| Most anglers who fly fish on a regular basis | | | | laid the reel at my feet and coiled up some line |
| eventually break a fly rod. I have broken fly rods | | | | beside it. I held the broken rod by the base |
| more times than I’d like to admit. I | | | | section. I could cast and strip just fine without |
| suppose it will happen to all of us if we fish hard | | | | ever needing my reel. I fished all day like that and |
| enough long enough.Go ahead and face the fact | | | | caught plenty fish.On another summer day, while |
| that your fly rod will eventually break at a very | | | | fishing deep in the San Juan National Forest in |
| inopportune time. So, the question is what will you | | | | Colorado, I broke my rod tip. I had gotten my fly |
| do when this happens? “Keep fishing” | | | | hung near the top of a small tree. I pulled my fly |
| is the only acceptable answer. If convenience has | | | | line and bent the tree over so that I could reach |
| provided, you brought a spare rod that you can | | | | the fly. It was working just fine. Buy the time I |
| easily get to. I never go fishing anymore unless a | | | | pulled the tree over enough to reach the fly; I |
| carry a spare rod. I know how I am. I will break a | | | | had gotten enough slack in my line so that the |
| rod. I broke three rods in one week on a | | | | rod was now lying down flat on the rocks. Well, I |
| particular Colorado trip. Fly rods are expendable to | | | | stepped on it. The rod broke just bellow the |
| me. I’ve stepped on them and sat on | | | | tiptop. Obviously I did not carry a spare rod. It |
| them. I’ve broken them trying to pull the | | | | was a little too inconvenient to pack a spare rod |
| sections apart. I’ve broken several tips buy | | | | into where I was. You know you just can’t |
| trying to pull the fly line out of the tip top. | | | | cast a rod with the tip missing. So what was I to |
| I’ve broken them buy using them to break | | | | do? I broke the rest of the tip section off so that |
| my fall. You name it and I’ve probably | | | | it was flush with the first snake guide. I bent and |
| broken a fly rod while doing it.This is one reason | | | | reshaped the snake guide as best as I could so |
| why I buy rods with a good warranty. Lifetime | | | | that the tip would be as smooth for casting as I |
| warranties are great but not a necessity. All I | | | | could possible get it. It was not the perfect fix |
| need is a good no-nonsense warranty that will | | | | but it worked well enough for me to finish the |
| allow be to send my rod back with a $25 or $30 | | | | day fishing.I now recommend carrying and |
| check for repairs.One summer, I was fly fishing | | | | emergency rod repair kit with you wherever you |
| from a boat on Lake Ferndale in East Texas. | | | | fish. You can buy them or just assemble the |
| Somehow, the butt of my fly rod got wedged | | | | supplies together in a plastic zip-lock. A good rod |
| between my boat seat and the boat. The rod | | | | repair kit is a handy assortment of things needed |
| snapped right above the cork handle. There I was | | | | to repair a broken rod in a crunch. The kit should |
| in the boat in the middle of the lake without a | | | | include:- 1 Stripping Guide - 2 Snake Guides - 2 or |
| spare rod. I not only broke the rod but I broke | | | | 3 Tip Tops with different inside diameters- 1 |
| my own number one rule. “Always carry a | | | | Bobbin & 100 yd Spool of 6/0 Tying Thread |
| spare rod”. I was certainly disappointed but | | | | - 1 Bottle cement (I prefer 5min epoxy) - Sharp |
| was not going to stop fishing. So, I took the real | | | | knife or razorSo… good luck on your next |
| off of the seat, threw the butt section of the rod | | | | adventure… and keep on fishing no matter |
| in the bottom of the boat and kept on fishing. I | | | | what. |