That great fraternity of fishing idiots: Why fly rod warranties matter

Spotted inside a haggard outhouse at a marginally-busy parking area on the Madison. Admit it; you've been there too.

"LOST"*
SAT. JULY 16, @ NOON
CABELAS 5-6 WT ROD
AND LARGE ARBOR REEL.

_PLEASE CALL _______________

* WELL, NOT REALLY LOST, I HAVE
JOINED THAT GREAT FRATERNITY OF
FISHING IDIOTS WHO LEFT THEIR
RODS ON TOP OF THEIR CAR
AND ... YOU KNOW THE REST.

THANKS

YOUR IDIOT BROTHER

Broken rods happen. A lot.

Our idiot brother may not have broken their rod, but vehicle-rod collisions account for probably most broken rods. Getting slammed in a car door, the hatch, being left on the roof—all spell a terrible fate.

When fishing with others I always call out "Rod on the roof" when placing a rod on any vehicle's roof, as a sort of individual check-in that might help us remember it later.

I left an expensive rod on the roof of my vehicle once. (No, I was fishing alone and did not call "Rod on the roof" out to myself.) I did a U-turn to get back to the highway, and heard something slide off the truck cap. What could it have been?

I figured it out just as the FedEx truck passed in the opposite direction and turned it from a four-piece into a 47-piece.

Elevate the rod: Not just a tip for fighting a fish

You also want to avoid ever laying your rod flat on the ground.

It's almost magnetic how quickly a rod on the ground will attract a wader boot, a falling child, or a fat-assed dog to bring its integrity to pieces.

Always leave a rod leaned upright against something. Never ever lay it flat on the ground.

Key rod warranty factor: Cost

You're always going to pay something when you replace a broken rod via warranty. The roof-flown rod had a 25-year warranty, and was replaced by its manufacturer for just $125, no questions asked. It was totaled. This was a good deal.

And, sometimes, if the rod is no longer in production, the manufacturer will reserve the right to replace it with a newer model. Custom rod builders can sometimes replace sections of broken older rods, but it's a dicey game.

Key rod warranty factor: Speed

Another key factor on rod warranties is the turnaround speed manufacturers will offer. The busy time for rod warranty repairs is at the beginning of trout season, when anglers realize they forgot to do it last year, or string up for the first time and realize something's awry.

I've bought certain sensitive rods, long Euro nymphing rods, for example, where I'm almost certain I'll break a tip section, from a local manufacturer just because it'll be a couple weeks faster to get the new piece and be back fishing. For guides, this is especially important, because customers break their rods all the time.

Key rod warranty factor: Responsiveness

The last key factor is responsiveness. A warranty is useless if you can't raise someone at HQ to help you out. I'm on the outs with a certain company now, and no longer recommend their rods, because every time I email with their founder about a tip replacement it takes three months before I hear back from them.

There are more and more startup gear companies every year, and they may not offer the level of warranty responsiveness of the big manufacturers. The claim of some yahoo who broke their 7 weight trying to fling a Clouser minnow into a golf course pond may not stack up against that big deal on the Founder / CEO's list of priorities.

What about you? What's the most embarrassing way you've ever broken a fly rod? Share your shame in the comments, you clumsy oaf.