Wear and Tear

[WolfyBrandon]

Hi all,

Over the past few years of bass fishing I've been having a lot of wear and tear on the very last eyelid of my fishing poles. It seems like only after a few months of fishing the line is actually wearing groves into the last eyelid so that if I continue to fish my line begins to fray and becomes very weak. I can actually hear the line making noise when its riding in these groves. I've tried various rods from the ceramic inner eyelids, cheap metal eyelids and even stainless steel eyelids and no matter what I try I keep getting those groves. I'm using that Trilene XL Smooth Casting (10lb) line and since changing the rod isn't working I figure the problem is the line. I would really hate to give up this line since it fits all my fishing needs but I can't have it keep destroying my rods especially if I get some very expensive ones. Is this just normal wear and tear on the rod or should I begin looking around for some different line? If so, recommendations to some good similar line would be helpful.

Thanks,

Wolfy

[SCBASS]

It sounds to me that the rods you are using have poor quality guides.  Trilene XL should not be damaging your guides.  Just out of curiosity, what rods are you using?

[.dsaavedra.]

Yes that is definitley a problem with your rod, not the line.

monofilament line should never damage any guide, so the guide must be very poor quality.

[WolfyBrandon]

Well to be quite honest the rods I've been using are some fairly cheap rods $30-$50 range because I was experimenting trying to figure out what type of eyelids I need so the line does not damage the rod.

First rod I had with ceramic eyelids was a cheap-o

South Bend Outdoorsman 6 1/2 ft medium spinning rod (No. Pro-345) Action: Medium

Then I upgraded to

Berkley Cherrywood Graphite CWS5662M 6'6'' Action: Medium Spinning Rod

Now my current rod which is also messed up is a

Pflueger Microspin Series IM-7 Graphite PMSP 436626 Action: Light

Last rod is probably my best one and most expensive but I haven't dared to get any $100+ ones until I get the damage issue figured out. Though It says light action, to me it feels more like a medium so that's why I went with it. I've been getting my rods from Sportsman's Warehouse which has a pretty good selection and also have access to a Cabela's. I was browsing the selection a few days ago looking for a new rod since I'm about to get back into fishing and my current rod is tore up. It seems like 1/2 if not 3/4 of the rods on display have the ceramic type eyelids and that was the type I had the most problems with or at least it seemed to wear the fastest.

Wolfy

[Chad.]

buy a good rod and not go through all the troubles.

[flechero]

I'd say it's more likely that you are reeling a snap swivel or tie rings up into the tip than actual line damage from mono. Even today's cheapest, crappiest guides will handle mono for a pretty long while.

That "ceramic" tip that you desribed as worst was probably plastic, not ceramic. True ceramic guides are much smoother and harder than other guide materials.

If you are using #10 mono line, you should start your search by thinking of other things that have contacted the tips...

[WolfyBrandon]

I'd say it's more likely that you are reeling a snap swivel or tie rings up into the tip than actual line damage from mono. Even today's cheapest, crappiest guides will handle mono for a pretty long while.

Nah its not that, though I do use a snap swivel a lot of the time when I pulling various crank baits I never reel the swivel up to the tip so that cant be the problem. I can tell its the line because the wear spots are either right at the bottom or to the sides where the line rides. As for the plastic you mentioned it very well could of been but I cant really tell the difference between the two they look similar to me.

Wolfy

[burleytog]

FWIW, eyelet.

[.RM.]

flechero,

Nope I didn't think it would be that either, cause he ain't got no tip on the rod he's got eyelids...

FWIW, eyelet.

FYI It's not eyelet either, they are called line guides for ......

[Alpster]

It seems like there have been a lot of highly isolated, unsolvable problems lately. Maybe it's just me.

Ronnie

[Grey Wolf]

You're not telling us every thing.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

To-May-to,...To-MAH-to, Ta-Tip grooves,...all the same thing,lol

Have you ever used braid with these rods?

[Jeff H]

:  I've never seen mono groove a guide before???

[WolfyBrandon]

: I've never seen mono groove a guide before???

Id be more than happy to take a picture with a digital cam for you but sadly I broke my camria while out hunting last year.

You're not telling us every thing.

Fine, so maybe I caught a few large Northen Pike Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass last year that pulled hard enough it helped wear the grooves? but seriouslly, I'm hoping to pickout a new rod sometime next week, maybe I should ask the question differently, how about recommend me a fair priced good rod with eyelids that you say won't get worn out by monofilament line and ill see if I can prove you wrong this year. Anyway, believe me when I bought that last rod with stainless steel eyelids and began to feel my line get frayed up I checked the tip of the rod I couldnt believe the line wore that out as well.

EDIT: As far as the braid question, no I only used braid on my first rod and I didnt like it because of the memory it has. Never used it on my last two poles I prefer to use monofilament.

Wolfy

[=Matt 5.0=]

I have to check my eyelids for holes in about 15 minutes....

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Memory??  Braid?

It is very highly unlikely that your mono is grooving the line guides. (eyelids are for sleeping )

You need to look elsewhere for your cause.

[Micro]

When you walk to your fishing spot, don't don't push your rod tip on the concrete in front of you as you walk. It ain't good for it.

I'm thinking "Joke post."

[Micro]

To-May-to,...To-MAH-to, Ta-Tip grooves,...all the same thing,lol

You left out toma-toe.

[WolfyBrandon]

Memory?? Braid?

It is very highly unlikely that your mono is grooving the line guides. (eyelids are for sleeping )

You need to look elsewhere for your cause.

;D Im 100% sure its the line doing it cause ive gone through three rods now and there is nothing else that could cause this other than the guides being cheap. (sorry my dad called them eyelids since I was a kid ) I just don't know what else to try since ive gone all the way up to stainless steel and its still happining. Ive already talked to the guys in the fishing department at sportsmans warehouse and they told me if it happend on my last rod I could take it back and return it which I probably should of done. I guess I could just buy an expensive rod and keep taking it back every time this happens but then I would have to restring line and go though the mess of having birds nests with new line. ugh :-/

( I photoshoped a pic to show what I mean but I cant post it till I have 10 posts...) :-[

Wolfy

[Chad.]

Memory??  Braid?

It is very highly unlikely that your mono is grooving the line guides. (eyelids are for sleeping )

You need to look elsewhere for your cause.

;D Im 100% sure its the line doing it cause ive gone through three rods now and there is nothing else that could cause this other than the guides being cheap. (sorry my dad called them eyelids since I was a kid ) I just don't know what else to try since ive gone all the way up to stainless steel and its still happining. Ive already talked to the guys in the fishing department at sportsmans warehouse and they told me if it happend on my last rod I could take it back and return it which I probably should of done. I guess I could just buy an expensive rod and keep taking it back every time this happens but then I would have to restring line and go though the mess of having birds nests with new line. ugh :-/

( I photoshoped a pic to show what I mean but I cant post it till I have 10 posts...) :-[

Wolfy

Just do it, you know you want good guides go with a glx custom built spiral wrapped with titanium frames and gold ceremet guides. for low monthy payments

[.ghoti.]

hey guys, let's not jump on Wolfy just yet. I've had the same problem, with one of the same rods.

I used to use a Cherrywood rod, a 7' medium baitcast rod, for small cranks for about three years, and the tip was gooved by the mono bad enough to damage the line.

So much for hardened stainless steel guides, eh?

That was the last cheap rod I bought.

Cheers,

GK

[roadwarrior]

Alright, before anyone else takes this seriously, let's award this "Silliest Thread Of The Year".

Wolfy,

You are not going to get any more serious replies, your hypothesis is baseless and the few replies that could have been helpful you have dismissed. So, let's move on...

This thread is closed.