Is This My Fault? (Rod Broke In Half)

[Fishes in trees]

Last year, I broke a 3 rods.  The most I've broken in several seasons.  They were all my fault.  Fortunately, they were Fenwick HMG rods ( 1 was an Aetos)  Lifetime guarantee - send them proof of breakage and $10 and you get a new rod.  (the whole process takes a couple of weeks or so)  I'm fortunate in that I have plenty of spares.

[smalljaw67]

Ive used spinning and casting rods to lift bass to 5lbs from a peir i fish, from the top railing of peir to the water is 5ft id say and have done it at least 100 times and never had a rod break. I will add that i leave about 4ft from the tip to the fish of line(mono) and i dont just lift the rod, i lift them about a foot out of the water and give the rod a couple pumps to get the fish boncing so to speak and when its on a up bounce i time it so when i lift the fish its already moving up and use the momentun to take some of the pressure off my rod.. the bigger ones make me think my rod could break but hasnt yet...ive thought of using a net but theres no nets in bass fishing!!! Ive always looked at using a net for bass kinda like moving the foul line up 3 ft on the court..thats cheating..

 

Just because you can do it doesn't make it right, ask any manufacturer of blanks  or rod designers if you should boat flip or hoist a fish with a rod even when done with correct technique and see what answer you get. The rod designer I spoke with told me that he really wishes B.A.S.S would adopt using nets, he said it would probably cut down on warranty claims as well as the bad review they get when the company denies a claim because of a rod breaking when used to hoist a fish out of water.  I hear the argument all the time about boat flipping being perfectly fine if proper technique is used and it is completely wrong, you may be able to do it but the rod was not designed for it and if you break a rod while doing it the rod is not at fault.

[BASSPATROL247]

Just because you can do it doesn't make it right, ask any manufacturer of blanks  or rod designers if you should boat flip or hoist a fish with a rod even when done with correct technique and see what answer you get. The rod designer I spoke with told me that he really wishes B.A.S.S would adopt using nets, he said it would probably cut down on warranty claims as well as the bad review they get when the company denies a claim because of a rod breaking when used to hoist a fish out of water.  I hear the argument all the time about boat flipping being perfectly fine if proper technique is used and it is completely wrong, you may be able to do it but the rod was not designed for it and if you break a rod while doing it the rod is not at fault.

I never said it made it right, as for doing it in a boat or anywhere else besides the peir i mentioned i think its ridiculous to land a fish that way or any other way besides reaching down and landing it with your hands.. and i know when i do it if it breakss i know its my fault... misunderstood me or something..

[Crappiebasser]

I think the rod committed suicide after being forced to live in that nasty truck bed.

[Jrob78]

The lure is brought up to the tip not cranked down on it. Also I don't mind criticism at all, it helps me learn from any and all mistakes I could be making and not even know it.

I wish more people shared your attitude, not just in fishing either.

[dam0007]

I'm gonna buck the trend on here a little and say it could have been a bad blank. Almost everyone on here has boat flipped fish before and will continue to do so. Whether I myself would do it with your exact rod I'm not sure as I don't know it's specs. Any rod medium action and above should not have a problem lifting a fish that size. Not sure I would try to flip anything bigger though. The action of your lift is what may have been at fault. If you keep a constant pressure on the rod and don't allow fish to bounce your rod I don't see a problem with it. I tend to leave a 3/4 rod length when I do it myself. Check out some videos and just look at some people ridiculous hook sets. If rods can handle such a violent action lifting should be the least of your problems. A net or a pair of waders would resolve the problem as others have stated but I certain situations those don't even help. If possible when you get fish to shore try to reel down and point rod at them and hold your spool and walk backwards, also depends on line used though. Most rods I have been witness to user error tend to not have that clean of a break either. Just my opinion. Check with shimano as they do have a decent return policy or even better if you bought it at an actual store may have good return policies as well. Good luck with its replacement.

+1 with the exception of "possible lunkers" in a tournament, in which the net is getting wet, I swing in all species shapes and sizes and have been doing so for years. Obviously I'm not gonna attempt such a feat with a 4# on a ML with 6# test but generally any M, MH, H with 12# or more test line. The fish is going airborne.

[Shanes7614]

My biggest question for any builders or blank designers is this... How does lifting a 3lb fish out of the water have any more rod pressure then some of the almost obscene hook sets I have seen guys using, especially guys fishing straight braid? I don't discount a heavy hook set for certain flipping/pitching applications but some guys are just beyond ridiculous with the amount of force they THINK they need to set a SHARP hook.... I believe there are way too many guys with an old school monofilament hook set to compensate for line stretch still using the same hook set with zero stretch braid and even flouro which has a decent amount of line stretch less then mono.

[Jrob78]

My biggest question for any builders or blank designers is this... How does lifting a 3lb fish out of the water have any more rod pressure then some of the almost obscene hook sets I have seen guys using, especially guys fishing straight braid? I don't discount a heavy hook set for certain flipping/pitching applications but some guys are just beyond ridiculous with the amount of force they THINK they need to set a SHARP hook.... I believe there are way too many guys with an old school monofilament hook set to compensate for line stretch still using the same hook set with zero stretch braid and even flouro which has a decent amount of line stretch less then mono.

It's more about how you lift the weight, the angle of the rod in relation to the line coming out of the tip.  

[wytstang]

I think the rod committed suicide after being forced to live in that nasty truck bed.

If your truck bed is clean, your doing wrong.

[wytstang]

I wish more people shared your attitude, not just in fishing either.

Why thank you sir, the day I stop learning is the day I stop breathing.

[Shanes7614]

It's more about how you lift the weight, the angle of the rod in relation to the line coming out of the tip.

Please explain this theory... Not sure how the angle of the rod when these home run swings happen where the fish is ultimately BELOW your feet and pulling past the 12oclock position is any worse then having your line at 6oclock and rod at say 10-11oclock positions is worse... Also.... If fish being lifted is able to cause a surge and pull a little drag during moments of the fight, how that causes more pressure when you get them boat side and are able to lift them without your drag being pulled out is any different... Which personally is my indicator if certain fish get lifted or not. If I do not have to thumb my spool to keep my drag from breaking free then I should have zero issues boating said fish.

[Jrob78]

Please explain this theory... Not sure how the angle of the rod when these home run swings happen where the fish is ultimately BELOW your feet and pulling past the 12oclock position is any worse then having your line at 6oclock and rod at say 10-11oclock positions is worse... Also.... If fish being lifted is able to cause a surge and pull a little drag during moments of the fight, how that causes more pressure when you get them boat side and are able to lift them without your drag being pulled out is any different... Which personally is my indicator if certain fish get lifted or not. If I do not have to thumb my spool to keep my drag from breaking free then I should have zero issues boating said fish.

If you try to carry a fish with your rod in the 90° position, it's putting way too much strain on the blank. People often try to lift or carry fish with their rods held like that to get the fish higher. Rod blanks aren't meant to be flexed like that.

A normal hookset is probably around the 45° mark. This doesn't flex the blank so excessively.

When you add in dents and dings that the rod might have sustained over the course of time, overstressing a blank can cause failure. Heavy hooksets with braid can also cause a rod to break but are less likely because the rod is normally held at a safe angle.

[Shanes7614]

If you try to carry a fish with your rod in the 90° position, it's putting way too much strain on the blank. People often try to lift or carry fish with their rods held like that to get the fish higher. Rod blanks aren't meant to be flexed like that.

A normal hookset is probably around the 45° mark. This doesn't flex the blank so excessively.

When you add in dents and dings that the rod might have sustained over the course of time, overstressing a blank can cause failure. Heavy hooksets with braid can also cause a rod to break but are less likely because the rod is normally held at a safe angle.

The OP's rod was pretty new from his description. And the hook sets I'm referring to and there are plenty of videos showing it are guys that will reel down to 0 degrees and go BEYOND the 90degree mark. I myself tend to boat fish starting closer to a 30degree with the fishes head just coming out of the water up to about 60degrees.

What I may be missing or not understanding is how it's possible for the weight exerted between 30-60 degrees holding a dead weight of 3# is greater than the force of these hook sets I see or when you have an 8-9# bass that's able to break a 12-14# drag free while holding a rod at a 45 is greater. If that was the case wouldn't people be snapping rods every time they catch a fish able to break their drag free?

[Shanes7614]

I think his reference pic as he states in his second post has guys believing he beats and stores his rod as the picture depicts. I'm in no way saying it isn't a possibility there could have been a scratch or ding on his rod but as I said before it seems from his description it was fairly new and doesn't abuse his rods. What I am saying is that it possibly was a faulty blank as it can happen with any price range and quality of a rod. I'm also gonna go out on my own limb and say that at least 75% of the guys on here have boated or flipped fish of similar weights with zero issues and a good % of guys still do the same without the same result.

[Sam]

Some areas on the bank you don't have a choice but to hoist whatever size fish you caught up a bit before you can grab it. Also the bed picture was just a reference picture to show the 2x4. I normally just reel the lure to the tip and lay them down.

 

Don't do that.

 

Place the hook in the last line guide holder support (not inside the guide) and wrap the line via one turn around the next guide up when storing the rod.

 

If the rod has a "hook holder" near the reel use that for your hooks.

 

You do not want any hooks or baits touching the rod's top guide.

 

Release the spool tension knob and the drag so that the spool moves easily on a baitcaster and release some of the tension off your spinning reel when storing the rods.

 

Remember, your rod is your direct communication to the fish so you need to know good rod storage techniques and handling.

[SirSnookalot]

Don't believe the tension on the rod had anything to do with breakage, although when I transport my rods they are straight and I always back the drag off.  There may have been a stress crack, a defect in the rod probably would have showed up sooner.

Fishing off a jetty or sea wall we flip them up all the time, not just me but everyone.  Most of these fish are 22-25", flipping is like a trampoline, you actually spring them up.  Fish a little larger can be risky springing them up, I just lift them.  That said there is a limit of course to what can be done, do it enough and you get a feel for it.  When I can't do either and don't have a net the only choice for me is to break the fish off, better than risking my rod breaking.

When I'm bass fishing from the bank I do it differently as I'm generally using a lighter rod, I hold the perfectly straight and walk back wards, drag them out.  This is a common inshore technique from the beach.

[wytstang]

Don't do that.

 

Place the hook in the last line guide holder support (not inside the guide) and wrap the line via one turn around the next guide up when storing the rod.

 

If the rod has a "hook holder" near the reel use that for your hooks.

 

You do not want any hooks or baits touching the rod's top guide.

 

Release the spool tension knob and the drag so that the spool moves easily on a baitcaster and release some of the tension off your spinning reel when storing the rods.

 

Remember, your rod is your direct communication to the fish so you need to know good rod storage techniques and handling.

I'm assuming this extends the life of the drag system, correct?

[wytstang]

Don't believe the tension on the rod had anything to do with breakage, although when I transport my rods they are straight and I always back the drag off.  There may have been a stress crack, a defect in the rod probably would have showed up sooner.

Fishing off a jetty or sea wall we flip them up all the time, not just me but everyone.  Most of these fish are 22-25", flipping is like a trampoline, you actually spring them up.  Fish a little larger can be risky springing them up, I just lift them.  That said there is a limit of course to what can be done, do it enough and you get a feel for it.  When I can't do either and don't have a net the only choice for me is to break the fish off, better than risking my rod breaking.

When I'm bass fishing from the bank I do it differently as I'm generally using a lighter rod, I hold the perfectly straight and walk back wards, drag them out.  This is a common inshore technique from the beach.

I'm going to have to drag them out in certain spots

[wytstang]

I think his reference pic as he states in his second post has guys believing he beats and stores his rod as the picture depicts. I'm in no way saying it isn't a possibility there could have been a scratch or ding on his rod but as I said before it seems from his description it was fairly new and doesn't abuse his rods. What I am saying is that it possibly was a faulty blank as it can happen with any price range and quality of a rod. I'm also gonna go out on my own limb and say that at least 75% of the guys on here have boated or flipped fish of similar weights with zero issues and a good % of guys still do the same without the same result.

It was just a quick picture showing how the rods lay on the 2x4 nothing more nothing less. Grabed the lure and hooked it on the keeper real quick to take a reference picture and out it came to continue fishing. My rods sit in my living room leaning straight up on a wall. The rod was purchased in Feb of this year so yeah it's pretty new. Seems a lot of folks are missing that point made in my following posts. That tells me if I make another thread about anything it better have full explanations and I better word it right

[smalljaw67]

Please explain this theory... Not sure how the angle of the rod when these home run swings happen where the fish is ultimately BELOW your feet and pulling past the 12oclock position is any worse then having your line at 6oclock and rod at say 10-11oclock positions is worse... Also.... If fish being lifted is able to cause a surge and pull a little drag during moments of the fight, how that causes more pressure when you get them boat side and are able to lift them without your drag being pulled out is any different... Which personally is my indicator if certain fish get lifted or not. If I do not have to thumb my spool to keep my drag from breaking free then I should have zero issues boating said fish.

 

Rod designers are taking the "homerun swing" into account and all you have to do now is look at the jig rods and you'll notice a trend. I don't want to start another argument here over rods but take a good look at the Scott Martin TCS rods by Okuma, almost every rod in that line has a moderate to moderate fast action, the reason is they were designed to fish braided line, no stretch line means some give got to go somewhere and so it goes to the rod. Now another thing happening is if you go back and look at FLW and B.A.S.S. tournaments in Florida over the last 10 years you'll notice a trend amount the guys in the top 20 that flipped and pitched, every season a higher number of pros are going to high strength fluorocarbon instead of straight braid, the main exception is frogs but there is a reason for it and it has to do with losing fish. You may disagree but if you are using a fast action rod with straight braid in a high strength, you are going to lose more fish, and it has been figured out by pros and manufacturers alike, guys that still use braid are moving to more parabolic rods to stop losing fish, while others are switching to fluorocarbon and I think you are dead on right and it is the reason behind it, the "homerun swing", when fishing for a lot of money you want to make sure that hook is set but us amateurs emulate what the pros do and we end up doing it to an extreme.

[Felix77]

I am friends with a person who designs and builds blanks.  In a session he did at my club's team meeting he discussed this.  Most of the items were mentioned already ... here's my 2 cents.

 

1 - Rods are designed for sensitivity and lure presentation.  Not for flipping in bass.

2 - When storing it avoid leaving tension of any kind as much as possible.  The line at the tip will weaken - it forms a kink.  The bend in the rod will stress the rod unnecessarily.

3 - If you ARE going to flip in a bass momentum is your friend.  Reel them in until they are on top and use the momentum to carry them up above the boat line.  If you are lifting them up try keeping the rod as parallel as possible to allow most of the rod to take on the force.  The higher the tip the more stress on the upper portion of the rod.

 

Hope this helps.

[Shanes7614]

It was just a quick picture showing how the rods lay on the 2x4 nothing more nothing less. Grabed the lure and hooked it on the keeper real quick to take a reference picture and out it came to continue fishing. My rods sit in my living room leaning straight up on a wall. The rod was purchased in Feb of this year so yeah it's pretty new. Seems a lot of folks are missing that point made in my following posts. That tells me if I make another thread about anything it better have full explanations and I better word it right

X100000000

Although it doesn't seem as if some people read an entire thread before making an assumption in that your automatically in the wrong doing something a good percentage of guys are doing. I would contact shimano and see what they have to say. They stand behind their products pretty well and the worse they can say is no. I think you should really check out the pool noodle trick as it has worked well for myself a good number of guys I have told about it. Hope it helps!!!

[Shanes7614]

I am friends with a person who designs and builds blanks. In a session he did at my club's team meeting he discussed this. Most of the items were mentioned already ... here's my 2 cents.

1 - Rods are designed for sensitivity and lure presentation. Not for flipping in bass.

2 - When storing it avoid leaving tension of any kind as much as possible. The line at the tip will weaken - it forms a kink. The bend in the rod will stress the rod unnecessarily.

3 - If you ARE going to flip in a bass momentum is your friend. Reel them in until they are on top and use the momentum to carry them up above the boat line. If you are lifting them up try keeping the rod as parallel as possible to allow most of the rod to take on the force. The higher the tip the more stress on the upper portion of the rod.

Hope this helps.

Great advice!!! But check the entire thread as he has stated multiple times the rod was put in there like that for pictures only. Not how he normally stores or travels any distance with them that way.

[wytstang]

X100000000

Although it doesn't seem as if some people read an entire thread before making an assumption in that your automatically in the wrong doing something a good percentage of guys are doing. I would contact shimano and see what they have to say. They stand behind their products pretty well and the worse they can say is no. I think you should really check out the pool noodle trick as it has worked well for myself a good number of guys I have told about it. Hope it helps!!!

I went ahead and ordered a Fenwick Elite in 7'' MH but I'll contact Shimano and see if we can work something out. I'm a sucker for a sale...Also yes the noodle idea is a great idea I'm going to use.

[Further North]

I don't understand the reluctance of some of the folks who replied to use a net...

 

I net almost all the fish I bring in the boat fish, for a few reasons:

 

1. It's easier on the fish.
2. It's easier on me.
3. I'm not going to get a hook driven into my hand by a last minute lunge from the fish.
4. The net extends my reach and I can get them in the boat faster (more of #1)

I keep 3 nets on the boat, two fairly large fly fishing style nets (one in front, one in back) - these get used for 90% of the bass I need to net as it's easy to bend down, grab the net, scoop up the fish, de-hook it and have it back in the water fast.  I use either the black rubber nets, or the coated ones - never, ever had a problem getting the fish or the hooks out of them.

 

My third net is a Ego Slider S2 large size net...again, with the black rubber netting.  This gets used for fish about 20" and over, so a few bass and most pike and small musky.  These nets extend to about double their original length if needed.

 

...but what I do 90% of the time is leave the fish in the water, bend down and grab the hook with a set of pliers and back it out of the fish without ever taking it out of the water.  I de-barb all my hooks, so this is usually easy and fast.

 

When I'm wading, one of the fly fishing nets gets used, if the fish won't fit in that, I'll use the technique above ove backing them onto shore.