I snapped my brand new Vendetta rod today at lunch. Like a dumba$$, I cast my crankbait into the tree. I took in the slack and then popped the tip of the rod hoping to pull it up over the limb and the rod snapped right below the third eye when the lure hung up.

Question-what is an acceptable means of breaking a rod? You have to describe how the product broke on the replacement form. I'm a hack who's cast into the trees hundreds if not thousands of times since I was a kid, but I've never had a rod snap like this did. I'd like the warranty to cover it but I wasn't sure they would replace the rod without me bending the truth just a little. Any suggestions? I know I'm sounding a tad shady here but this $80 rod is 5 weeks old....

If it really happened that way then that screams defect. If they wouldn't replace it, it would be the last one I bought and is lie like hell to get it warranted.

Yup, just put the actual reason on there. Monitoring defects is probably the reason they ask for an explanation of what happened.

+1 to the previous responses, that's a flaw in the blank. Unless you really laid into the rod, flexing it all the way down to the butt.

Hey look at me I was fishing while all of you slobs were working...


Sounds like a defect though and I would describe it exactly like it happened. That shouldn't break a rod. It is amazing how small of a defect can cause failure on the higher end graphite rods. Couple of years ago I re-wrapped the guides on a Helium LTA. Got all of the guides back on, epoxied, and the first time i loaded up the rod it snapped at the 2nd guide from the tip. I was careful taking guides off and didn't notice any nicks before re-wrapping, but I assume there was a tiny one there somewhere. On a positive note at least it didn't happen with a fish on I would have been much angrier than I already was.

TLDR: Send it back there is no reason they shouldn't replace it for that.

Popping a lure out of a tree and setting the hook in a fish are basically the same action. You can stretch the truth if you don't want to admit your casting is a little shaky.

Did you snap the rod down or back as you would setting the hook?

If I were you I'd tell them a fish got under the boat and pulled the rod down against the side and it broke where the rod touched the boat.

If you were using 20lb test or less I would include that as well.... If you were using 60lb braid I would leave that off

Thanks guys! I didn't put an unordinary amount of force on the rod and I popped it back, not down, just as if I was setting the hook. I was using 12 lb mono on a medium light rod rated for 6-10 lb. line if that matters that much. I'll submit my replacement form and see what they say.

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Hey look at me I was fishing while all of you slobs were working...

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Ha! I'm lucky enough to work at a summer camp on a beautiful stretch of the Guadalupe which allows this lunch break fishing. The flip side, working at summer camp, you don't have much coin to repair your "nice" rods when they break....

Aside from the tip breaking how did you like your Vendetta? I just ordered one and haven't gotten a chance to use it yet.

I like it alot! I've already ordered another and hope to have two if they'll replace this one. I have the 6'9" Med. Light paired with a Penn Fierce 3000. I had been using it predominantly for catfishing and drifting slip float rigs and had a ton of fun catching some 3-5#'s on it.

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Shop at Cabellas and you have a lot of store support. My 14 yr old snapped a $200 flyrod and they returned it no questions asked.