Car Doors, Tailgates, Ceiling Fans, and Walls

[Mobasser]

As far as I can remember, I've never broken a rod when I'm actually fishing. I don't remember ever breaking one on a hookset either. I keep rods in the house, and I've developed a system to bring them in when I'm finished fishing, opening the storm door, and tilting them to get them through the door, to put them away. It's so easy, when your tired, to forget the angle your carrying them, and jam the tip into a door, doorframe, or a wall. Probably the all time worst for me is ceiling fans. I've had several rods that survived a clip from a fan. The bad thing is the rod may appear to be ok, then when you set the hook on a fish, 2" to 3" inches of the tip will snap off. I've gotten good at " tip repair" over the years. Most rods with a small tip break will still be usable, but some may never be quite the same. With some of the longer rods we have now days, and with what some cost, it really pays to be careful. I have an older buddy that I fish with sometimes. He bought a nice new casting rod, and said he liked it, but thought the handle was too long. He took his son fishing at a local pond. They were standing at the back of  the truck with the tailgate down, rigging some baits.Mike put his tackle bag over his shoulder, and before he could say WAIT! His son slammed the tailgate on the rear handle of his rod, mangling about the last 3" of his cork grip. Well, there you go Mike, you wanted a shorter handle on your rod. We fixed that one with a hacksaw, and a furniture leg cover from the hardware store. The repair looks good, and Mike seems happy with it. He was lucky it only broke 3", and not much more. Another thing is laying rods in a pickup bed. This is ok, as long as you remove anything that can slide around. A cooler, or toolbox sliding around in the truck, and sliding over your rods is a sure bet to bend or break a guide, or possibly cause a small hairline crack, which can cause trouble down the road. Most rods, with reasonable care, will last a long time. I've got some older ones I still use, that still fish great. Graphite is a great material for fishing rods. Light, strong, and fast. But it's not impervious to everything. Luckily, I havnt broken a rod in a while. If you break a newer rod, hopefully, warranty can help get it replaced or repaired. It's when you break an old favourite rod, that's out of warranty, that causes you to wonder? Can I find a good replacement? Will it really be better, or just a compromise? Then, it's time for a new rod. With all the choices we have these days, that can become an ordeal too. Have you broken any rods lately?

[GreenPig]

I do not break rods. It's against my religion and considered a sin.?

[MountainMan83]

I've only broke one rod, an Abu Veracity on the back swing against a too close propped up Buccoo trap caster. That trap caster is now at the bottom of the lake. Curse removed...

 

Edit: I didnt throw it there. It fell in at a later date

Edited May 25, 2020 by MountainMan83
I'm not that stoopid

[Smalls]

I've broken a couple while fishing. My last one a fish took a dig at the side of my kayak at the very last second, and the rod bent really weird. I didn't have time to adjust, so it snapped. $70 warranty later, had a new rod. 

[Scott F]

I had an older, 2 piece, St Croix Premier spinning rod that I’d been using to throw a small jerk bait. The action of working the jerk bait caused the two pieces to separate on occasion. One time, I didn’t notice the pieces were barely together when the tip of the bottom section cracked. It still worked well enough if the pieces were fully pushed together but I retired it. Last year, I threw it in the truck with me on my trip to Northern Wisconsin and took it in to the St Croix store in Park Falls. Even though it was long out of warranty, they gave me a new one for $55.

I broke a St Croix Avid spinning rod twice. Once while unloading gear from the truck. I set it down and kept unloading. The next time I looked it at, the top 12 inches was broken off. It was replaced while I was in Park Falls. I broke the replacement on an overzealous hookset and replaced it again.

Having the St. Croix store near where I vacation, & the fact that I like the rods, keeps me sticking with their rods. 

[Hower08]

I know a thing or two about breaking sticks. I tell all my buddy's that if a rod makes it one full season with me and doesnt get broke it's worth the money

[Tywithay]

Only broken one. I was 13 and landed a 32lb grass carp at a private pond. About 30 minutes later I set the hook on another bite and the tip exploded. Probably full of stress fractures. It was some black and green rod, with a 33 Classic, my mom had gotten me. 

[keagbassr]

Man, ive broken more than i could count in every way possible but one stands out when i once hooked a good sized bass that buried into the weeds and i couldnt believe how much my rod bent but didn't break as I horsed it out..a couple days later I decided to demonstrate to my nephew how much and proceeded to bend my rod and...SNAP!  all I could do was smile and say 'well maybe not quite that much'?

[RoLo]

Car doors, tailgates, ceiling fans & walls, that covers it pretty well.

Sadly, I have one more spoil-sport to add to the list: "Power windows".

I've seen a power window take out 3 rod tips, in one fell swoop   

 

Overall, I believe 'ceiling fans' are the worst offenders.

I'm finally in the habit of switching off the ceiling fan before handling my rods.

 

Roger

 

 

[Mobasser]

13 minutes ago, RoLo said:

Car doors, tailgates, ceiling fans & walls, that covers it pretty well.

Sadly, I have one more spoil-sport to add to the list: "Power windows".

I've seen a power window take out 3 rod tips, in one fell swoop   

 

Overall, I believe 'ceiling fans' are the worst offenders.

I'm finally in the habit of switching off the ceiling fan before handling my rods.

 

Roger

 

 

Yes. Power windows are one I forgot about. Another one to watch out for...

[walleyecrazy]

The only rod I have broken so far was a Shimano SLX last year. I had my daughter out kayak fishing with me, and the wind happened to pick up while we were out. She was struggling with her kayak so I was focusing on helping her back to the spot that we launched from. While helping her get her kayak up on the bank I unknowingly jammed the tip of SLX which was still sitting in my rod holder on the side of my kayak into an overhanging part of the bank and bent it enough to snap off about the top 8" of the rod in 3 different pieces. The funny thing was that I was so relieved to just have her safe and back on the bank that I didn't really care that I had just broken my rod. 

[A-Jay]

Before settling on the sticks I use currently, I blew up 'several' multi piece travel rods.

Some of them were even mine. 

 

A-Jay 

[Armtx77]

I broke an Omen rod last year that I was using as a light action set up. I got a RoosterTail stuck in a tree and gave it a quick jerk, like I had done countless times before and the top 6inches exploded like a Black Cat firecracker was lit inside of it.

 

14 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Before settling on the sticks I use currently, I blew up 'several' multi piece travel rods.

Some of them were even mine. 

 

A-Jay 

I am always nervous when I set the hook on my Fenwick HMG travel rods. I have caught exactly 103 fish on it, according to the fishing records I keep. 

[gim]

I've broke a couple guides because I laid them in the bed of the truck with other "items" in there that must have slid around.  I also had a G Loomis Bronzeback series rod leaning against the truck while the tail gate was down and he slammed it shut while it was there.  It snapped about 15 inches right off the top clean as a whistle.  Luckily the rod was still under warranty so I got it replaced.

 

Hauling rods/reels in and out of the house has problems with doors and other stuff, no doubt about it.  Now I mostly leave all my setups in the boat or the garage all year long.

[Gator_Bait]

I've only broken one, I think. Don't remember just how it happened, may have been carrying it into the shop after fishing. 

 

But I don't count that one...it was the wife's...?

[NYWayfarer]

Broke 2 rods last year that were in the hand I was using to break my fall...

[roadwarrior]

17 hours ago, RoLo said:

Car doors, tailgates, ceiling fans & walls, that covers it pretty well.

Sadly, I have one more spoil-sport to add to the list: "Power windows".

I've seen a power window take out 3 rod tips, in one fell swoop   

 

Overall, I believe 'ceiling fans' are the worst offenders.

I'm finally in the habit of switching off the ceiling fan before handling my rods.

 

Roger

 

 

Pooh-pooh happens.

 

[VolFan]

I broke one on a short-range hookset where the bass didnt quite have it - the jig flying back broke it clean aboit 12 inches from the tip of my Cielo. The second was a cheaper rod but similar action. Big hookset in some moss and my jig and 12" pike came flying at me. Jig and pike hit the rod about 4" above the reel and broke it most of the way through.

[Bankbeater]

I've broken 4 rods over the years.  Back in the late 80's I set my eagle claw spinning rod against the truck just as my dad was closing the tailgate. I broke a spinning rod about 15 years ago by trying to pull the bait out of a snag and not giving myself enough slack in the line. Snapped about 4 inches right off of the top.  Last year I broke 2 spinning rods.  I jammed the tip of one rod into something and damaged the tip pretty good. I didn't notice that one until I got out on the water, and now the rod is about 1/2" shorter. The last one came during a rainstorm when I took a tumble down the dam of a pond.  I broke off 3 guides.  I intend to try and repair that one sometime when I have time.

[Log Catcher]

I have broken some that I only lost 2" or 3" at the tip and I was able to fix them With new tips. I did break a spinning rod several years ago. I got hung up and was trying to get my bait loose. I didn't think I had much pressure on it but it broke just above the stripper guide. Got to go buy a new one to replace it.

[OnthePotomac]

We were visiting my wife's elderly aunt in Florida in a retirement village with a small lake.  I was standing at the door saying I would be at the lake for a while holding my new 7' rod when aunty enters the room complaining it was getting warm and turned on her ceiling fan and I suddenly had a 6'6" rod.

[tholmes]

On 5/25/2020 at 8:26 PM, RoLo said:

Car doors, tailgates, ceiling fans & walls, that covers it pretty well.

Sadly, I have one more spoil-sport to add to the list: "Power windows".

I've seen a power window take out 3 rod tips, in one fell swoop   

 

Overall, I believe 'ceiling fans' are the worst offenders.

I'm finally in the habit of switching off the ceiling fan before handling my rods.

 

Roger

 

 

Another offender, at least for me, is overhead garage doors.

 

Tom

[tander]

I have broken 2 rods my entire life of fishing. Both was 2 years ago about 6 weeks apart. Broke both on the front boat cleat. They were under the boat cleat and not looking I pick them up and there goes a perfectly good rod. You would think that I would get some cleats that fold down but I keep putting it off. I guess I don't learn by mistakes.

[RichF]

I've broken several...well over 10.  About half were my fault.  The worst was not one, but two Legend Xtremes.  First time wasn't my fault and was replaced for $20 shipping.  The 2nd time was a major d-bag move on my part (tomahawk to the gunnel after losing a winning tournament fish).  Thank God for St. Croix's warranty programs!

[NOC 1]

On 5/25/2020 at 8:26 PM, RoLo said:

Car doors, tailgates, ceiling fans & walls, that covers it pretty well.

Sadly, I have one more spoil-sport to add to the list: "Power windows".

I've seen a power window take out 3 rod tips, in one fell swoop   

 

Overall, I believe 'ceiling fans' are the worst offenders.

I'm finally in the habit of switching off the ceiling fan before handling my rods.

 

Roger

 

 

I would like to add rod locker lids to the list. I've lost a couple that way. Have to agree though, ceiling fans are the worst.