What effect does the cold weather have on graphite rods. I want to build some ice rods and someone told me pure graphite becomes brittle in the extreme weather. I don't know so I ask the pro's.
Mark Schulte

Everything is going to become more brittle in cold weather, not just graphite! But I have seen some very dedicated anglers land some big fish in very cold weather with no ill effects to their graphite rods.

Graphite is used in so many aerospace applications where well below freezing temps are experienced that you'd have to believe an ice rod would hold up. But, aside from the material used is the particular structure and lay-up used. That would also make a big difference.

It would be interesting to know what the manufacturers experience is in this regard concerning an upswing of broken rods coming back in the winter. Does it happen?

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Mark, Tom,
This is a very interesting topic that I believe should be further verified. Up here in the northland, also I get reports from trusted musky guides who also lay the claim that they prefer glass rods in very cold conditions because the graphites break.
There must be some test data to prove the validity with greater number sample studies
.
As for ice rods, I hear very little particular for breakage because of cold weather, and it is definitely colder in January ice conditions compared to November open water musky fishing. So what gives??
I really am curious about all this myself.

Another point also might be, and perhaps better tested, is how solid glass (like in many ice rods) , solid graphite, tubular graphite, and tubular glass (E-glass, S-glass) all size up to a study. It may conclude nothing other than preference in the end, but still there must be characteristic differences at various temperature ranges.

Graphite has a great advantage in ice rods for sensitivity, as this is a time when fishing is really in the 'finesse' stage and you need all the help in detecting a nibble. We sell a fair number of ice rods, both glass solid, tubular and also in graphite (mostly tubular) and don't have a particularly high return rate from breakage by fishing (now accidents or abuse or loss is another story).

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel

Hi guy's,

Keep in mind that the raw material we use is stored in a cooler prior to its processing. This temperature can range from -20F to +35F. It needs to be kept cool because the resin in the material is not cured yet, and it needs to be kept that way until processed. So, these fibers are subject to very cold temperatures before they are even manufactured. At some point the material can be disfunctioned once produced into a blank, but those temperatures are extreme. Exactly how extreme I do not know for sure, but I can tell you that you would not subject your body to them.

Take Care
Jason B

Thanks Guy's,
It appears I asked a pretty decent question. We had a response from Jason!
Thanks again,
Mark Schulte

The identical same graphite fibers and very similar resin binding is in aircraft structure operating at sub zero temperatures at 40,000 feet altitude at stresses far and beyond anything imagineable compared to the relatively puny forces induced by a fishing rod. I have been involved in the structural testing of graphite structures at these sub zero temperatures and can testify that those musky fishermen who prefer fiberglass over graphite in the winter have a very vivid imagination. Cold weather does not effect the structural integrity of graphite rods, at least not at the cold temperatures that we normally encounter in our earthly experiences. If you want to talk about minus 350F (-350F) which is the temperature of a bath of dry ice and acetone, then we have another ball game.

Ralph

I would like to start by saying this is my first post, I have been lurking on the sideline sense this board started. What a great site.
I live in South Bend, IN and have been building rods for about 22 years, and build somewhere around 100 ice rods each year as well as half that many open water rods.
These are not your run of the mill ice rods, they are unique in the fact they are 5 to 6 feet long with cutsom turned hardwood and cork handles and are used for panfishing. To the best of my knowledge a local thing which was started about 40 years ago by a rod builder that worked for Heddon (my mentor). After his passing I picked up the torch.
Now as for the durability of graphite in the winter, I haven’t experienced any failures due to sub- freezing weather. As I go back and check my records about 95% of all failures are car door and trunk lid related. That’s not to say that I don’t experience the occasional blank failure. However I have several rods out there with Batson blanks on there second year with no failures to date.

“Keep On, Keeping On”
Randy Gaines

Randy,
Welcome, and thanks for your thoughts. I would mainly like to say "I thought so". Still, try telling that to a few musky guys around who will swear that graphite won't be used in their cold weather arsenal.

Next time I hear this, I will just tell them not to fish in acetone lakes or mention the reason that graphite, and not fiberglass, are used in aircraft flying at sub zero temperatures.

It is truly amazing, also that so many fish are responsible for 'structural' incidents of blank failure. It's pretty obvious that many of the 'car door fish' are the culprits no matter what the temperature is.

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel