You may have heard stories about people breaking their best fly rod. There are of course many creative methods being used.

Ways To Break Your Best Fly Rod

Here is a short list of the more common methods. As you can see from the list, most broken rods are due to angler errors and not to defective manufacturing.

The most common break is at the rod tip.

•When fighting a big fish, high-stick the rod (holding it vertical). This will bend the rod in the shape of a candy cane and break the tip almost every time. This is easy to do if you are in a boat and the fish swims under you. A net will help by increasing your reach when landing a large trout.

•Some tips are broken when the angler threads the line through the guides. They thread the bottom guides, and then bend the end section to finish feeding the line through the guides. This stresses the rod tip. Not a good way to start the day.

•You will break it while trying to yank a fly off a log or branch.

•If you add leverage and control to the rod by bringing your second hand up the rod you will break the tip off. This is tempting when fighting a big trout. This reduces the strength of the rod and the energy is no longer dispersed over its length. The weaker top section has to absorb most of the stress.

What Goes Right in Fly Fishing

Avoiding costly mistakes in an important skill to practice. But doing things the right way is even more important. Check out our guides below, and shop our curated fly boxes for the right fly, everytime.

Fly Casting Fly Fishing Nymphs Shop Our Essential Fly Boxes

Other Ways To Break Your Best Fly Rod

Any shock to the rod will cause a delaminating in the graphite and the rod will eventually break.

•Bumps and rough handling in the back of a pickup is a very good way to break a rod.

•The rod being hit by a heavy fly or a beadhead nymph. The fly can be going almost 200 miles an hour on impact. This spot can fail on a later fishing trip.

Work on your casting skills.

•Leaning your rod against the side of your car while you are gearing up is another great way to get it broken.

•Stepped on in a boat. What can I say? Stow your rods.

•If the ferrules that are not properly seated. This is a very good way to break a fly rod, and it happens often. The ferrules will come loose or twist during casting and you should check them often.

•Inattention; fly rods are often slammed in car doors or snapped in power windows.

Some warranties cover breakage, but others only cover workmanship or defective materials. Whatever the case, breaking your best fly rod on a fishing trip can put a sour note on the day. Do yourself a favor and keep your fly rod in its tube when not in use, work on your casting skills and pay attention.

I admit that may be easier said than done if you just hooked the biggest fish of your life.