What did I do wrong?

[tpd596]

The other night I was fishing our local lake with my Reddington three weight. I was fishing for hybrid gills with a small foam popper and a small dropper. I went to make a cast and when I stopped the rod on the forward stroke, and it snapped at about the mid point of the middle section. The rod had only been fished a few times, as I got it in December and it was a bad winter. I had caught numerous bludgill and a few small bass on it this spring, but never ovestressed it. I had not even managed to catch a tree bass with it yet. The break is pretty clean across the shaft. Thanks for any advise you can give me.

[waders]

Sometimes it can be a defect in the blank. Honestly would have to see a picture of the break to really determine. Could have been a stress fracture from shipping, store mishandling, etc... so many possibilities. Depending on the manufacturer if it is a defect the will usually replace the rod with a minimal fee of less then 30-50 dollars depending on the company.
Check with the website of the rod manufacturer for details on repairs.
Sorry to hear about your mishap.
Regards,
Waders

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

If you toss bead heads a hit from one can cause a crack and stress point. I picked one of my 2 piece 5wts up by the handle to put a reel on it and the darn thing shattered about a foot up from the grip. I told the flyshop guy about it. He said that it is the nature of graphite if it gets a nick in it. He told me to bring it in. When I did he handed me a new one. Hope yours is lifetime guaranteed.

[Mato Kuwapi]

What Gnu Bee said. The most common reason for a broken rod is nicking the rod with a beadhead or lead shot. Tree branches don't help either. I've done it to two rods now. You may not notice a crack or break after you hit the rod, and it may go unnoticed for a long time but the damage is done and then one day, SNAP! All I noticed on the first rod was a very small chip...but under the chip, a crack had started. The last rod was at the MI Fish in last year. I was walking back to the car and noticed about 2 inches of the tip just dangling there. D'uh! The first rod was a Temple Fork so no problems getting a new section. The last rod was one I built myself from a blank that was no longer available (company want out of business). I would still try to see if you could get something done about the rod. I would still approach Reddington to see if they will look at it and possibly replace it. It very well could have been a manufacturing defect, though they usually show up on the first fish or two. I'm sure they will do something for you. Anything is better then having to go for a new rod.

[LadyFisher]

One of the common reasons for a break of this type is how you assemble your rod. The rod should NOT be just lined up and pushed together. The rod parts are lined up 45% off and then 'screwed' into alignment. The rod should be checked from time to time to make sure the connection is still tight. Para fine (candle wax) should be applied to the male connection of each rod piece before it is assembled. If you don't do as above, the rod will work it's way loose and the stress will cause the section to break - just above the ferrule.

[hap]

I have a large selection of rods broken from nicks caused by weights and heavy hooks. I have a couple favorite rods I am expecting to break any time now. One has been sporting several bad chips for a couple years and has been fished hard many times since I first noticed them. My rods get used by lots of novices and strangers to big fish... and they all get to work on lots of big flies and bigger fish, so some breakage is expected. The way of the high end rods and their $75 charges for replacement has left me wondering if the best rods are the best idea....

Seems the fancier the rod the quicker they shatter

The bullet-proof one above is an old Fenwick HMG from about 1978.
art

[sagefisher]

The Redington has a lifetime warranty. They will replace the rod.

Larry ---sagefisher---

As to what Ladyfisher said, here is an article about that:

Assembling A Fly Rod
From the April 2008 FFF ClubWire

The best way to assemble a fly rod By C.W. Don Coleman Taken from the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club Newsletter

ASSEMBLING A FLY ROD -- The best way to assemble a fly rod is to first connect the tip of the rod to the next section and the butt section last. You should twist each one quarter turn while pushing the sections together. Of course to disassemble the sections twist in the opposite direction. As wear occurs, tiny groves will form like a screw thread and keep the sections from separating in use. Assembling the sections by pushing them together forms straight groves and often results in loose connections during use. If a connection does become loose, wiping the male end of the connection with candle wax--not canning wax--will provide a temporary solution.

I have watched fly casters go through ridiculous and often dangerous motions trying to assemble a multi-piece fly rod while seated in a canoe or small boat. The best way is to lay all the loose sections in front of you and first put the reel on the reel seat. Then pull off about 20 feet of loose line and lay it on the floor. Thread the line through the guides on the butt section and through the guides on the next section in succession and assemble the two, and continuing until all the sections are connected. You do bend over the tip of the line into a loop first so that if the canoe rocks and you drop the line it does not slip out of all the guides, don't you?

[swellcat]

The best way to assemble a fly rod is to first connect the tip of the rod to the next section and the butt section last. . . . Thread the line through the guides on the butt section and through the guides on the next section in succession and assemble the two, and continuing until all the sections are connected.

Um . . . pick one?

[Terry Lightle]

I broke a rod 1 time with a clean break.They told me a clean break with no splinters meant a defect in the blank.My rod was well over a year old when it broke.

[tpd596]

Thanks for the information, I have never used a split shot rig, or bead head on this rod. I will check with Reddington and see what they say.