A Tail of Woe

[Kaisemurangdai]

Saturday afternoon 4.30pm things were quiet, too quiet, I looked around and realised I was alone.

Ah hah a good opportununity to go fishing. Got the new Daiwa Regal X out of the box, cut 2m of vanish leader tied a couple of quick uni knots jumped in the car and went to Ascot.

Worked my way from the car bridge round to the main river and worked my back to the little jetty. Had been using a gold laser pro but no luck at all. Then it struck me SP hadn't been used in a while, the gamakatsu half round 1/16th was a bit out of shape but probably will be alright. Green Motor oil grub tail and a short cast.

Bang ! damn missed it, two thre more casts two more missed hits. I hadn't noticed the sun was lower, it was humid, cloud cover was coming over and all around me fish. No one else around, just big fish, just rolling around languidly in the warm water, they were starting to feed. Suddenly big diturbances just of that little reed island, big fish feeding getting into a bit of a frenzy.

Another cast another missed hit, this is no good need to cast into that frenzie of feeding, need a 1/8th jig and another grub tail. i whip out the kershaw a quick flick of the wrist and another quick knot, kershaw trims the tag. Ready here it is my own personal bream nirvana click back the bail arm draw back the rod and cast.

Then it happened not slowly not with a bang, at first i didn't know what happened , then I realised the Shakespere Synergy had snapped 30 or 40 cm back from the tip. My heart sank jagged and ragged graphite exposed a structural failure of the rod, I had spare spool, spare reel, heaps of tackle but no spare rod.

Distraught and disheartened I headed home thinking of what could have been. First thing tomorrow I am down to bluewater for a warranty replacement.

This is a true story, only the language has been changed to protect the innocent.

Trev :(

[Bear]

Heading down there myself after work tomorrow Trev. Sounds like a good idea to brush up my plastics skills.

[Dave W]

While you're mentioning damaged rods, something you don't hear about all that often is the damage a jig head can do to a high modulus graphite rod.....

Whether it's from a back swing, a wayward cast, or just rattling around in transit, the impact from a jig head (even relatively light ones) can fracture the graphite, and you'll only know about it when the rod goes 'boom' for no apparent reason....

[Kaisemurangdai]

Bear,

I will see if I can get down there tomorrow, that is if Bluewater give me a replacement rod (they should). There is a 1 year limited warranty

Dave,

Are you saying casting 1/8th jigs can break a high modulus rod if done incorrectly ? Or were you talking about a jig impacting the rod. Please provide more details.

Regards

Trev

[Tony Ireland]

Originally posted by Kaisemurangdai



Or were you talking about a jig impacting the rod. Please provide more details.

Regards

Trev [/B]


This is a common problem we face while fly fishing that we call clousering.
What can happen while false casting is that a weighted fly can hit the top section of the rod and grafite rods being what they are is all that is needed to bruse and damage the blank.

[pete s]

a trick i learnt from back country fly fishing is to take a spare tip and some glue. its not ideal but it can save a fishing trip from being a write off.

[Dave W]

Originally posted by Kaisemurangdai

Are you saying casting 1/8th jigs can break a high modulus rod if done incorrectly ? Or were you talking about a jig impacting the rod. Please provide more details.


I'm talking about impact Trev, as Tony says above, it's pretty easy to do - just imagine trying to dislodge a jig from a tree, snag, whatever and having it come zooming back at you, clean into your rod - won't break it but could fracture or bruise it, even swinging the jig up to inspect it and accidentally letting it 'tap' the rod could be enough.

Also, leaving a rod leaning up against the side of your boat on the move could do just enough damage to fracture it....

[Mim]

A dog tied to a piece of rope and put in the boat can also break a rod. As he jumps out and the rope drags across the butt. Snap!

Not a happy JP
Dog didn't have a clue what he had done

Outcome:
NO MORE BLOODY DOG ON FISHING TRIPS

LOL

[pw-bream]

Originally posted by Dave W
I'm talking about impact ...
...even swinging the jig up to inspect it and accidentally letting it 'tap' the rod could be enough.

Don't you reckon things have gone a bit too far when that is the case? Manufacturers have used the selling power of "high modulus" and high numbers to the point that their product is too delicate for practical use. I can only imagine the heartbreak when a $400 plus rod just breaks in use shortly after purchase, I think I'd just about cry.

[mike_mad_fisho]

gday
i think ur right PW i would cry if i had broken a $400 dollar rod and they wouldnt give a warranty doubt that would happen though as i would never buy a $400 dollar rod.
michael

[Kaisemurangdai]

I am not happy,

Further to my tail of woe, ducked into Bluewater Morley this morning, showed them my rod explained what had happened and gave them the receipt from my original purchase. (Now remember this is only a basic (synergy $59.95) rod.

The person at the counter looks at me and says, that aint gud ey. No it is not I reply, but fortunately it is only new and the warranty will take care of it. Then comes the reply...... maybee, (excuse me!!). We gotta send it to the rep and then they will take it to the factry and see if it is really the rod that broke or wever its been stepped on or overflexed.

Silent part here I stand here and tell you what happened and you imply I am trying to defraud you . Do you have any idea how much I have spent in here over the last few weeks. That vague familiarity you are experiencing is caused by the frequency of my visits to purchase goods in this store. If one was wishing to defraud you it would be somewhat counter productive to do it on a 60 dollar rod after spending hundereds of dollars would it not

Now I am a happy chap and have long learn't it is usually non productive to be derisive and sarcastic so what I said was " Oh do you think that will mean I will be without a rod for the rest of the week (of course any service oriented person would of course recognise this opportunuity to make a life long faithful customer of me) not so at Bluewater Morely unfortunately, the response came.

Yehh, recon it'll be about a week mebee thurdsday cos their local shouldn't be too bad.

Now at this point he takes his cup of coffee and starts to drink it, I am persistant if nothing else and realising the apathy I am dealing with I say " surely they will just replace it, can't you just give me a replacement". He replys (stimulated by his coffee no doubt) , mate you undastand lots of people break their rod and then try to claim em on warranty ey. Besides they'll only replace the tip thats broken.

So I am fuming but I am not going to lose my temper, I am thinking I want to go fishing this week,( I do understand the need to use some discretion in matters of warranty otherwise you could end up replacing everyones broken rods) You should not however accuse customers of trying to defraud you.

I might just have to buy another rod. I am not enjoying dealing with an ignorant and apathetic shop assistant So I go over and pick up a heartland, and a couple of loomis's and a strudwick wave them about and generally go through the motions of selecting a new rod. ( I am at this point seriously considering the heartland and trying to talk myslef into justifying the strudwick)

Do you think any one of the four people standing at the counter, even bothered to see if I would be interested in purchasing a replacement rod. No they couldn't give a toss.

I left and I encourage all of you to shop somewhere were they are at least civil, and dont imply you are trying to defraud if you make a warranty claim.

The people I dealt with are obviously not interested in selling fishing equipment to those who would wish to purchase it. Therefore I propose that we leave them to have their morning tea, lunch and afternoon coffee unencumbered by annoying customers.

I suggest going to a tackle shop, with staff who are happy to be of service and there are many of those around in almost every suburb.

If any one knows the owner or manager of Bluewater please pass this on to them. All sarcasm aside one of the things we should all insist upon is good service. We all spend good money and should receive good service. One of the great things about a forum as big as this is, it can help in ensuring that good service outlets and innovative business get supported. It can also encourage to promote good service levels where they are lacking. Well thats my gripe for the week thankyou for your patience and indulgence.

[Mim]

We have been to a number of fishing and boating places here in Perth and have experienced the same lack of service. Shops that promise to give you a price on a minn kota, a seat for the boat, etc, however, what we found was that they are only interested in you if you are going to purchase a new boat.

In saying this there are still places whose service has been second to none. These include Campbells, Boat City, City Boat and Tackle and Challenge Marine. We would thoroughly reccomend then to everyone.

As you say, if you do not recieve quality service from one place go to another, there are plenty of businesses who will go out of their way to get your business. Who knows a new Minn Kota or a new seat could turn into a new boat in the not too distant future

Cheers

Mim