If you ever broke your rod, you must know how frustrating that is. Some rods are expensive, and besides the money, you can ruin a perfectly good fishing trip.
Rods are made from different materials, and some can break easily while others are very sturdy. But, is there such thing as unbreakable fishing rod?
Unfortunately, the answer is NO, every rod can break. Although, some rods are very close to unbreakable, and their strength, durability, flexibility, and construction are extraordinary. Most of them are graphite rods, ideal for a bit more experienced anglers, and come at a high price.
Of curse, proper use of the rod, regular maintenance and care you take about it can significantly increase its lifespan and prevent breakage due to improper use.
As a beginner, you shouldn’t be too concerned about this, and choose a rod that will help you learn the technique, even if it is not the strongest one on the market.
Here I will tell you more about fishing rod strength and how is it affected by the rod material and type, and how exactly can they break.
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Unbreakable Fishing Rod: Truth or Fiction?
Unbreakable fishing rod sounds like an excellent concept. You buy a rod and have it forever. Unfortunately, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
Every man-made fishing item, no matter how expensive and well made, can be broken. But some rods are extremely strong, and modern materials together with manufacturing process and excellent design made them almost unbreakable.
These rods can withstand enormous forces, they will bend and bounce back, but they will not break. But that doesn’t mean that it is completely impossible to break them. When I look at beginners who broke their rods, not all of them broke them while fishing. Most often, negligence, improper maintenance and accidental drops cause a rod to break.
If you want to make your rod as close to unbreakable as it can be, make sure to buy rods from reputable manufacturers, clean them after every use (especially after saltwater fishing) and don’t forget to clean the joints, line guides, handles, reel seat, and every other part of it.
Store the rod in a dry place, away from heat and direct sunlight, preferably in a rod holder that you can even make yourself. Always transport the rod in a proper rod case or a bag, and do not put any heavy objects on top of it.
When fishing, try not to drop it, because if you ever wondered if fishing rods can float, the answer is no, at least with a reel attached.
All of this will significantly reduce the possibility of breakage, and your rod will last a long time.
What is the Strongest Fishing Rod? [Telescopic, Spinning, or?]
The strongest fishing rod when it comes to rod type is probably the spinning one. I will mention the specific one a bit later.
This may seem a bit strange, because anglers will use casting rods with line guides on the upper side to fight heavy fish, and these rods can handle higher loads, but that doesn’t mean that they are unbreakable. Actually, flexibility has a lot to do with breaking point.
But what about the blank sections? Well, physics is simple here, telescopic, or multi-piece rods have connecting points that, in the terms of breaking, present weak spots. Connection point doesn’t have the same properties as the rest of the rod blank, so ideally, unbreakable rods would be one piece.
So, the most unbreakable rod would be a relatively light, extremely flexible, one-piece spinning rod. Of course, you could make a casting rod with these properties but those are mostly used for larger and heavier lures and fish. Almost unbreakable casting rods exist, but their selection on the market is a bit smaller.
The problem with unbreakable rods is that the rods have features like sensitivity, which shouldn’t be ignored when constructing a rod, and that limits your options. You could use thick round piece of wood and put a reel on it, but that defeats the purpose of a rod and angler has no feedback from the fish. So, building the unbreakable rod is limited by other factors.
What is the Strongest Fishing Rod Material?
The strongest fishing rod material is probably graphite.
But, it is not just the materiel that determines the breaking point, it is the production process too. Actually, some of the unbreakable rods on the markets use other materials in addition to graphite too, to combine the best properties.
Graphite fishing rod is usually something that a bit more experienced anglers used due to higher price, and often faster action than a beginner would need. Now you may wonder how can flexibility and graphite be the strongest if the rod has fast action and only the tip bends on rods with fast action?
The answer is the material itself. Not every graphite is the same, and the bonds within the material can vary. Modern materials and manufacturing processes allow this material to bend past the breaking point.
Graphite is strong, and rods that are made from it have smaller diameter and lighter weight. Fiberglass is also flexible, but it is heavier. It is interesting that fiberglass is more resilient to damage caused by improper use such as accidental bumping into objects or dropping your rod.
Graphite, although almost unbreakable by the fish, can be damaged if you misuse the rod. Also, you can reduce the chance of rod snapping if you know how to properly handle it while fishing. Always lift with a handle and don’t grab the rod above it. It is designed in a way to use the whole blank for pressure distribution.
Another thing to avoid is lifting the tip and the fish when you reel in the fish close to your boat or a pier. This can break the tip. It is called “high lifting” and it applies too much weight on the upper part of the rod.
Although I mentioned these common beginner’s mistakes, don’t stress about it too much, learning how to properly fish is a process, and rods are necessary tools which are all replaceable.
How Much Force Does it Take to Break a Fishing Rod?
Fishing rod that won't break under pressure should be able to withstand unlimited forces. But, as I already mentioned, every rod can break. So, how much is needed to break it?
The answer to this question is not very simple, and giving a precise answer is hard. It depends on an angle in which you are holding the rod, any previous (often invisible) damage that can weaken it, and even the outside temperature. Giving a precise answer for real conditions, outside of the testing facilities, is almost impossible.
But what I can tell you is that the answer is: A lot!
It also depends on a rod type and material. Some people even tested the rods held at 45-degree angle, and applied weights to see at which point they will snap. Those are mostly common rods used for freshwater fishing, and some of them endured more than 50 pounds (25 kg), while some broke slightly over 25 (11kg).
There is a higher chance that your line will break, or hook deform, than a good rod to break.
What is the Strongest Fishing Rod in the World? [Brand & Model]
The strongest fishing rod in the world, advertised as unbreakable, is definitely Shakespeare Ugly Stick (especially GX2 Spinning type) rod (#ad).
It may not look like world’s strongest fishing rod, and it certainly doesn’t come at a price that would make you think it is somehow special. But the truth is that this rod has a long tradition as being unbreakable. You can even find many videos online where people are trying to break them. The rod can bend over almost completely and bounce back like nothing happened.
Its flexibility is extraordinary, but unfortunately, it is not very sensitive, so if you are looking for a sensitive rod, this one is not for you.
It is made from graphite and fiberglass, to make it as strong and as flexible as possible. It comes with a long manufacturers warranty, and everything is made in a way to have great durability, including the line guides.
You can get this rod in spinning or casting type, and in various sizes to be able to catch different species. Their secret lies in the special fiber layout through the center of the rod and a different one that is surrounding it.
This rod is great and even suitable for beginners, so if you want to have unbreakable rod, this is the way to go!
Some other "unbreakable" options and good brands are:
Conclusion
Unbreakable fishing rod is something than many of us would love to have, but unfortunately everything can break.
Some rods, like quality made graphite fishing rod can withstand brutal forces before they give in and break, and majority of anglers will never break them.
You do not need the world’s strongest fishing rod, especially if you are a beginner, and you should focus more on rod features like rod action and power, to learn how to fish properly. Even if you break some cheaper rod, don’t worry, it can happen to anyone!
Clean your rods regularly, store them properly, take care of them in transport, and even some cheaper, entry-level models will last a long time!
![What Does Fishing Rod Action Mean? [Explained]](/images/Fishing-for-beginners/Fishing-rod-action-explained.jpg)
