Don't loose the top section/piece of your fly rod.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Our friend Richard Haavik, owner of Rainbow Lodge on Nimpo Lake in British Columbia, informed me of a new phenomena he recently noticed while fishing with clients these past few summers.

With the use of 4 piece rods being so popular a new small problem has arisen. Richard has had several anglers loose their top section of their fly rod while walking back along the upper Dean River with their fly removed. They either removed the fly or maybe broke it off near the end of the fishing and then walked back to the car without the fly and line running out through the guides and then hooked on the hook keeper.

Without a fly and line the top section of their fly rod fell off during the hike through the brush back to his Suburban and was lost.

So now Richard is advising his customers to either take their fly rod completely apart and put it in the rod sack or to leave the fly attached so it will help keep the s tip section if it comes loose.

Not a big deal but it has happened to a couple of friends at the shop lately too.

[Adam Grace]

Good Advice!

[Anne Vitale]

Hmmmm. interesting to learn that I am not the only one who has had that happen to. Last summer, just before I was going to leave for Alaska, I decided to give my brand spanking new Anderson1265 spey rod a test run on the American. After a full day of fishing, I decided to head back to the car from the other side of the island on Upper Sunrise. Realizing that I would have to navigate back through the brush on the island, I decided to unstring the rod so that the line wouldn't get hung up on the brush. Well...you guessed it. I got back to the car and noticed that I only had two of the three pieces left. :( :(

I back-tracked but couldn't find it. I looked real well but I think it must have come off while I was wading off the island and it is now down river somewhere. I now keep the rod strung and deal with the brush as best I can.

[Wednesday Caster]

Yes! My laziness is a positive thing! :D

[RH]

I too lost my tip section after breaking down my four piece rod before the trek to the car. Sage charges a $40 shipping & handling fee plus $65 to replace the tip section. Pricey for a four piece tip...two and three piece tips are even more expensive. Thinking that an extra tip would be convenient in Mongolia, I asked Sage to send an extra tip. I mistakenly assumed that it would be an additional $65 for that tip. Apparently the second tip is not considered a "replacement tip" but is categorized as an "extra tip" at a charge of $175. Hmmm?

[bigtj]

Something I've been telling people for years. Your rod should always be strung up, or broken down. Never leave a rod put together without being strung up or someday you'll be sorry.

$175 for an extra tip? For that price you can get a whole rod, used, in good, fishable condition. I would send it back for a refund, or at least talk to customer service about it.