Have You Broken A Fly Rod?

[Greg Hunsicker]

To be more specific have you ever broken an fly rod while fishing. Breaking off tips in doors trees, and stuff doesn't count. I guess while falling or dropping a rod would be a catagory. I'm looking for people that broke rods while hooked up to a fish. I've never broken a fly rod fishing but I did snap a cheap spinning rod once while fishing the powerplant outlet pool in Carlsbad. This fish picked up my ghost shrimp and started heading towards the ocean. That old fiberglass rod sounded like a rifle when it broke. I've caught 140 pound sailfish and that fish didn't even know that it was hooked. I'm guessing a very large shark but who knows.

[FishnDave]

Not yet. (crossing fingers, knocking on wood, wearing a garlic necklace, throwing salt over my shoulder)
Only broken rods were due to car door accidents, and one while trying to free a snagged lure. I have heard rods (or more likely just the lamination) crack, and have watched guys get spooled by fish that were unexpectedly large & fast.

I've been impressed with many rods that seemed to have much more strength, limberness, and backbone than I would ever have guessed!

[deathb4disco]

I've never broken any rod, fly or otherwise. This topic came up on another forum I visit, and I was shocked at how many rods were broken while fishing. The rods these guys were talking about are pretty cheap, though.

[SKershaw]

I was bass fishing a large jig-n-pig style fly on my 5-wt a few months ago. I felt a thump, thump so I set the hook (hard) and snapped my 3rd largest section of my 4-piece right in half at a stripping guide when the hook decided it liked a snag more than a bucketmouth's lips Did I mention it was my first cast of the day too... My ears rang the rest of the day (reminded me when I dry fired my bow when the arrow knock fell off the arrow - whole 'nuther story).

Cabela's, thanks for the excellent return policy/guarantee on the SLT line of rods!

The same summer (this most recent one), I landed a 37+ inch channel catfish (25lbs) on my 7-wt. It was creaking in the grip area (stiff flex rod too). I pushed my glasses tight up to my face and looked away as I reeled, took line, reeled. Scary. Never gave into the fish though - didn't break, although I was sure I was walking away with splinters. (I am proud of the rod and the picture - I will share it if you want later - not to hi-jack)

[jimsnarocks]

I have. It was a new Cabelas FT 904-2. I was float tubing Little Virginia lake near Bridgeport, CA. I had a fish on and was stripping the line. Trout about a pound. The rod splintered about 1 1/2 ft from the tip. It didn't break off, just splintered about a six inch section. I landed the fish and went back to camp and got my wind river 905-4 and finished the trip with it. I was there for a week and that was my first day out and my third fish. I sent the rod back to cabelas for an exchange. They were great. I did break the second rod this year on my tailgate. Got a new Redigton out of that break. Jimsnarocks

[Bobinmich]

See breaking fish in the saltwater forum

Bob

[dudley]

I've broken three
All homerolled 9wts with poorly matched sections
It got to the point where Bob at H&H would just send me out a new blank whenever I called... no questions asked. A few free components too for my trouble.

I watched my fishing partner break a rod two seasons ago
The feeling of helplessness was worse that if I did it myself
He was trying to land a striper of about 20# in very heavy current
I tried to yell at him that his rod, a St Croix Legend 10wt, was dangerously bent over.
He had his mind on the fish and paid no attention to me
Snap!
It made for a good picture anyway

[Bobinmich]

In all honesty, I have never broken a rod playing a fish. I have broken 3 Orvis rods. One was while using it to pry open the tailgate of a Suburban, one while trying to pull down a tree, and one lifting buckets of paint up on the roof. (You don't really expect me to tell you the dumb a-- things I was doing, do you?) Two of the Orvis rods broke at exactly the same spot. Just above the second ferrule (4 piece). IMHO after examining them, I think Orvis has a congenital defect in this area. Seems like the sections that broke were thinner than the adjacent areas and were in the transition from female ferrule diameter to the bulk diameter of the rod. Again, I was doing stupid things, but it was curious that they both broke in the same spot. Reeks of a minor design flaw but who am I to say. Anyone who would try to pry open the door of a Suburban with a 4 wt. can't be too credible.



Godspeed,

Bob

[roygpa]

A buddy of mine broke his steelhead rod last Saturday while fighting a Steelhead and the rod broke at the cork grip.. right in the middle of it. He said he had a hard time fighting that fish from that point on. The rod had a lifetime warrenty, so he is going to return it.
I haven't yet broken a fly rod but I typically break a spinning rod or two each year.

Roy