Tipping Point

Unfortunately, fishing rods break. Fishing rod tips are no match for untimely encounters with pickup truck tailgates, trunk lids, car doors, or feet. Then what? Chuck it and buy a new one?

With a little patience, sometimes the rod can be fixed by replacing the tip with the aid of a repair kit. As my rod collection breaks down through the year, snapped rods get set aside for a cold or stormy, non-fishing day when I’m more in the mood to (ahem) tackle these projects. There may even be other anglers in your area in the same predicament. I’ve read of fly-tying “parties;” so why not organize a “rod fixing party” while the game is on? Maybe you can even swap some parts.

Another option, if the kit tips don’t fit, or if you never liked building model airplanes as a kid and are short on patience like me, is to check the rate of a professional. Recently, I discovered Mike Woodward, owner of Woody’s Custom Rods in my neck of the woods.

I dropped off a couple of rods for him to repair and was impressed with his craftsmanship and attention to detail. Even though the action and feel may change a little bit with a rod tip repair because the rod may be shortened slightly, it also might be stronger than the original. Plus, I get to continue to fish with a trusty tool that has accompanied me on many outings.

How have you broken a fishing rod?