{"id":19549,"date":"2019-12-31T16:00:05","date_gmt":"2019-12-31T16:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oceanbluefishing.com\/magazine\/?p=19549"},"modified":"2021-06-21T07:03:07","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T07:03:07","slug":"how-properly-select-inspect-new-fishing-rod","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oceanbluefishing.com\/magazine\/how-properly-select-inspect-new-fishing-rod\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Properly Select and Inspect a New Fishing Rod"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever bought a brand-new rod online, used it once and broke it straight away after the first cast? Could\u2019ve been one in a thousand reasons but let\u2019s discuss ways to prevent wasting your hard-earned cash on substandard fishing equipment.Having read some awful rod reviews and attacks on rod manufacturers on social media lately made me want to write this article for our readers. Most well-known fishing rod manufacturers hold their products in high regard and they are proud of their product, usually offering a manufacturer defect warranty, and if the manufacturer is at fault when a rod breaks, a replacement will be sent straight away, at most times. Unfortunately, some anglers mistake a manufacturer defect warranty for a \u201chowever it breaks I will claim a warranty\u201d warranty. Let\u2019s begin our discussion with some warranty information first.<\/p>\n

Manufacturer\u2019s Warranty <\/strong><\/h2>\n

A manufacturer\u2019s warranty or limited warranty is the warranty you receive when you purchase a product, in this case a fishing rod. It covers factory defects like line guides not aligned, guide wraps unevenly coated, cracks in the rod blank upon receiving the rod from the mail and many other kinds of factory defects. If you find any damages linked to the factory\u2019s fault, notify the manufacturer or the dealer of the rod and you\u2019ll more than likely get a replacement sent straight away. But if you break your rod by testing your rod strength in the backyard trying to lift weights or other silly ways of Youtube testing rods, you\u2019re out of luck. Rod breakages due to angler error like high-sticking or not packing rods properly for travel will not be covered by the warranties. Take care of your gear and they\u2019ll take care of you when you hook up on a fish of a lifetime.<\/p>\n

“Check and inspect before you select”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Let\u2019s move on to how to inspect a rod before you purchase. Unfortunately, you cannot physically inspect a rod when you purchase one online. You\u2019ll have purchase from a reputable online dealer to ensure you aren\u2019t being sold a lemon. There are lot\u2019s of highly trusted online tackle stores who take good care of their customers and ensure that their reputation stays intact. Check out their customer reviews and try to talk to their shop staff on the phone to find out more about their operation.<\/p>\n

I always recommend my guests to buy their gear from a physical store whenever possible. This allows you to feel, touch, inspect and actually test out the product before parting ways with your cash. I know this may not be possible for everyone, but I highly recommend it.<\/p>\n

Checking the Blank <\/strong><\/h2>\n

The rod \u201cblank\u201d is what you\u2019d like to check first. Run your fingers over the blanks from the butt end to the tip and then reverse. You will be looking for inconsistencies on the blanks like bumps, scratches or cracks. A visual inspection along with your physical touch can uncover imperfections really quickly. Notify the shop staff straight away when you see a damaged blank as you don\u2019t want to be blamed for the damage.<\/p>\n

Ring Guides <\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is where most of the pressure on your fishing rod is placed and is one of the most crucial areas to inspect for flaws. Check the alignment of the guides by looking through the guides. You want the alignment to be perfect. Next, you should go over each guide to see that the ceramic inserts are intact with no cracks at all. The foot of the guides should also show no signs of rust or discoloration. Rub your fingers lightly over the feet of the guides, the inserts and the tip top guide. You\u2019ll definitely feel imperfections right away.\"\"

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