Life of Fishing Gear...

[Byang98120]

I recently bought a medium price range casting rod and reel. It's my first bait casting setup and the most expensive rod and reel I ever owned. Took it out a couple times and hit against tree branches a couple times and hit the tip against fishing pier wood railing. No noticeable scratches or dents, maybe some scratches at the rod tip guide, that can also be from the baits and line.

 

But I died a little bit on the inside every time my rod hit something. I'll admit, I was an idiot for not checking branches over my head.

 

Just curious for people who fish with expensive equipment, is this just part of fishing? Do you get used to your gear getting banged up no matter how careful you are? Is this just part of life? ???

[Jig Man]

Just pay more attention.  Yoc can damage a rod and not even know it until it breaks.

[Bird]

If you went up and above your means to purchase and are afraid to use it, that's one thing. 

 

But with any piece of equipment, general care should be taken. I try not to " bang " up my fishing equipment and expect many years of use out of them.

 

Enjoy your new rod & reel , be careful. 

[DitchPanda]

Well it All depends on how hard of banging around we are talking about. I've only broke a few rods in 20 years of bass fishing. Broke one walleye fishing trying to get a snagged lure free when the line snapped and the tip hit a bridge I been and snapped off...my fault. Another time I was using my first gen Garcia villain and it snapped on the hookset. I had the rod for several years...had taken pretty good care of it...and when if got it I bought it refurbished and it had been banging around in a trash can with who knows how many other rods and how many people handling it...that one I don't consider my fault. I had a rod show up with a guide broke off and had a fenwick pop a guide insert like the second or third time out...both also not my fault..either manufacturing or shipping defects and both replaced free of cost.

Now back to your question this is how I see it...I don't try to beat up my equipment but I buy it to fish and not baby it...so some level of abuse is expected. Also I'm a bank fisherman and I go off the beaten path so I expect to acquire some dents and dings.

[Byang98120]

6 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Well it All depends on how hard of banging around we are talking about. I've only broke a few rods in 20 years of bass fishing. Broke one walleye fishing trying to get a snagged lure free when the line snapped and the tip hit a bridge I been and snapped off...my fault. Another time I was using my first gen Garcia villain and it snapped on the hookset. I had the rod for several years...had taken pretty good care of it...and when if got it I bought it refurbished and it had been banging around in a trash can with who knows how many other rods and how many people handling it...that one I don't consider my fault. I had a rod show up with a guide broke off and had a fenwick pop a guide insert like the second or third time out...both also not my fault..either manufacturing or shipping defects and both replaced free of cost.

Now back to your question this is how I see it...I don't try to beat up my equipment but I buy it to fish and not baby it...so some level of abuse is expected. Also I'm a bank fisherman and I go off the beaten path so I expect to acquire some dents and dings.

I'm a bank fisherman as well. I don't want to baby my gear, but also not want to bang it up carelessly. As a bank fisherman, I need to accept fact some dents and dings are inevitable.

[Tywithay]

Fishing rods and reels are just tools. They're bought to be used. They should be used properly and taken care of though. You wouldn't use a hammer to torque a nut. Scratches and dirt are inevitable in an outdoor sport, but I try to avoid putting my stuff in harm's way, and always clean it regularly. 

[Beeno]

Just be careful next time out you should be fine, don’t worry about it. It won’t help.

[OnthePotomac]

I take really paranoid care of my gear and I don't own any expensive rods.   With the exception of a KVD spinnerbait rod (on sale for $80) and a Rick Clunn top water rod (on sale for $80) , both 15 years old, the balance of my rods are 7' Med and MH  Carbonlites on sale for 80-90$, but I treat them like $500 rods.  Thanks to the generous gift cards from our wonderful daughters and their husbands I am blessed with a variety of nice Shimano reels with my prize possession, a Chronarch MGL.

[garroyo130]

Its all part of the sport of fishing. And even if you do break a tip top by holding the rod too far up like I did then you just learn how to replace it and move on. Learning is half the fun. 

[fishwizzard]

I use pretty nice gear and do my best to protect it, but it gets used.  I always use rod and reel covers during transport and storage, I take a ton of care when loading or unloading them from the car and I can see every ceiling fan in our house with my eyes closed.  Because I fish a lot of overgrown spots I have trained myself to make a 1/2 speed false cast before every real one to check for branches/obstructions.  It looks silly when I am standing in the open but it has saved me so so many times when my tip hits some tiny branch or vine I didn't notice. 

 

But I use it all pretty fully.  The really expensive stuff doesn't go in the yak and I am a little more cautious with discontinued stuff that I can guarantee finding a replacement for, but I have slipped while wading and ended up with skinned knees and elbows, but with one hand clutching my combo still above water.  It's no fun owning nice stuff if you cant relax and enjoy using it.  

[Tywithay]

40 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

I use pretty nice gear and do my best to protect it, but it gets used.  I always use rod and reel covers during transport and storage, I take a ton of care when loading or unloading them from the car and I can see every ceiling fan in our house with my eyes closed.  Because I fish a lot of overgrown spots I have trained myself to make a 1/2 speed false cast before every real one to check for branches/obstructions.  It looks silly when I am standing in the open but it has saved me so so many times when my tip hits some tiny branch or vine I didn't notice. 

 

But I use it all pretty fully.  The really expensive stuff doesn't go in the yak and I am a little more cautious with discontinued stuff that I can guarantee finding a replacement for, but I have slipped while wading and ended up with skinned knees and elbows, but with one hand clutching my combo still above water.  It's no fun owning nice stuff if you cant relax and enjoy using it.  

I think that last part is the main lesson to learn. At the end of the day, a scratched reel and dented cork will still catch fish just as effectively as a pristine reel. Have fun and fish.

[Fishes in trees]

I remember from my days as a bank fisherman that a decent machete doesn't cost very much and doesn't weigh very much and is pretty handy for knocking down overhead obstacles.  Be sure to get a scabbard for it.  Be sure to keep it SHARP (sharp enough to shave with isn't too sharp). A dull machete is a pain and it is easier to hurt yourself with a dull one than a sharp one.  I remember back in the day I had a blunt thumb.   Give me any edged tool and I could get it dull in no time flat.   Back in the day, Ace Hardware did tool sharpening for pretty cheap.

These days I'm a little better at it, but I have to be careful or my fillet knives & kitchen knives & garden tools get pretty blunt pretty quick.  These days I am very fortunate that I have a good friend who is good at sharpening tools.

[roadwarrior]

Do the best you can to protect your gear, but pooh-pooh happens.

 

[Kdizzle]

Ive learned that my Fenwick HMG's are surprisingly resilient after accidentally having their tips shoved into a ceiling fan or rammed into the back of a seat when being placed into the back of an SUV.   Although the epoxy around the line guides does need to be fixed from time to time because of said accidents.

[Armtx77]

I have two Abu Garcia Black Max bait casters, attached to BPS IMX 6 rods that I bought 27 years ago. 100's of fish caught, on set ups that were about 120.00 in 1993. 

My dad has been using them and aside from getting new bearings and getting wiped down with soapy water, they are still going strong.

Get a schematic and do a search on how to maintain a reel. Not much to them really, but be sure to back off the drag ALL THE WAY after each use. That will save a lot of uneeded wear and tear on bearings and gears.

[Raul]

On 4/28/2020 at 8:52 AM, Byang98120 said:

.

Just curious for people who fish with expensive equipment, is this just part of fishing?

Do you get used to your gear getting banged up no matter how careful you are?

Is this just part of life? ???

It may be for some, not for me

No, I don't need to "get used to" because I take great care of my gear

It may be part of the life of many but it's not part of my life

 

I take care of my things because literally I had to sweat the money they cost me.

[roadwarrior]