NormC
20-09-2009, 01:27 PM
Was out flicking lures around snags for barra yesterday. Got the lure snagged just above the waterline in some mangroves. Gave the rod a bit of a jerk back (as you do) - lure dropped free into the water and CRACK, rod broke about half way down.
There is no way it broke only on the basis of the my jerking the lure free - it has had many times that pressure on it before. I've caught some big barra on the rod, including an 85cm one the day before. I'm guessing the fault has been developing over time and the rod may have fractured, without actually breaking, on that last big fish. The jerk to release the lure was then the last straw.
The Shimano Barra Magnum was a great rod, matched up with a Shimano Curado reel. Fortunately I have a spare rod with me (a Penn Pinpoint Tournement) as I'm currently about 800 KM from the nearest tackle shop. We are currently on the MacArthur River (King Ash Bay, NT), with Katherine being the nearest big town.
Heading back south to Gold Coast again in about a week, so I'll have to pick up a replacement while there.
Glad it didn't break with a big barra on - that would have been even more frustrating.
Norm C
There is no way it broke only on the basis of the my jerking the lure free - it has had many times that pressure on it before. I've caught some big barra on the rod, including an 85cm one the day before. I'm guessing the fault has been developing over time and the rod may have fractured, without actually breaking, on that last big fish. The jerk to release the lure was then the last straw.
The Shimano Barra Magnum was a great rod, matched up with a Shimano Curado reel. Fortunately I have a spare rod with me (a Penn Pinpoint Tournement) as I'm currently about 800 KM from the nearest tackle shop. We are currently on the MacArthur River (King Ash Bay, NT), with Katherine being the nearest big town.
Heading back south to Gold Coast again in about a week, so I'll have to pick up a replacement while there.
Glad it didn't break with a big barra on - that would have been even more frustrating.
Norm C