As graphite technology has moved forward in recent years and blanks have gotten lighter and more sensive they have also gotten more fragile. High modulus carbon fiber is brittle by nature and the higher the modulus the more brittle the material becomes. Still, advanced carbon fiber blanks are enormously powerful for their weight and can handle fish far beyond what they ”feel” like they should be able to control. So, how do we address the advantages of advanced carbon fiber against the inherent fragility of the material? The answer is pretty simple – you need to take better care of rods made of these cutting edge materials. Follow the suggestions below and your finished rod will provide the most rewarding angling experience you could hope for.
Shop Testing the Flex:
When your blank arrives, use an accepted method of testing the flex. Don’t grab the tip and curl it toward the butt, advanced carbon fiber does not like an unnatural bend. Push the tip gently against the ceiling or floor or hold the rod in the mid-section and push the tip downward with an open palm.
Fighting Position:
This is perhaps the most misunderstood use of any rod. Many fishermen believe that raising the rod tip puts more pressure on the fish when in fact, once the rod tip passes 90-degrees to the butt, the rod is actually losing power. The blank’s power lies in the mid and butt section of the rod, and learning to use this section during a fight will enhance your chances of landing the fish. from 0 to about 45-degrees, the rod is doing maximum work. Strive to use the power stored in the mid and butt section and you will be amazed at the power delivered from such a lightweight blank. For snagged lures, point the rod directly at the snag and pull directly on the snag. Do not risk your blank on a snag.
Landing Position:
Poor landing technique accounts for almost as many broken tips as car doors and is not covered under any manufacturers warranty. Never bring a fish boatside and point the rod straight up to try to lift the fish into the boat. Fine carbon tips will not withstand this sort of radical, high pressure bend. Instead, guide smaller fish alongside the boat and, again using the power of the mid and butt section, lift the fish quickly into the boat without excessively bending the tip section. If the fish is too large to ”boat flip”, extend the rod a full arms length away from and behind you (and the fish) to reduce the amount of bend needed to reach down and lip, net or gaff the fish. Always finish a fight with an amount of line equal to the length of the rod. A 7 foot rod should have 7 feet of line (minimum) beyond the tip when landing a fish.
Fighting Angle:
Many fishermen tend to point the rod skyward and crank hard when fighting a fish when it is often more effective to move the rod to the side. Fish often do not seem to want to come up, but will move more easily to the side allowing you to recover more line faster. And remember, any time your blank bend passes the 90-degree mark, your rod is losing power.
High Reaching:
Regardless of how big the fish is or how tired you become, never reach up the rod to try and gain a leverage advantage. In effect you are removing any portion of the rod below your hand and fighting the fish with a shorter, less powerful rod. Breakage is common in these scenarios.
The above suggestions are not new, they have long been the best and most effective way to hook and land fish of all kinds. They are universally accepted for fly rods as well as bait or spin cast rods, and for light or heavy tackle. Adapting your fishing style to these suggestions will assure a long and productive life for your new POINT Blank, and more fun than you’ve ever had on the water!
POINT BLANK™ LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY & SERVICE POLICY
All POINT BLANK™ rod blanks are manufactured to exacting standards and inspected twice before shipping. Occasionally however, blank failures may occur due to unseen defects in materials or workmanship. Blank technicians can quickly determine the cause of a failure and those blanks deemed defective (by POINT BLANK™ technicians) will be replaced at no charge under a LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY. Sales Receipts must accompany any/all warranty claims.
Warranty claims must be made directly to POINT BLANK™ and no other entity (dealer, wholesaler or rod repair business) is authorized to offer warranty services on any POINT BLANK™ product. Any alteration or attempt to repair by any company other than POINT BLANK™ will void the factory warranty. Shipper is responsible for delivery of the blank to POINT BLANK in a condition that will show the original failure.
POINT BLANK™ offers a very high-modulus, very lightweight product that is exceptionally durable, however, damage from misuse, accident or normal wear are not covered under this warranty (see “Care and Use Instructions” included with your blank). Judgment of misuse will be the sole responsibility of POINT BLANK™. Should a blank be deemed not under warranty, POINT BLANK™ will offer the same blank or a comparable blank at a replacement cost. POINT BLANK™ will advise you of the cost of replacement and acquire your approval before proceeding.
When returning a blank, ALL pieces must be shipped and should not be altered other than the removal of components you wish to reuse. POINT BLANK cannot be responsible for the removal and/or return of any guides, handles, grips, reel seats or any other components added to the blank. The POINT BLANK™ WARRANTY COVERS THE BLANK ONLY and does not cover direct, indirect, consequential, incidental or any other type of damage resulting from the use of the blank (Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitations may not apply to you). This warranty does not cover the cost of your time and material to build the warranteed blank as a custom rod builder. This warranty gives you specific legal rights; you may also have other rights that vary from state to state.
A COPY OF THE SALES RECEIPT, AND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $35.00 SHIPPING AND HANDLING COSTS MUST ACCOMPANY ALL WARRANTY CLAIMS.
Mail Warranty Claims to:
POINT Blank,
400 E. Section Ave.
Foley AL 36535