Rod eyes

[spring fever]

What do you guys look for on a boat rod in the way of eyes. I know that the more expensive rods have the most eyes. I have always been pretty happy with the ceramic eyes- however fishing for yellowtail yesterday in some pretty warm weather and some heavy fish I popped 3 ceramic eyes out. Guess they can be put back in with epoxy but is there a better choice-are stainless eyes put on the more expensive rods or is popping of the eyes more a temperature thing. I have only lost the tip ceramics of WCVI and I just toook that to be hard usage and replaced the tip. So stainless ,ceramic or some other choice . Thanks

 

[hooktender68]

Not getting excited and forgetting to stop winding are you? Flashers are a tight fit through the top eye! lol, couldnt resist, sorry, I find ceramics fine. Gotta have that bead for guests though. SS found on Techniums are garbage, stick to ceramic on that particular rod.

 

[searun]

x2...LOL on the stop reeling part. I have several customers each year that get so excited when they see the fish they forget to stop reeling. Solved it to some extent by rigging a simple shock absorber just above the swivel. Here's how it works....onto your mainline put a plastic golf tee, followed by a section of surgical tubing (1 - 2 inches long), next a large enough bead to act as a stop for the tubing, then tie mainline to your swivel and dun. When the guest reels up they get a warning with the resistance of the tubing crushing which is usually enough to get them to stop reeling before they break the tip off.

 

[spring fever]

Yeah-I hear you guys-I use the bead-but it is the eyes down the rod that just pop out-come to think of it both rods are Daiwa-sounds like another trip to Cabela's on the way home. Can't afford Lamiglass have to look at something else. Suggestions for a Boat rod-ie hali's not salmon?

 

[searun]

Had same issues with Lami's. Haven't had issues with the Rapala's. Bud has Shimano and says they are good too. If you are handy you could re-tie the rod with better quality guides, but for the $ a production rod is way to go - way less hassle.