received shimano fishing rod as a gift from north american fishing club as well as a shimano fishing reel. On my first time using the rod  i got a bit and went to set the hook and the end tip of the rod broke and slid down the line. not a very good way to entice members to spread the good word about the club.

You are not the first to have this problem. Seems the maroon colored rods are worse than the older blue/grey rods. Some members have reported that they were able to get a replacement tip section from Shimano directly. Most of those trying for a replacement through the club have been frustrated. Tom

maybe the club needs to switch to giving out ugly sticks(see prior forum post)

Brian

I am waiting for my free pole. I live in Oregon and I have some really good secret Small Mouth Bass spots and I have been haveing problems with my poles snapping in half setting the hook into 5-7 pond  Bass. Last week I broke two poles I cant afford a G-Lomis so I just have to deal with it.

G.loomis rods tend to be on the brittle side as sell, but it all depends on the user.  I've hook set into big fish with a St.Croix Premiere rod of light power only.  I make sure to not raise my rod beyond 10 O'clock position.  The rod tip will never reach a 90 degree angle.

I've read alot on this forum about how crappy the rod is... I've had mine for 4 years and use it all the time.

i am done wishing and hoping for this rod, i just got a compre and a crucial, and im so damn happy with them i dont need the crappy free rod or reel

FISH ON!  BE HAPPY . A LIFE  MEMBER

You still cryin huh A Landers, My 10 year old neice cries too and storms out of the room saying she doesn't want it anymore either when she's all pouty.

Alanders,
Thought you were leaving the club yet every time I turn to the forum you show up with a mouth full of profanity.  Thought you were going to change but to change you have to go in a different direction.  Hope I did not offend you but in my family we call it "tough love".  The truth hurts sometimes but it will make you a better fisherman and a more importantly a better man!  Uncle Tom Good luck and good fishing!

YOU ARE A LOOSE CHRISTIAN THINKING YOU ARE ABOVE JUDGEMENT. YOU ARE A SCAVENGER. I'VE BEEN ABOVE YOUR STATUS FOR YEAR'S SINCE1966. SCHUCKS  I EVEN WAS A CHRISTAIN IN VIET NAM.  SAW THREE ANGEL'S,  THERE WHOM WERE
SHROUDING ME FROM ALL HARM YOU  DARE JUDGE ME !  PRAY HARD FOR STRENGHT
I' SEND WRAITH AM JUSTIFIED PAPN YOUR WAY . HOW DARE YOU JUDGE ME DUCK AND COVER YOURSELF WIT MORE PRAYERS THAN YOU CAN FIND . HOW DARE YOU I HAVE MORE GODLY POWER WITHIN ME THEN ,U EVER COULD FIND.

Jtapp,

Great looking Kids.  Enough love in that picture to strengthen all of us.  Thanks for sharing it with us.  Good luck and good fishing!  Uncle Tom

Shrink that avatar please!

how do i do that ????that big really? oboy............how big is it.............

Thank You Uncle Tom. Well said and well put. Now I must strike while the water is smooth and go throw a jitter bug and see what makes my ripple wiggle...... 

Post script here guys. About the avatar being so big, I don't think anything can be done about this feed now that the edit is past, But for refrence The avatar can be reduced using windows photo gallery and save to replace the old file and then
re-downloaded to his NAFC avatar file. That should take care of any feeds in other forums. I forgot who it was already as I'm anxious to get on the water before the wind starts up again. Have fun ev1.

I just wish I could get my crappy rod!!!

DEAFOLDCOOT

hey everybody seems to be crying about broken fishing rods they got for free well i wish i could even try one out cant afford new ones since i got hurt from work god bless you .......ed

RE: Mr jtapp posted July 10
Sorry guys, but I can't let this kind of stuff just slide by.  What in the world triggered this kind of reply to anything posted?  I don't know whether to be offended or amused by such an open display of hypocrisy and bad spelling.  Either way, I don't think this kind thing of belongs in a fishing forum.  And that's all I have to say about that. 

so i have corpal tunnel or bursitis in both hands and shake
( my hands do to bursitis an medical will not repair my hand's till thet are at critical point)
make fun of a war viet who has been gut shot stabbed in the back twice resued 5 men from a pow camp ,,,an is on o2 24/7 at flw 3 and whom fishes in a round boat at 300 to 400 ft water depth w. o2 on me ......make your snears an joke about me chump at least your leavin some else aalone go for it ive got more ball.; than you'll ever have..............

RE: Mr. Tapp
i was hoping to drop this subject and will after this. I apologize if you were insulted. I too am an over 60 grandpa and a natural born smarta**. Make no mistake, I appreciate your service to our country along with all veterans. My previously poorly stated point is that insults and rants do not belong on this forum. There are a lot of young people who read these posts so let's try to be more civil. Good luck and catch a bunch.

Hi Everyone!
I heard about 3 weeks ago from a Rep of the fishing club that the poles are on back order by 2 months.

thanks for going through all of that in war  for us. But hey.  Go fishing, relax and love life , keep the Beer cold . Here ya go war vet. This buds for you bud keep fishing for that trophy

Sounds like a good idea!  The problem is mass production.  Wonder how many life members the club takes in every year or even every month?  Or even better how many rods do they order at a time?  Every company knows some rods will not hold up and usually big orders go to the lowest bidders.  The only way you can bid low is to cut some corners somewhere.  We hear about the things that go wrong and justifiably so.  Why not take a month and ask those life members who have gotten rods that held up to write a post.  I would be interested in how gifts have progressed from the beginning of club until now!
Maybe our charter members could share a little of club's history or include article in next magazine of club's history.  Thanks!  Uncle Tom

I try to stay away from this subject, but here goes. There have been numerous reports of the life member rods breaking. I don't fish with mine, so I don't know firsthand. I have read posts from members who were able to get a replacement section directly from Shimano. I also met a member (who does not post here) who fishes with his life member rod regularly with no problems. I did note that his rod was a charcoal color, the one I recieved is more of a maroon color. I would also think that only some of the rods break, I wonder what the percentage is? I sure would like to use mine, but have no confidence. I would hate to lose a fish to a broken rod again, I lost my first ever musky at the boat due to a snapped rod. Never again if I can help it! Tom

I've built rods and I've bought rods but for the life of me I can only remember breaking one rod and it was almost fifty years ago and not on the hook set but about halfway to the boat and I am pretty sure I did not know diddly sqat about how to set the drag on my reel.  After some great times fishing in salt water I learned how important and how much fun proper drag setting could be.  Now for page two: 1) had a close friend step from the dock into boat and brake three B & M crappie rods  2) had young teenage friend brake four Fenwick rods, three on separate occasions and two in one morning by running his hand up rod to lift bass into boat 3) broke tip off one rolling up electric window in Chevy Blazer 4) broke two in tail gate of truck 5) broke one by setting anchor for John boat in bed of truck 6) broke at least two shutting door of truck and my favorite way is 7) spooling line during which I raised tip of rod into ceiling fan and twice in my favorite tackle shop belonging to my lifelong fishing partner raised tip into ceiling fan to look at new rods that immediately became mine--always believe he put fan in ceiling just for me--know what I mean?  No wonder I have so many Ugly Sticks--forty dollars is easier to replace than $300.00  Give some thought to how many rods you have broken and the ways to do it!  Uncle Tom

hhhhmmmmmmm, all i can say about this -- because i didn't recieve a life member rod when i became a lifer, because they weren't giving rods at that time-- i have broken many rods and almost all of them was because of something that i did. like drop something on them, didn't pertect them good enough when traveling or when i was goofing around and doing something that i shouldn't have been with them or should i say using a rod for something that it wasn't intended to be used.

only once have i broke a rod when i set the hook and it was a brand new rod, 1st time using it. i think the rod was cracked be for i bought it and after working at walmart in the sporting goods section i can see why we can buy a rod already broken and not know it.

oh ya i didn't buy it at wally world or that kind of a store......

I caught my frst bass on a spinnerbait and I was using the Life Member Rod & Reel. Then I caught that 5.5 pounder on my same spinnerbait and the same Rod & Reel from N.A.F.C. life member. I like the free rod & reel and I'll use it till it breaks down or I'll break down, which ever comes first.
Dennis
Thanks N.A.F.C. for the Rod & Reel.

back when I became a lifer the Rod was a shimano pack rod with a reel. Still use it and love it. In a way I wish that they had the personalized rods when I joined. I hope that the club gets this issue with the rods worked out soon.

Brian

Had my Lifer half paid up and then after I paid off my Life Membership and around 60 to 90 days after I received the rod. It had my name on shaft half way up and also had the N.A.F.C; emblem put just before my name! But it's a shimano rod & reel, so if you like Shimano and trust the name of the company you will like it also.
Dennis

Sure was nice to check the mail this morning and there it was!  My new shimano fishing rod with my name on it.  Completes the Deal!  Haven't had a chance to fish with it yet.  Going to take some time after lunch and mount my new shimano reel and spool some line and by late afternoon it should be ready for a cast or two around the pone--can hardly wait to tell you guys what I caught.  Its official I am life member paid up in full and have received all my free gifts.  Have any of you read the newest book from the bookclub.  It talks about the history of rods, reels, line, hooks, lures, etc.  Well worth the money.  I have read it through twice and find something new every time.  Don't you just love a book like that.  In my opinion well worth the money and gets a perfect 10.  Good luck!  Good Fishing!  Good Reading!  Uncle Tom 

Good to hear uncle Tom. Does the club still give out a tackle binder with life membership also?

Brian

brain, are ya talking about the lure binder?

i got the tackle tote with a lure binder in it when i became a lifer about 20yrs ago.....

Yep! Just wondering what all the good folks are getting now days. I have used the binder a bunch.
Brian

Posted By troutman3 on 10 Aug 2010 09:32 PM
Hello everyone!! are you catching a lot of fish? You know I would be interested in how gifts have progressed from the beginning of club until now!too

Hey troutman. in 99 when I became a life member the package was a diawa pack rod and spinning reel, a lure binder, belt buckle and a patch plus some stickers.

Brian

Some of this stuff on here is better than big time wrestling.

I broke the tip of my pole also.  I called the club and they said send the whole pole back and they would take care of it.  That was 7-8-11.  Today, almost 2 months later, I recieved my new pole in the mail.  I opened the box and guess what!?  They send me a new tip!  That was it, they still have my whole pole.  When I contacted them, after several people, I was told they would send me a new pole and reel but... it will take 1-2 months to ship them to me.  I asked them to over night it and they refused.  I will be ice fishing by the time I get my summer pole back!!!

There have been some posts in the past stating that some members have had better success dealing directly with Shimano concerning the broken tip on their member rod. Unfortuneatly this seems to be a common problem.

It kinda sucks hearin' so many members havin' trouble with their lifer rods. Not much you can do about waitin' for it to show, but if I broke the tip off of mine, I think I'd just get on line or head to Wally World and buy a whole new rod to get the top half. Those rods aren't expensive and it would be a lot faster and easier than going through the club for a replacement.

I broke the tip on mine while setting the hook on a nice northern. It was the first northern on my trip over Memorial Day to LOW. Sent it to Shimano the following week and got the replacement in tome for Labor Day. The northern got away too!! :>(

got my rod and reel with my membership.name is on it,which I think is cool. but I fished it once and caught a nice 11 inch perch.went home and hung the rod up over the doorway. nice conversation starter.think I'll just leave it there since I have 22 other rod and reel combo's to use.lol

I have used my Shimano rod and reel for two seasons now. In july of this year, I hooked into a lery large grass carp that made a last desperete run and broke my rod 8 inches above the middle connecting sleeves. I did a temperary fix in the field by useing a sharp knife, cut the two broken areas so they were net. I slid the top smaller section into the bottom section, placed a small amount of super glue in the larger section and sled the two togeather and held them togeather untill the super glue was dry. I then rapped some black electrical tape around the connection neatly.
Although I lost the grass carp that broke my rod, I keep useing it that day and landed four large mouths, five sunfish, three croppie, and one grass carp that was even bigger than the one that broke my rod. Although the rod is about four or five inches shorter, it still is fishable. I do plan to contact Shimano to see if I can get the top section (the half that broke) replaced. FYI I don't know what was going on this year but my Shimano rod was the third rod that broke this year. I was lucky in the asspect that I was able to repair two of the three rods.
My wife said that she would get me a new replacement for the rod I could not repair for my birthday in november. The three rods that I broke this year was the first rods to break on me in about twelve years. That's not to bad, at least I don't think so. Considering that I fish no less than four to five days a week, my grandchildren use them, and my wife also uses them. So I feel if I do loose a couple rods a year, owell. After all I do have around thirtyfive rod and reel combos.
With the most expensive combo costing me forty dollars was from my local bait shop on sale. That was for both rod and reel. Almost one third of my rods and reels I got at yard sales, another third I got as gifts. The last third I bought from different sporting shops, bait shops, and such. With none of the rods or reels casting me more than thirty five dollars for any one of them.
If your not a pro fishing for your next pay check, the cheaper rods and reels can and will work just as good as those costing 5 or 6 times more. I have a spinning rod I bought when I was fourteen, that cost me seven bucks. I still use it today, forty four years later. I've replaced the tip several times over the years, so the lenght is about seven or eight inches shorter than when it was new.
By the way, for my club friends from south jersey, I bought that rod at the Columbus Sale on rt. 206. great place to go and walk around and find great deals.