When to retire a fishing rod

[Bill B]

As many of us do, I have collected a few old rods, most are fiber glass with no names or really worn.  I hate to throw stuff out and have a few hanging around and was wondering when it's finally time to say "good bye" and scavenge parts.  A couple of them feel "soft" with lots of flex and little back bone left.....none of them are good looking or name brands, so it wouldn't be a loss if they were broken down to components.... Bill

[Joel.B]

if they get soft/noodly enough, they may become good downrigger rods......

[Tightlines667]

Alot of the charter guys here are lucky to get 3 solid years of use out of high end custom heavy 130lb+ or unlimited class fully rollered rods.  Longer rods tend to become noodly/soft quicker then shorter stand-up or stubbies.  If the rod no longer does what you need it to do, replace it.  Some guys just cit the tips down, and rewrap long rods when they start to loose their snapiness and backbone.  You can usually tell which rod has seen the most action in a 5 rig trolling spread, by a quick hand check of each.  1 is isually much worse then the others. 

But I guess it really is a matter of personal preference.

[ReelFishingProblems]

I have a similar question. My grandfather died and I grabbed his old fishing stuff to include Penn reals and an old Shakespeare 12' wonderod (at least that's what I make out through the scuffed writing). Is it worth tearing it down and redoing all the guides? One guide was broken and I cannot find a replacement. 55mm butt guide(?).

If it is worth repairing, I would love to let his old gear see some more action.

-Nick

[Swami805]

Sorry about your grandfather. If the remaining guides are strait and in good shape replace the broken one and give it a try. One of the online rod building sites should have a guide for that would work. The Swami senses good ju-ju in that rod.

[Newell Nut]

The only reason to rebuild an old rod is nostalgia. If the blank has some value to you personally then rebuild it. If not build a new one.

I have guys bringing me old Star rods to rebuild for them because they love the old Star blanks. They are not worth a dime to me but I rebuild them and they look pretty nice for the happy customer.

[Makule]

The only time I retire a rod is when it breaks.  It's a tool so it gets used until it can't be used.

[Cor]

The only time I retire a rod is when it breaks.  It's a tool so it gets used until it can't be used.

I agree but will add or when a newer and better product becomes available.    I have about 14 rods of all sorts and rebuild them every so often as the components generally don't last.   My old generation fibreglass rods (circa 1970's) I initially turned in to boat rods, but am now giving them away to kids as I don't use them anymore.    Graphite works far better for my application where casting is critical.

[ReelFishingProblems]

Thanks for all the advice.  I have such a hard time thinking about getting rid of it. Maybe I will fix it and just understand that it will have limitations, or make it more of a display piece to remind me of him.

[Swami805]

Just like old reels. If they were high quality new they should be fine.

[Normslanding]

I still use a few Calcutta (wood) rods. They are usually taken out and used to remember old times, and old friends that are gone. Also a few glass rods from my teens in the 60's still are very good against the new technology. Very few glass rods stand the test of time, doing well against the new stuff. When a chance Arieses to fish on a SoCal party boat it gets strange. By that when the wood rods show up it's a curiosity, and humerus but they don't laugh long. A 11.5ft Calcutta can cast a jig a very long way. Going to a tackle swap meet will show you how many old rods do not sell. IMO and the only rods I would buy (that are old) would be Truline, or a Silaflex. Others don't hold up like Penn reels, and a couple other reels do. Old stuff should be used to remember the past. Fish your old stuff and enjoy it.