As far as I can remember, I've never broken a rod when I'm actually fishing. I don't remember ever breaking one on a hookset either. I keep rods in the house, and I've developed a system to bring them in when I'm finished fishing, opening the storm door, and tilting them to get them through the door, to put them away. It's so easy, when your tired, to forget the angle your carrying them, and jam the tip into a door, doorframe, or a wall. Probably the all time worst for me is ceiling fans. I've had several rods that survived a clip from a fan. The bad thing is the rod may appear to be ok, then when you set the hook on a fish, 2" to 3" inches of the tip will snap off. I've gotten good at " tip repair" over the years. Most rods with a small tip break will still be usable, but some may never be quite the same. With some of the longer rods we have now days, and with what some cost, it really pays to be careful. I have an older buddy that I fish with sometimes. He bought a nice new casting rod, and said he liked it, but thought the handle was too long. He took his son fishing at a local pond. They were standing at the back of the truck with the tailgate down, rigging some baits.Mike put his tackle bag over his shoulder, and before he could say WAIT! His son slammed the tailgate on the rear handle of his rod, mangling about the last 3" of his cork grip. Well, there you go Mike, you wanted a shorter handle on your rod. We fixed that one with a hacksaw, and a furniture leg cover from the hardware store. The repair looks good, and Mike seems happy with it. He was lucky it only broke 3", and not much more. Another thing is laying rods in a pickup bed. This is ok, as long as you remove anything that can slide around. A cooler, or toolbox sliding around in the truck, and sliding over your rods is a sure bet to bend or break a guide, or possibly cause a small hairline crack, which can cause trouble down the road. Most rods, with reasonable care, will last a long time. I've got some older ones I still use, that still fish great. Graphite is a great material for fishing rods. Light, strong, and fast. But it's not impervious to everything. Luckily, I havnt broken a rod in a while. If you break a newer rod, hopefully, warranty can help get it replaced or repaired. It's when you break an old favourite rod, that's out of warranty, that causes you to wonder? Can I find a good replacement? Will it really be better, or just a compromise? Then, it's time for a new rod. With all the choices we have these days, that can become an ordeal too. Have you broken any rods lately?
