Broken Guides! @#$%^!

[Kevin Bogan]

Starting to get more and more of the lamigas, Loomis, St croix guys in with their broken guides to get fixed. Here's the facts: these companies use ceramic guides that are secured with "internal bonds". That is, the bond just isnt strong and often the rings pop out just by "flexing" alone, or they get "whacked" against a hard object and break like a piece of glass. The danger here is that if there is just a "crack" in the ring the sharp edge can mess up you mono or braided line.
On our own custom rods we use heavier duty guides and also "epoxy fortify" the frames. We are the only rod builders in the industry employing this technique.
Fish Poison Rods= the best in hardware! the best quality anywhere!
how come my Fish Poison rods last so long and catch so many fish????
They are built right the first time, double coat/Flexcoat on all units!
but those factory rods I used to pay hundreds of dollars for only have one coat of finish! Whats with that, and all the guides break!!!

[JerseyCoast]

I still cant figure out why they use these guides on the rods that are so expensive! Offering the warranty that both you and I offer........we would never think of building with them.

Been saying it for years........once you make a decision to spend? $150 on a rod.......use a builder and go custom! We have been getting on average 2-3 a week for repairs. I probably turn away another 2-3 per week, because the people opt to send it back and pay the warranty fee!

Truth is, the guides you and I use are faster guides, so you get more distance. They will not crack, they do not fall out ( inserts) and they look a hell of alot better.

Great topic here......its 100% true!! I still cant figure out the logic behind it???? All that money spent......on a rod that a good builder would refuse to build.

Get yourself a Fish Poison......instead!!! They cast further!

[Kevin Bogan]

Tom, they pay top dolar for rods that the guides fall apart. The Tica rods have the same problem.

[Sidewinder]

The reason why is because they are using BULLSHIT PacBay guides to buid these rods.

Alconites are the only guides I build with and I never break them and they last years.

Sure you can use Hardloy but they weigh to heavy and look awful...

Thats just my .02

[Kevin Bogan]

Broken guides/we fix them!!!!

[kurtisb]

Last winter I bought a super cheap surf rod reel combo at a show because I knew I would be camping on the beach in Delaware in August.

Come August in Delaware, I pull the rod out of the camper and find the insert in the first guide is missing, no where to be found.

I fished with it anyway because all we caught were croakers that didn't bend the rod.

When I got home I bought the closest looking 40 mm guide I could find on ebay, $3.99 including shipping from Shanghai. Three weeks later it arrived.

I cut the metal ring with a dremel hoping to salvage the ceramic ring and bing it popped right out. It is press fit, only held by friction. Is this how they are all made. I was amazed. Looking at my $20 rods and my $200 rods, the guides are all made the same except for my fish poison rod.

With a little grinding with the dremel I got the ring to fit and epoxied in place. Fixed my $20 rod for $4 and an hours work.

Hope I get to use it again someday.