Not that I would - or even be able to, but if I took my Batson 8 1/2' IST-1025 2 piece rod, with 100 pound braid tied to a tree and pulled it back trying to break it in a fish fighting position, other than a manufacturing failure, where would it most likely break - just behind the ferrule on the butt section, the ferrule itself, or forward of the ferrule somewhere? I assume it would occur between a set of guides but I just wondering where the real fracture area is on a rod like this without consideration of guide placement? Thanks.

My assumption is rIght where it "shuts" off of locks up under full load. All the Steelhead rods I've seen (maybe 2, lol) bend pretty far down, into or almost to teh foregrip. THAt is where I'd expect it to break. I have a 2 piece Noodle rod from Loomis, when the rod is fully loaded the section of the blank where the ferrule is located is straight, so it would be impossible to break there.

I'm pretty sure any Rad Manu or blank designer would be able to tell you with a more first hand answer than I have, since I'm sure they break rods testing them all teh time. A few issues back JAson from St. Croix wrote or was a major part of an excellent artile on the stregth of their ferrule system, amonsgt other things that St. Croix does.

Unless you high-sticked or forced the rod into an unnatural bend, a load limit failure is going to take place somewhere between the reel seat and the first (butt) guide. It will not break at the ferrule unless it's a very poorly designed rod.

............

That makes sense - after posting I got to thinking the fulcrum ought to be there right in front of my hands - and would be a good spot to duck from. Thanks.

You cannot break a rod in a location where it will just flex away under the load. This is why such load limit failures do not take place in the upper portions of the rod or at the ferrule. You have to reach the point where the blank strongly resists flexing before you can load it to failure.

This is a good topic, and should serve to remind all fly rodders to resist the temptation to reach forward of the grip to grasp the rod when fighting a large fish.

Jeff

Funny thing about that telling them not to grab the rod ahead of the cork......You can tell them till you blue in the face, they will never believe you till they hear that dreaded snap!! Then you only have to tell them I told you so once........LOL