SKEET REESE "YELLOW" POLES, DISAPPOINTING.

[dashaver63]

What are the benifits of having micro guides? Just curious, do you guys like them?

[thedude]

primarily cost and weight reduction. they weigh less than a recoil guide and cost much less.  when setup properly on spinning or casting setups they will increase casting distance due to the fact the knock out pretty much all the non-forward moving momentum (waves/line slap) in the line as the line passes through them.  Think of it like shooting a BB through a 12 gauge barrel compared to shooting a bb through a BB gun barrel.  Downsides are that they don't pass knots very well if you using a leader and at times they can clog with cottonwood fuzz (or whatever that stuff is in the spring). I've not had too much issue with that however. I've been using them on a spinning rod as well as a couple baitcasting setups for 2 seasons now and really like them.  When done correctly on a spinning rod, they really cast a mile.

[t-bone]

I have a z-bone with micro guides and I really love it. They don't look like they should work and seem counter intuitive. One of benefits is that you'd have a hard time bending or breaking them if you step on them. Putting them in a rod locker is easier too. The was sometime similar announced at Icast this year - I think it was called microwave guide, made by the wavespin guys. Similar concept but different implementation.

[thedude]

the microwave is on the new castaway rods for this year. Its a funky looking spinning guide - basically a normal sized spinning guide with another much smaller guide on the same frame and positioned about a 1/2" in front of it. On micros setups for spinning rods - you still need  at least 3 normal sized spinning guides to transition down to the micros. You have to do this because of the way the line archs off the spool of a spinning reel. The larger guides take the line down slowly to the point that i will easily pass through the smaller guides without slapping the blank. You don't have this issue on casting rods, so there is no reason to use anything other than the smallest guides along the entire length of the rod.  In fact, think of the winding eye on your baitcaster as the first guide on the rod. Its about 2-4mm. There's no reason to go to a large double footed 12mm guide from that - might as well stick with 4mm.

Anyway - the goal behind the microwave is to help transition down to smaller guides.  Kind of works like a spin-cast reel to tame the line coming off the spool.

[djkimmel]

Skeet seemed believable when he said he uses the same exact rods as people buy and why he does it.

Regardless, when I need a new rod the past few seasons, I buy Grandt Rods. They support this site and have provided some great discounts to fellow members at the shows. They have a huge variety of fishing rods for many different techniques and types of fishing. I know who makes them and where they are made. I have 4 so far (or maybe 5, I forget since I'm slowly replacing older rods as they break or I need something new for an application and I have MadWags CRS disease).

Lifetime warranty with just the shipping cost for replacement. If you bring it to one of the shows you can get it replaced there and save the shipping.

[Frank]

if you want to buy a rod that will last a lifetime... buy Grandt.  the ONLY way you will have to pay to replace it is if you lose it in the lake.  Hands down, the best warranty in the business.  I did it because I'm hard on rods.  I just broke my Shimano, which is a great rod also, but I have to pay shipping.  I'd rather just take it to the show and replace it free.  Also, Grandt does not have a "limited" lifetime warranty.  They don't care if its a manufacturer defect or if I just made a stupid accident, the replace it.

Frank

[MadWags]

And that my fellow anglers is a huge difference. Grandt's warranty is "Unconditional" Not to mention that the rods are well constructed to take the abuse we anglers dish out.

[play for keeps]

well you should be able to take your broken shimano rod to any certified dealer and get a new one, i believe its called "destroyed on site"  the dealers used to take the butt of all the broken rods they recieved and send them in to shimano for credit, but i dont think they dont have to do that anymore

i went to the outdoorsmen in jenison with a fellow angler that broke his cumara and they just gave him a new one no questions asked

[MadWags]

It is at the dealers discretion. They do not have to exchang the rod. They can tell you to deal with Shimano.

[Crookedneck]

I think you are going to start seeing alot of changes in the warranties of alot of the companies.  I know G. Loomis just changed up there warranty just recently.  Probably cost you $150 to get a replacement.  Of course not so sure many people are buying them now that Gary is out of the picture.

Warranties are a sticky subject when it comes to rods in my opinion.  In my opinion some anglers abuse the good warranties that are out there.  Which is why you pay the price for the rod in the first place.  Do you know how many guys I know who fish with nice rods and break them accidentally on purpose every couple of years so they can cash in on the warranty.

I would almost bet that if you bought a Palehorse rod from thedude and broke it...he would be able to pretty much tell you how you broke it just by looking at it.

Most rods will break in the first outing if it is a manufacturing defect, first fish, or rock what ever hits first .  And most of them will break in the top 12 inches.

Any time you order a rod and it gets shipped to you I would advise the first thing you do is spool it up and flex the rod.  Sometimes weird things happen in shipping.  Conveyors can do a reel number on a rod with no tell tale sign of damage to the packaging.

Just my two cents

[Mojo]

I played around with the skeeter yeller rod, it seems to have an ultra light backbone. Nothing against the rod if thats what you like, I just like shorter hooksets.

As far as warranty - I broke 2  shimano Crucials this year and they were replaced over the counter by my friends there ... I think if you develop a relationship (i.e. spend time in the aisles of BPS and are recognizable) and if you are nice, the managers have no problem going through the hoops (and there are hoops to make the BPS over the counter warranty work) to replace your rod.

With Grandt its automatic so I tend to agree - spend > $150 on a rod that has the best quality and the best warranty - I have replaced Grandt and then Shimano 3 times ( I am hard on these fellas) over the years .... so thats < $50 each for these super awesome rods and they become a better value each time I get em replaced........

PAy for quality - pay for the warranty - its worth it.

Mojo

[SethV]

I have replaced Grandt and then Shimano 3 times ( I am hard on these fellas)

You could break an anvil with a rubber mallet.  I think you break at least 1 rod every trip...   

[djkimmel]

He has a way with the fishin' rods. I think that's what he told me earlier today...?

[Mojo]

You could break an anvil with a rubber mallet.  I think you break at least 1 rod every trip...   

Funny thing is ..... you arent far off from the truth .......

[MadWags]

Grant it if you beak a Grandt rod your wish will be granted and your rod will be replaced by Grandt. HUH!