Today brought more snow and cold...we're at over 120% of normal snow pack for the drainages that I typically fish. Hope it makes it through to the Spring as next summer could be "normal" if the moisture keeps up. It would be nice to not have to worry for once!
I bought a Hardy Angel 905 last year after casting it at the industry show in Denver. I was at the show last year because a certain company was trying to screw me buy purchsing a struggling competitor an action which would have seriously limited my ability to business. Anyway, I cast the Angel out curiosity and brought it back to the Cortland booth knowing that was the next rod I would buy. It is simply an amazing rod that is light in the hand, loads quickly yet retains a sensitivity that is usually lost in other fast rods like the TCR, T3, or Winstones' Boron Junk thing. In addition to the unmatched performance, the rods itself is stunning on the old eyes.
I wanted to get the rod right away but they weren't available unitl Feb '06 which would be too late for my trip to New Zealand. So, the rep (a class act rep by the way) arranged for me to get a demo smuggler version of the rods for my trip. The smuggler has a slightly differnet feel to it than the 4-piece...but hey, the rods still pretty sweet so I decide that is to be my primary rod for NZ. Second day in NZ, after I lost the first fish of the trip...I stepped on the rod ON ACCIDENT and shattered the second and third sections. Oh well, I sent it back once I got home with a great big sorry and thank you and oh by the way, is MY rod ready yet. It was.
I fished this rod all season which didn't end up being much as one would expect as I was guiding most of the year. So, one day I'm making a silly long cast in the boat and I hear that dreadful sound that one doesn't like to hear when fishing a $1200 rod. It broke above the ferrule in the second section. Just got the rod back. Hardy built a new section in England shipped it to Cortland who in turn sent it back to me. The new piece sets about 1/2" to far down on the spigget of the butt section. I called Cortland, they said send it to them and they'll figure it out.
I see broken rods almost everyday and people , usually the guy that slams the rod in the door or steps on it, bitch to no end aboitu how long it takes to get their rod back. The rod that they spent $3-600 on. Stupid Supid Stupid! Rods break, that's just what happens when you wave an 8-10 foot hollow thing around with weights, hooks, boats, rocks, wind, with the purpose of making it bend in unnatural positions. Rods want to be straight - that's why they aren't bent to begin with! Rod makers were silly to do the whole warranty thing and it has given anglers a sense of entitlemnet instead of gratitude. So if you broke a rod and aren't happy about it..get over it. If you would have bought them at $25o with no warranty we wouldn't be buying rods for $600 today. Be thankful that your rod will be repaired or replaced, maybe help the guy that takes care of your issues by getting a new rod to use in the meantime.After working in a fly shop for a while...I've seen first hand the amount of time and money it takes to service these warranty claims to keep idiots that stomp on a $500 rod happy.
Anyway, I love my Angel rod, thank Hardy for making such an amazing fishing tool and more importantly thanks them for providing me with the expertise and labor to fix my rod that I broke! Those Brits are pretty nice guys, Tom at Cortland rod repair ain't too bad too!
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