Stupid Human Tricks - how many ways can you break a rod?

I've broken my fair share of fishing rods in my time - everything from car doors to a pissed off Northern Pike brought boatside and making a sudden run, pulling the tip into an idling outboard motor.

But this one takes the cake.

You may have seen my "second rod" thread a while back, which was just a bunch of mental masturbation while I prepped for what I knew I was going to do - go apesh*t with a credit card in a tackle shop in Japan knowing that I wouldn't have to deal with the finance police at least until I got back to the US. And I did it too - bunch of found only in Japan lures, jigs etc., and a nice little 6'6" rod made by a small Japan only manufacturer. Sent an email to my lovely wife nonchalantly mentioning the great deal I got on a rod that fit a gap I had in my rod stable just perfectly!

By the time I got home, everything was cool - and the little sparkly trinkets acquired on the Ginza didn't hurt my case any either.

So, first night home, I'm admiring my recent acquisition and a friend comes over and I'm showing it off in the man-cave, and I try to do this thing that a rod salesman did - put the tip on the floor and test the flex of it by pushing down (as opposed to "the wiggle" or even the Ugly Stik weight attached to it). well, of course ... SNAP!!!

I literally could feel the blood drain out of my face and the tears begin to well up behind my eyes...

And all I could think of was how STUPID a thing that was - who the hell squishes a brand new rod against the cement floor - even with a half dozen Racer 5's in their belly?

Well, although I am a strong advocate of keeping everything out on the table with my better half, I just couldn't bring myself to admitting what an idiot thing I did. Instead I called the shop in Japan, explained that the rod broke (they didn't ask how), and sent it back to get fixed (another $50 shipping on top of the original price and whatever it would cost to fix).

And finally I can segue into a happy ending - I just got an email from the dude at the shop telling me that the manufacturer replaced the rod at no charge and the shop picked up the return shipping back to the US, and I might even get it back in time for the 3 day weekend!!  Woohoo!!! If nothing else, they have gained a lifetime loyal customer...and I have reverted to "the wiggle" when testing out the action of a fishing rod.

*whew*  I really needed to get that off my chest...

My name is kook, and I am an idiot rod breaker.

That story was a good read. When you get the rod back post up a pic of your new stick & jigs. jim

Thanks for the great read kook. I'm glad everything went well with the no charge
replacement on the rod. Would you mind to share a picture of the new rod when
it comes in?

Thanks,
Jedmo

I certainly will post a pic as soon as it arrives.

I'm hoping for some more stories on this thread too! (ya, feeling a bit vulnerable right now...) 

Well, since you asked, I can certify that it's not a good idea to paddle through kelp with any dangling hook over the side. The sound of a rod wrapping around a fishfinder & snapping in 2 is a most sickening noise indeed. jim

By the way, the look on my friend's face (in retrospect) was almost worth the mental agony and $50 in shipping . He didn't know whether to laugh his ass off, console me, or pretend it didn't happen.


he kind of did all 3 at once...

who the hell squishes a brand new rod against the cement floor - even with a half dozen Racer 5's in their belly?

Dude, I think just 3 Racer 5's would squish me against the floor!

-I lost 8" off the tip of one of my favorite saltwater in a doorjamb *crunch*. I got a new tip for it & still use it for heavy jigging though.

-One time, fishing for the KC kayak fishing derby in September I soaked live bait all day for only a 3lb kelp RF to show for it. Finally, frustrated & out of bait I returned to some thick kelp with my sabiki rod (12lbtest, spinning rod) only this time, with the clock running out on my chance of getting a place, I substituted a 2oz scampi for the torpedo weight. Dropped that rig down & BAM, it is hammered just off the bottom by a ling. Fish is running, reel is singing, and I can feel the kelp stalks rubbing the line until the fish stops, completely wrapped. I'd pull in 6 feet of line, the fish would take it back. Finally I start to gain line, pulling, pulling (I start to see some prizes in my mind...) and...craaACK, the upper half of the rod breaks off, the line pops, and I watch the upper 3 feet of the rod shoot off down the broken line until it disappears into the depths.
I think they may have heard my vocalized expletive all the way across the bay.

I don't break as many as I used too. It's just keeping them in the yak and off the bottom of the lake that I have a problem with. Just checked on one in 35' of water at Donner. It's been there 3 years. The other one's are in water too deep to see.

It's back, and true to their word it didn't cost a thing - not even the return shipping.

The reel is actually just a coincidental color match!

Now I've got to catch something on it and see how it does...

wow haha i probably wouldnt have told anyone about it either 

wow...it's a beautiful rod.  how much was the rod?

MY list Custom built < I picked the blank> Lama glass Salmon rod used it for bass fishing Spinner bait flew up hit the center of the rod next cast I gat a snag and snap rt in the center. Next Lake wild wood sent one to the bottom, Lake Mohave Had my Berkley Lighting rod in a flush mount behind me trolling a rapla in 75' get hit hear the pop and watch my pole take off like a bat out of hell
Just as I closed the tail gate on my truck my pole slid down and I cut off 6" of the tip
Again had pole hanging  off the tail gate someone walked by caught they're shoulder and snap goes another 6" off the tip of another pole
Had a pole in rod holder did a yard sale at stump and snapped 6" off yet another pole but I got to keep it
And last but not least Took Ravenscabo and Bird to LWW for some ilusive LMB stepped into kayak and snapped the handle off almost to the reel on my flipin stik
So yes I feel your pain
Anyone do charity rod repair I'm not above accepting

Could have been worse. This happened about three years ago:

LOS ANGELES - Picasso’s famed “Dream” painting turned into a nightmare for Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when he accidentally gave the multimillion dollar canvas an elbow.

Wynn had just finalized a $139 million sale to another collector of his painting, called “Le Reve” (The Dream), when he poked a finger-sized hole in the artwork while showing it to friends at his Las Vegas office a couple of weeks ago.

What's the name of the store you bought it from?? That's the kind of establishment I wouldn't mind doing biz with.