing a 2oz swimbait.​

 

[quadesherwood]

I have only broken two rods in my brief fishing career.

1.) Orvis Recon 6wt: fell and slapped a rock with my tip under the second eyelet from the end. I splinted it with a twig and electrical tape and caught 2 more fish that day!

2.) Sage XP. I changed to the other side of the river and forgot about the wind. Smacked some dumbells into it on the forward stroke and that was it. Left the DSR downtrodden.

 

[philly]

I don't remember ever breaking a fly rod when I fell. The other three categories definitely. I build my own rods and the way I build my fly rods it's easy to convert them to spinning rods. Which I've done with three or four times over the years. Eventually the spinning rods broke for one reason or another and the rods became parts for new builds or repairs. I did break and repair one fly rod three times. It started out as slow action 8' 5 wgt, and the last time I cast it with a fly line it was a 7' fast action 8 wgt. The last break, #4, was fatal and it ended up in parts pile

 

[losthwy]

I have broken two, both more than 15 years ago. One was fishing with a fish on. Believe it was due to previously dinging it with a fly or weight when casting. The other time was lesson learned- NEVER go down hill with tip pointing downhill. I stumbled and tip went right into the dirt. Now I mostly walk with the tip behind me or if that is not possible with it high.

 

[k_e_v]

My first broken rod was also my first fly rod. I got a new Berkely fly rod ( i think, but maybe a Cortland) on Christmas Day 1979. 30 minutes after getting it i was walking out the door with it fully assembled and my sister didn't hold the door long enough and SNAP!!

My Birthday was 8 days later and I received a new Berkekly fly rod (or maybe it was a Cortland) and since then I have had remarkably good luck.

kev

 

[Daz]

I've broken three rods in the last six years or so. One was absolutely my fault - I hooked up an overhanging mangrove and puller overhead instead of straight back and snapped the fourth section in half. I had another that was incidental - It broke with a small snook on (20" fish) but I may have dinged the rod with a weighted fly previously (I know I hit one of them).

One category missing from the poll options is a true manufacturing defect. I had a nice 8wt saltwater rod snap right at the first guide above the handle the very first time that rod was fished. The company was replaced it at no charge (or shipping fees) saying it was due likely to an issue with the guide foot having a burr and pressing into the blank. He noted that defects like that are generally not visually noticeable but will almost always come out the first time the rod is put under any strain.

No falls, doors, or ceiling fans so far...

 

[JoJer]

Ard, Thanks for fixing this so I can vote again. I had more "data" to add, unfortunately.
My sudden break while casting was a short 3wt graphite I bought at a flea market. Later I recalled the last outing for that rod was one of my youth hunters and I having to climb up a steep 30' rocky bank. Quite likely this is where the damage was done. So, not quite inexplicably...

 

[Ard]

Hey there,

I'm just happy to see participation. I think the best way to run polling is to institute a new poll each year and archive / compile all the saved results.

 

[huronfly]

I can't remember which ones I put in the other thread but so far these are all my occurances:

Left one in the bed of my truck like an idiot, of course the tip broke.

Snagged grass behind me as I went to cast broke the tip of another

Ferrule came loose, as I was casting it broke the male ferrule

Landing my first ever steelhead high sticking the fish toward me broke the rod mid blank

Bad cast spey fishing my intruderish fly whacked a stripping guide and ceramic insert fell out

Frozen line in guides + stripping line = snake guide pulled out

Broken reel seat (man. defect)

 

[rusty 54]

I broke 2. My first rod went from a 2 piece to 3 in the case,believe it or not. I broke the tip off of another while stringing it. I think I know a lot more than I knew then, and I think both were from hitting them with a cone head or split shot. I also cast a lot better now than I did then.

 

[Ibroxlad]

I broke my new Redington Path 5 wt by snagging a rock or something sub surface. Thought it was a strike at first and lifted up quickly to set, the rod snapped at the first snake guide on the tip section. Was the fourth time using it, not impressed.

 

[djfan]

Shut my St. Croix in my van door. Went to town and pirchased a Fenwick that I have since traded for a custom no-name (and I love it!). St. Croix replaced the tip, no questions asked. 1995 or so.

 

[ottosmagic13]

I've broke two rods so far.

One was totally my fault and in the "careless" category for sure: Was lazy and stuck my rigged rod in the car while hopping holes. Normally I have to have the tip resting on the dash and the handle on the back seat with the reel balanced just behind the seat. This time while travelling the rod must have shifted and the tip went out the window. A sudden thunderstorm and I went to roll up the window and *snap* clipped of the top eyelet. A rod repair kit and the rod was 3" inches shorter and good as new.

Second was a 2-pc fiberglass rod. Was casting normally with a bushy popper, went for the haul on the final forward cast and it split right at the ferrule and the cast and rod just collapsed. That rod got retired.

 

[RunNGun]

I just broke my first one this year. It was a four peice 9'4wt and I had it for about 10 years. I did a lot of bushwacking with it and had casted size 6 conehead muddlers with it quite often. I don't recall ever hitting the blank but it may have happened. I had fished with it for 3 days straight with a little deer hair popper for smallmouth and had a lot of luck catching a lot of fish up to 18". On the 4th day I took it out of the case , assembled it and began fishing. On the first strike the rod snapped in half on the hook set just above the second ferrule.