What's One Less Guide Going To Hurt?

[Choporoz]

I broke a 15 month old Abu Garcia rod yesterday.   I don't have the receipt, so I understand the warranty probably isn't an option, but I wrote AG anyway.  The rod may not be worth the cost of the warranty shipping and charges, anyway.  (It was an Orra SX combo.  $120, and the reel was probably 3/4 of that.....but I have liked that rod quite a bit and it got heavy use the past year.)

 

My question is about what's left of the rod...

 

  On a 'normal' cast with a jig yesterday, the second guide from the tip broke off.   I sanded down the glue and now the rod is without that one guide. My question: What will be the effect on my usage? Does this further threaten the integrity of the rod? Will I lose fish - or casting distance?   I've done a little research on rod repair and I don't feel comfortable taking this job on if it'll be ok without it.

Thank you.

[BrianinMD]

The issue will be line slapping against the blank so distance and accuracy would be affected. No additional damage should occur as long as the blank was not comprised

[Tiller]

If you are missing a guide your rod will bend at a more acute angle between the two adjacent guides putting it at a greater risk of snapping. This is especially true toward the tip of the rod where it is flexing most which it sounds like it is. I would find a local rid builder to repair the rod and in the mean time, if you plan to use the rod, be careful not to high-stick it. I believe the repair should only be $10-$15.

Joe

[plural_of_fant]

I broke the stripper guide of an Fenwick elite tech... Kept using it. Had a large wiper blow up on a spook. During the first run. Every guide but the tip snapped off. Was an interesting fight. Managed to land it. But wasn't fun. I'd get it fixed. Diy isn't hard. But for one guide a shop fix is cheaper

[Kevin22]

Abu will still probably honor the warranty, they have great customer service. Costs 9.95 for a warranty claim.

[rippin-lips]

Any local builder will fix it for cheap.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Unless the whole guide train is poorly executed line slap is really a non issue, especially on a casting rod. The bigger concern is stress distribution as the rod is loaded. The faster the action, the closer together the tip guides need to be. To test, load the rod and see how the line flows if it dips below the blank in that spot it's more of a likely failure at some point. If it just rubs it's not ideal but not as urgent.  It's an easy fix and should run you $10 +/-. 

[Choporoz]

Thanks, all.  Mike, I did just that yesterday.  Casted a practice plug with no appreciable problems.  Had my wife grab it and load up good -- no scale, but I'd venture a good 10+ pounds.  Rod bend didn't look abnormal or like there was extra strain.  I will try to find local rod builder, however.  I always figured this to be a $40 rod based on the combo price and the (surprising?) reel quality, but I've been very happy with the performance up until now.

[Choporoz]

Abu response was very timely.  I got technicalitied - 2-year rod warranty doesn't apply, because combos only have one-year warranties. 

 

I will say that they have been very responsive and communicative.  I ended up getting a discounted Veritas as compensation.  So, I will get it repaired locally and have a new Veritas shipped for under $70.  I wish it hadn't broke, but I'm not unhappy.

 

To be honest...except for the breaking part....I've been surprisingly happy with that Orra SX rod.  And reel, too.  If the reel retails for $100, I got the rod for $20, essentially.  When whole, it is an awful lot better than that.

[SirSnookalot]

I'd repair the rod locally for about 10 bucks.

A year or 2 ago I was cuda fishing with my quantum blue runner mh rod, after about an hour of casting I landed a 50" barracuda.  I then noticed I had missed one of the guides, maybe the 3 rd one down from the top.  I never knew it while casting and did not affect the landing in anyway.  I'm still using the rod.