Dirt bags will always be dirt bags. Sorry for that Steve. I would rather loan someone my tooth brush rather than my rod for the same reason. Side story, years ago when I began dating my now wife I took her out on SD bay for the spring halibut bite. I gave her my custom built 8" roller rod with a Shimano Calcutta reel spooled with p-line and a flouro leader and rigged the way I knew best. We were dragging choves on the bottom and she got bit. The bite was so strong that the fish ripped the rod out of her hands while she was in free spool. I saw the rod hit the water and in a split second decision I threw my rod down and dove in after it. I grabbed it back and handed it to her and said don't let go again and she reeled it up with my coaching. Bottom line I climbed back in the boat and she brought it to gaff and we ate Halibut for the next few days. Lucky rods mean something when you catch a few fish on them...Phil,
This one hits close to home...Wednesday a guy jumps in Jim's boat while I'm driving to the launch ramp...We get to the 1st spot...I reach for my favorite rod (Shimano Crucial), and the tip is broke off...Nobody says a word...Later in the day, the same guy pulls up to our boat and asks if he broke the tip off my rod...You apparently knew it numb nuts...Not a I'll buy you another rod, sorry, or kiss my a$$ and off he goes...WTF!......