Broken Rod...

[Krappiehog]

Hey guys im a new guy,, been fishing about 6 mo.. Guy i work with has been helping me and taking me out in his ranger teaching me. Im 34, work hard and buy all my stuff. So i do take care of it. I bought a my first set up from my local shop cuz i worry about buy a used sword! Lol!

Went out last night and have been using a med 6'6" falcon hd since June as my starter setup paired with a lews ss1L. Love this reel!

We do a lot of jig fishing and my med is just not near what i need. So i decided to buy a rod.. Same shop i said i have a budget, reel base be a Lews ss1L. But i need a rod.. Around 50... He recommended a Abu vengeance 7' mh... Felt nice.

Now everyone says including him says u stepped on it.. This is Gods HONEST truth guys. I met my buddy at tackle shop like we so ever sat night. Got it all fixed up i took it straight off counter and up it on my passenger side rod holder like i do ever sat night on his ranger R73 and went hit the lake. We hit 4 spots and threw crank baits, my buddy looked at rod , but we put back and started fishing...

On the forth hole we had some deep suspended on a brush pile. So i said ok jig time.. I tied a 1/2 oz jig on and got a feel for the new rod. I slowly razed it back cuz it was a lot stiffer and i was not sure how it would cast, we re close to bank. As soon as i started the cast and loaded the rod i heard something i never heard and my buddy said what was that, it was like the rod went limp... I said i have no clue maybe jig hit the rod and i should reel up... Try again and limp so i pull down and start looking at it ... Longitudinal splits about 4" about 8-10 Down the rod.. I was like what the heck i never made a cast happen! So i called the tackle shop ... It's been maybe an hour and he say how did that happen i explain above in short and he says u had to have stepped or kneeled on it... I said no it's been in a rod holder the trip until

now! He says well bring it back I'll send it back.... Guys i am honest, my buddy was there, i did nothing, I'm not here to bash Abu, i have this same rod in spinning and my son has and Orr S combo... But I'm not confident in the rod, i know anything amass produced can have a flaw, but this is a first for me.. I have read a few like this, mostly tip problems which make think folks damaged them or tried to swing bigger fish in.. Am i just being paranoid? Should ask to pay the difference and step in to a Lew's or falcon? Thanks

[fishguy613]

the vengeance and veritas are known for being very brittle and snapping, same with the epoxy on the eyes. i have a veritas and have no confidence in it due to it being so fragile

[Diggy]

Contact abu's warrant dept, they are excellent. They will usually just mail you a new rod out and you wont have anything to send back in. Could have broken for many reasons, it happens, even to the rods you mentioned upgrading to.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

Been fishing with abu rods (veritas and vendetta) for almost 2 years now and never had a problem with em. Even fish on a consistent basis with the very first vendetta I bought. abu makes good products and they stand behind them. A split along the rod could be many things including being stepped on. Always inspects rods before buying them and it reduces the chance for a bad one. Heck it could have happened at the tackle store before you ever touched the rod, but there's always a chance for a bad one with any manufacturer.

[SirSnookalot]

Seeing as you have the rod already, just have to use the system to get things rectified.  For me the only rod warranty worth any thing is over the counter replacement.  Price isn't even an issue but convenience is.  I do not want to take the time and effort to ship a rod back to the manufacturer, I don't care how cooperative they may be.  Broken rod, I want to be fishing with a new one the next day, not in a week or 2 or 3.

[Bluebasser86]

Sounds more like it got crushed in shipping to me. I've stepped on a few of my rods and never had one do that. 

[ww2farmer]

the vengeance and veritas are known for being very brittle and snapping, same with the epoxy on the eyes. i have a veritas and have no confidence in it due to it being so fragile

That's bull crap, they are no more fragile or durable than any other rod. I absolutely abuse the crap out of my rods, and the Abu rods take it as well as any.

[ww2farmer]

And to the op, contact Abu, they will take care of you. I have never had an easier company to deal with regarding rod warranty issues.

[Krappiehog]

well get this... since i had it an hour... i called the shop, he said bring it back .. i got up early this am & did. I walked in showed him & he said " you stepped on it" ! i said no sir, i swear oon on my family, it was in the rod holder. i dont know why, the owner of the tackle shop looke me in the eye and said and i quote " i dont care what you are telling me you stepped on that rod, they may not warranty it, but they may i'll have to call and check on it for you" .... my buddy, came in & bought stuff, i spent almost 170 in the store... and a few months back i spent over 200 on a rod & reel in his store... and he has the nerve to stand and tell me i am lieing to him, hell i called him from the lake the second it happened.. he told me how great there warranty was. i was so shocked buy this this am. I asked if he would allow me pay diff on a diff rod so i could get back out, se said no ( with a sarcatic voice) i cant do that. I work in customer service, i'm in the warranty business, im on a phone 8 hrs a day helping people. I know what customer service is and this darn sure was not even close to how you treat a person, not in life nor in business!!!! i'm not rich, i have kids, and some times i go to look, deam or see what the latest baits look like up close & that sould be ok. I buy when i can and i spen as much as can with folks that treat me right, just ask my wife that is always yelling at me!!! lol This was unacceptable treatment. Owners take note if you want to loose business this is how to do it, unless your business is so good you afford to run off customers!!! TAKE NOTICE!  sounds like i will get a new rod, from what you guys say, and i hope so! i'll let you know.

[J Francho]

I would have bypassed the store, and called Abu directly....

 

1.800.228.4272

[SirSnookalot]

You did the right thing by trying to resolve the issue at the store, a cooperative business owner would have satisfied you on the spot, too bad it didn't work that way.  The next step is Abu customer service and they are pretty darn good.  It's a shame that you have to take the time and effort to pack it up and ship it.  I'd be looking for a new outlet to buy my fishing gear.

[Krappiehog]

OK. follow up..

i did get a new rod.. but i will never use that shop again. even when i went to pick up the new rod he was a jerk.. very short to me. but thats ok, i have 2 other places that are happy to have my business, and treat me way better, not as close to my house, but thats ok, being treated with respect is worth it!

 

by the way i am useing a Lews ss1L folks they are bad to the bone!!!!  my first bait caster, and i have just bought the second one .. they are sick! i love um!!!

 

thanks for all the help guys !

[Krappiehog]

And we are back again with a rod problem... Got replacement like I said, been in a rod holder in a rod sleeve/cover till yesterday and during the start of night fishing trip I start hearing a screatching type noise, went on for about 15 min before it started to show up on the line. Just learned what a tip on rod was missing insert after about an hour of fishing sounds like.. I'm starting to think this hole thing is a plot for me not to learn catch fish on a jig! Lol .. To make matters worse store gave me everything but my receipt and there not helpt this point.... So I emailed abu to see what they say. I hope I don't have any problems with my reel! So lesson learned no more shopping there. A little dissspointed in rod, I have same rod, but older when was orange in spinning, and all has been good. Sometimes when it rains it just pours... Bright side is if nothing else, I get to buy a new rod!

Any suggestions for a good rod under a 100...? In case I have to buy new one, not real confident in this one right now.

[Gaerith]

If you end up getting a different rod, I recommend the *** Black.  It seems to be one of the best rods at the $100 price point.  Alternatives to that would be St. Croix Premier or Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth if you can find one on sale.

 

Sorry to hear about your rod woes.  Abu does have good CS, so hopefully they take care of you.  My cardinal reel handle broke, and they sent a new handle without me having to show any proof of purchase or sending anything in.  Hopefully they take good care you of you too!

[crazy cranker]

The treatment that you received from that shop is deplorable and you are right to never spend any money with them again. I would post some negative reviews on Google local and Yelp - they deserve it!

[lmbfisherman]

I would've walked out with the broken rod and went straight to Abu Garcia/Pure Fishing and would never spend a dime again at that store.  Really rude of the guy to accuse you like that.  Just contact Abu Garcia this time and get it straightened out properly this time without the BS. 

 

As for rods under a 100 bucks - Maybe check out the BPS rods if you have one close by.  Check out the Bionic Blade 79.99, Carbonlite or the Extreme rods.  They all good great reviews.  Carbonlite gets a lot of love on this board too.

[Krappiehog]

thanks guys for feed back ... i dont normally blast some one on the net but they got a true story filled on on my google review!!!!

 

 i just told the truth.. the 1 important knows the truth!!! The good Lord always takes care of us if we try to do right. 

 

Abu is gonna take care of it... i'm very shocked.. they were great about it when i called this am.. said they undersatnd about indepndant tackle shops.. not the first story like this & appoligized to me for his poor customer service... now thats how it rolls.. i was not happy about 2 rods in 2 wks.. but they sure made me feel better. i was think never agin buy Abu, but after this i'm rethinking that for sure!! 

 

*** I WILL NEVER SET FOOT BACK THERE AGAIN .. & trust me.. folks are gonna hear about it... i am in a small town in northern Ar..  i am finding that more and more folks have had this problem with the store.. but its my fault for putting up with rudeness prior & going back. I have tryed to over look things as i have grown up, & give the benifit of the doubt.. but this was just too much !

[Krappiehog]

UPDATE !!!! GOOD , NO GREAT NEWS !!

 

i was so impressed w/ abu's customer service & the young lady that helped my, i wrote them a letter, rather i typed it cuz my hand writting is horrible! lol  short of it, i had said inthe letter how great they are & the lady that helped me.. and i had said the rod was not as sensitive as i hoped but that was a different thing... lets face it i bought a lower end rod, & i got what i paid for... it works great, fishes great, is a Veritas, no.. is it 100, no .. well i got a call yesterday from Abu, a wonderful lady by the name of Lori called me... telling me they got my letter, thanked me for it & then, .. get this proceeded to tell me that she my letter, seen the comment about sensitivity and wanted to make sure i got 1] the correct rod & 2] i was happy, if not she wanted to know how to fix it!!!!! WHAT a follow up, this is unheard of !!!! Let alone asking me if they could fix a problem that was not related to in anyway what i even wrote the letter!!! I told her i was not looking for a free upgrade, nor was that my intention! i just wanted to thank a company for doing what they said they would do & doing it with loveing care!  Lori said thats not what she thought at all , but wanted to make sure all was well & i was happy. i told her i bought a lower end rod & could not expect more than what i paid for & the new rod was sweet over all, it did exactly what its made to do. i'm not complaining, & if i wanted a better rod i should have paid for one! PERIOD!  we had a nice talk, she was great!

 

IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT ABU GARCIA, DON'T ! I have been looking at a few different brands, but unless its a product made by Pure Fishing i will think twice about buying it ! You may do the same! my buddie said G Loomis is not even close to that , and look at what there rods cost!  i am telling all i know, spread the word, folks need to know who will take of them & make sure they are happy when spending there hard earned cash!  I am still shocked about this!  james.. aka trouthog