Might Have Bought The Wrong Rod

[The Rooster]

Went to Cabela's today. Picked up two new rods that were on sale. One was a heavy powered 6'6" Tourney Trail with fast tip for jigging in heavy cover (love it). The other was a Pro Guide 6'6" medium heavy with moderate fast tip that I plan to use for light crankbaits. I love the power and action feeling of this rod with a bait hooked to something to simulate a fish on. It feels just right for this. But I noticed with it only having 7 guides, that near the tip with the rod flexed under pressure the line can touch the blank, and even go below it in a place or two. If they had used 9 or 10 guides it would have been much better but then the rod might not have felt the same either since these are double footed guides. Do I have anything to worry about with the line doing this? Maybe line breakage with a fish on?

I didn't see the same rod available in the step up model (Tourney Trail over Pro Guide) but the catalog shows they have it in the same power and action. The Tourney Trail version would have the 10 guides on it. Is it worth a drive back to exchange it? I live about an 1 1/2 hours away from the Cabela's. With gas and the added cost to step up to the next one I could just get something from around here instead but I have yet to find a rod that had this perfect of a feeling for crankbaits around here. I mean until I looked up and saw how the line was doing on the end of the rod, I was sold that I had found the perfect 1/4 oz. crankbait rod. If I could take off the last 5 double footed guides and put back 7 single footed ones, I'd be set! Can't do that myself and don't know anyone who could.

[papajoe222]

Worst case scenario; the rod breaks with a fish on. Undue strain is being put on one or more parts of the rod. Next worse would be having a guide pulled off with a fish on. Either way you end up with a useless rod and likely a lost fish, so despite the fact that it's perfect for throwing those 1/4oz. cranks, unless all you plan to do is practice with it, don't take a chance.

Give Cabela's customer service a call and explain your situation. They may have a solution for refunding or crediting you without your having to dirve back to the store.

BTW, forget having someone replace the guides with more or different ones. Way too costly

[BASSHUNTER1961]

I would return the rod ASAP.... I can see if if you swapped out the guides on a rod for different ones, like standard to micro you could have this issue, but no way with a new rod. The guides may be placed incorrectly, but either way return it.

[The Rooster]

I'm chalking it up to an inexpensive rod that the manufacturers cut corners on to keep the cost low. I was mostly wanting to know how it would fish this way because it is such a long drive back. Wishful thinking I believe. Common sense says not to keep it and fish it like that. Too bad though. It feels like the perfect blank for what I've been wanting in a light cranking rod.

What makes it worse is that while standing in the store looking at it I knew it had less guides on it and didn't like that but never gave a thought about what it would mean in actual use. I also already knew there was a version of it in the step up rods, too, but forgot that while standing there. D'oh!

[BASSHUNTER1961]

Cabela's will likely pay for the shipping costs, and your out nothing, give them a call...

Edit: I just looked the rod up, and it's only $29.00 hardly worth the effort.

[Boogey Man]

If you like the rod (weight, balance, action, power, price) I wouldn't worry about the number of guides. Take the Falcon Bucoo, it only has 7 guides plus tip, I haven't heard a lot about breakage from them. Most "older" rods did have as many guides and we still caught fish.

[BASSHUNTER1961]

If you like the rod (weight, balance, action, power, price) I wouldn't worry about the number of guides. Take the Falcon Bucoo, it only has 7 guides plus tip, I haven't heard a lot about breakage from them. Most "older" rods did have as many guides and we still caught fish.

The Falcon 6'6" spinning has 8+tip

7' spinning has 9+tip and the

7' casting has 10+tip.

I have all three.

[The Rooster]

I was just gonna call them and order the one I want but I'm afraid without handling that specific model first that it might not feel exactly like the other one does. Looks like it's gonna be a trip back after all, or else I just order it and take a chance. I think I'm just gonna drive back up there and get the other one in person or at least get my money back. I know it's only a $30 rod and I'm not even worried about the cash. I just don't want to be stuck with something that I'll never use, and I'd like to have one I'd be happy with.

[Boogey Man]

The Falcon 6'6" spinning has 8+tip

7' spinning has 9+tip and the

7' casting has 10+tip.

I have all three.

.

I was talking about the 6'6" medium and med heavy casting models, which I think would have been more comparable to the rod Rooster bought. According to Falcons website both have 8 guides.

[BASSHUNTER1961]

.

I was talking about the 6'6" medium and med heavy casting models, which I think would have been more comparable to the rod Rooster bought. According to Falcons website both have 8 guides.

Haha... You ay also be refering to standard guides, mine are micro....

[Boogey Man]

Haha... You ay also be refering to standard guides, mine are micro....

Sure was

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The standard formula for rod building is one guide for each foot plus one not counting the tip. Most builders would count a 6-6 as a 7 footer and start with 8 guides. Static testing tells us where to move, add or subtract guides for best performance. The end result may be more or fewer guides. Line touching the blank is no problem but falling below puts undue stress on the blank. It's hard to say without seeing the test just how bad it is. If the line goes just below in the deepest bend you may likely never encounter that fishing. For $30 if you liked the feel I'd say just fish it and see what happens. A lost fish isn't the end of the world unless you fish for a living in which case we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

[BradH]

For the price I would just go use it. The chances of the rod breaking or losing a fish due to the guides are slim to none.

[Bassn Blvd]

Buy cheap, get cheap.

[The Rooster]

Yes, I know. I should have just looked at it harder before I bought it. I was in a newly opened Cabela's store, and only for the second time ever at one anyway, and was being overwhelmed by all the stuff. Got excited and forgot what I know about rods, got new rod fever, and had the wife standing there encouraging me to buy two instead of only one, but hurry because it's our anniversary and she wants dinner. I made a quick decision......too quickly. That's all.

[The Rooster]

I exchanged that rod today for another Tourney Trail rod. The one piece Tourney Trail rod felt more limber and bendable than the 2 piece rod in this version, unlike the Pro Guide where the 2 piece was more flexible instead. The Tourney Trail is just a bit stiffer than the Pro Guide was but it still bends nicely. This rod has 10 guides instead of just 7 and it holds the line over the blank like it should when under pressure.