Broken or Lost Rods: How does this happen?

[Fat Boy]

I thought this may generate some humor.  I'm going to start of with rod breakage and later on post a story about a lost rod...

When I built my sled I installed protective rod tubes on inside of the lid to the box on my slead...I use PVC pipes as rod tubes on my sled and have slots cut in them to hold the reels. 



I used to slip the rods in the tubes while fully rigged with the jighead attached to a rod guide.  Inserting these rods rigged like that put pressure on the line where it comes out of the reel and pulled the rod tips into the tube and broke them.  It took me a couple of trips to figure this out why the heck my rod tips were broken.  I thought that perhaps they were sticking out of the edge of the tube and something was banging on them...NOT!  My protective rod tubes became the enemy!   Anyway, now I still use them but I make sure that I trim the lures off and don't allow pressure on the rod tip.

What did I do with the broken rods?  I installed my own spring bobbers on the ends made from very light lure making wire.  They work great.  In fact, they're my favorite rods (not good for tight line rigs though) and are especially good for my night time crappie fishing.  I'll have to get a pic of them for next time...

So, how about y'all?  Any funny or interesting stories about rod breakage?

[Trevor]

Well I've been pretty lucky with ice rods so far but one time a left my nice little #2 weight fly rod in the entry closet.  Somehow my wife managed to close the bi-fold door on it shattering the tip .....I thought this would be a great opportunity to get my way for a few days by playing the ol' "you broke my favorite rod" card.  Didn't work, somehow it was still my fault the rod got broken

I think as far as broken rods go though, car doors have to be one of the biggest contributors.

Trevor

[hali-man]

Here's one for the "lost rods" department:
Last spring I was fishing opening day for trout in Pike, NY (the waterfall by the fairgrounds). Right where the East Koy meets the Wiscoy...
I had the brilliant idea of crossing the dam to get to that sweet little hole on the other side where no one else was fishing. The current was strong and the dam was slippery, and then PLOINK! 15' over I went.
I had my fishing pack on my back, my brand new UL trout rig in one hand, and a beer in the other. The water was cold, and it was swim or die. I got rid of the rod (Goodbye Stradic!) and the beer. Thank god my pack is waterproof!
The phone and camera were safe, and my day of fishing was over...

 8)

[Trevor]

Here's one for the "lost rods" department:
Last spring I was fishing opening day for trout in Pike, NY (the waterfall by the fairgrounds). Right where the East Koy meets the Wiscoy...
I had the brilliant idea of crossing the dam to get to that sweet little hole on the other side where no one else was fishing. The current was strong and the dam was slippery, and then PLOINK!, 15' over I went.
I had my fishing pack on my back, my brand new UL trout rig in one hand, and a beer in the other. The water was cold, and it was swim or die. I got rid of the rod (Goodbye Stradic!) and the beer. Thank god my pack is waterproof!
The phone and camera were safe, and my day of fishing was over...

 8)

Holy crap!!!!  That sounds terrifying.  You're lucky that's all you lost...

Trevor

[hali-man]

The beer was cheap. The Stradic wasn't.  8)

[baginwal]

For years we always carried the rods to and from the ice in ReadyRig Ice Pro Carrying Cases (2 setups/case).  Last year (on sale...really cheap) I picked up a Croxton Pond 34" 6 rod Ice Case.  Nice case, plenty of room for protecting the rods with additional storage pouches for other items (camera, GPS, etc). 

One beautiful day on the ice (aren't they all? ), my friend and I dragged the sleds to our spot and proceeded to set up.  I asked him to get the rods out and place them in the shanty while I drilled some holes.  Just as I turned around I heard that unique sound of something snapping.  I looked over and my friend said "Did you know one of your rods is busted?   I said "no.  What was that snapping sound I just heard?".  He said "I dunno?".   After holding his head underwater in one of my freshly drilled holes, he came to his senses and agreed he accidentally broke it (just kidding).  Seriously, In his haste, he pulled the rod out of the case, lost his footing on the ice and smashed the tip into the bottom of the sled, snapping off the top third of the rod.   He really felt bad about it.  I reassured him it was only a rod and no big deal. 

I just picked up a replacement this weekend at Cabelas.

[jacksmelt71]

my bro.s dog, while on a runner clotheslined me as i was walking to the boat. broke my brand new double l ,l.l. bean rod. thank god bean replaced it for free. havent broke a ice rod yet.

[Garvdog]

My Lost rod story........

We were out ice fishing a tournament on a nice sunny day. I had a jigging rod set on the ice and went over to talk to my brother really quickly. We hadn't caught anything all day. While I was talking to him, I saw my rod start to jiggle. I go running over there and realize i'm not gonna be able to stop on the bare ice. I ended up falling on my butt, in the process of kicking the rod in the hole. It somewhat floated as I threw my arm down in the hole to try to grab it. Just as I got my hand down there, I got my fingers on it, but felt a tug and it was gone. Not only did I lose a nice rod, I lost a somewhat decent fish it seemed. I still haven't lived that one down. I've now started wearing ice cleats, and I stay closer to my dead stick rods.... 

[Fat Boy]

My lost rod story:

Several  years back we found a new pond to ice fish on.  It was a small but very deep pond with a pronounced underwater point moving out to deep water.  Once we discovered this we found fish, tons of bull bluegills.  They were suspended over 7 to 12' of water over that point.  There were 5 of us and we made swiss cheese out of the area and proceeded to have one of the most productive bluegill bites that I can ever remember.  My sonar was lit up like a Christmas Tree, the jigs couldn't hit the bottom because the fish were so active, and they were saucer sized gills. 

I was using one of those Rapala panfish rods with a spring bobber.  I still use them today especially for shallow water and for tiny jigs, which is what the fish preferred that day (tiny Marmooska jigs tipped with a single maggot).  Using these rods you pretty much have to set the hook and hand line them up.  It's not a problem really once you get used to it, but when the action is fierce the line laying on the ice becomes and issue especially when you're trying to get a jig down the hole quickly for another fish.  Well, Genz man and I were fishing almost side by side, about 5' apart and another fishing partner of ours decided to try the area on the other side of us, so rather than walk around he decided walked between us.  I had just landed a bull gill and had line all around me.  As he walked through, his ice cleat picked up my line and he started walking off with it while I was unknowingly unhooking my fish.  All of a sudden, I notice my Rapala rod move a little and seconds later realized what was going on, so I called for him to stop walking.  Well, he kept on going determined that the best spot to fish was "over there" as I kept yelling for him to stop.  The lined tighted and the ice chips frozen to the ice held my line tight.  As the rod was pulled by the line, the rod zig zagged and spun around about a 4' square area as I tried to catch it (like a cat trying to catch a mouse).  Just as I was close to catching up with it the line broke and, wouldn't ya know it, the rod was right over my hole and down the hole it went.  I plunged my arm down after it and it was for not.  But, this rod floats and up (due to an air bubble in the chamber designed to hold tackle) and it came about 4' away, so tried for about a half hour while this great bite was going on to cut holes and retrieve my rod, but as you know the current generated by the auger pushes floating objects away, so it was a futile effort.  The rod was lost.

The following weekend we went back to the same spot and there was my rod floating under the ice again, and once again I tried several times in vain until the air found it's way out of the chamber and the rod dropped to the bottom of the pond.

Looking back it was very funny.  These rods are cheap, maybe at that time going for about $4, but the problem is that hardly anyone sold them any more and eventually they stopped making them.  I was ticked off at the time and the worst thing was that the angler that did this felt absolutely no responsibility for the lost rod and didn't even offer to replace it or pay me for it.  Had he done that of course I wouldn't have taken the money, but would have appreciated the thought...  That part of it still kind of tees me off...

...So, Bean, how about your tip up story

[Bean]

...So, Bean, how about your tip up story

I won't even go there.    I'm sure there will be some fresh stories from this unknown force of nature this winter. 

[FishDaddy09]

I lost a rod box with four rods last year. I was coming of the ice after dark and it slid out of my sled as i pulled my sled up on shore. I didn't realize it was gone for a few days I went back to look for it and of course it was long gone. Lost: 1 bass/walleye jigging rod and reel, 1 perch jigging rod and reel, 2 tip-down rod and reels, plus the rod box. I've replace the rods but I'm still looking for a replacement rod box.

[fishuhalik]

 My dad's one of those old-timers that still uses the old jigging poles, you know, the ones where there's two posts to store line on?  Anyways, we were out crappie fishing, and the action was pretty slow.  We were just sitting there chatting when all of a sudden one of the rods goes flying down the hole.  I'm guessing a bike pike hit it at about 30mph, cuz that thing was gone in the blink of an eye.  Thankfully it was his pole, 'cuz he's never gonna hear the end of that one.

[C.C.]

ROFLMAO, Kevin, I got filled in on some of the storie's about that "force of nature"Bean refered to. Let me know if that force will be at DC in jan. and I'll keep my new stuff at home
        Jim

[ol crawdad]

I have broken many rods but the last rod was lost in Otsego lake after spending half a night trying to find some eyes.  Motoring down the lake, the deep down husky jerk fell off the rod guide and hit the water, and the whole setup went by my face in a split second.  $200, just like that.  I have broken all kinds of rods from G-Loomis to Ugly Stiks...