Bryce's Drop Shot rod

[Tavery5]

Nice looking rod, you will have to let us know what you think of the recoil guides after you get a chance to use it.

[DVT Mike]

How do you like the Phenix blanks? I've been wanting to try one but just haven't gotten around to it.

[WaffleJaw]

Originally Posted by DVT Mike

How do you like the Phenix blanks? I've been wanting to try one but just haven't gotten around to it.

Mike this was my first as well...I liked it from the little time I got to test cast and handle it...Thicker walls and a fatter taper,so it should be a powerful little rod..On the softer action side which I like as well...Im still adjusting/figuring out recording RDA on blanks...My readings have been a little off,But I would have like to have recorded this blank...Oh well,guess Ill have to build another.

I would definitely like to build one for myself this coming year.


This was also my first set of REC to wrap...The soldering on the guides were awful..I think I spent close to two hours polishing all the guides to get all the burrs off...Im not sure if thats the norm or not.
Other than that they were fine.
This was a pic I sent Bryce of one of the running guides.

[nofearengineer]

This will be my 7th rod with recoils, so it's safe to say I like them.

[bassboogieman]

Reasonalbe has varing degrees, but Walker will build you what you want. Major expense are the components, you can spend considerable money there, especailly on the blank. I had one built on a North Forks Composite blank and that is an expensive blank as were the guides I wanted. Walker's build cost (labor) is VERY FAIR. What he produces is comparable in price to a quality rod bought off the rack, but is IMO a better value as well as personalized. I highly recommend him.

[Ranger Guy]

The rod looks very nice indeed! Just out of curiosity is that foam handle type a customers choice or yours personally? I have to have cork myself.

I really like the old style KVD signature series rods as far as an off the shelf rod. Great feel and long handles. The only rod that I don't like a long handle on is a 6'6 used exclusively for top water walking baits. I wouldn't purchase a new one just because it has foam. I just can't get used to the unnatural feel of the foam vs the cork.

I assume that either one is available on a custom rod?

[WaffleJaw]

Originally Posted by Ranger Guy

The rod looks very nice indeed! Just out of curiosity is that foam handle type a customers choice or yours personally? I have to have cork myself.

I really like the old style KVD signature series rods as far as an off the shelf rod. Great feel and long handles. The only rod that I don't like a long handle on is a 6'6 used exclusively for top water walking baits. I wouldn't purchase a new one just because it has foam. I just can't get used to the unnatural feel of the foam vs the cork.

I assume that either one is available on a custom rod?

Thanks ,and yes..The client picks what he wants for the handle material...I currently only do Cork and Eva ,but there are several handle materials available.

The carbon fiber handles are suppose to be in the same realm of weight as cork and eva...But Ive yet to try and make a set...But I hear good things!
Or you can do X wrap tubing over EVA for a more textured grip

[nofearengineer]

It looks like I will have to wait a little longer to enjoy a Nelson.

I tracked the package, and it said delivered. However, when I got home, I didn't see it standing in the doorway. I was worried it had been stolen.

When I walked up, I found it lying on the ground, under the bushes. Whew.

Uh...not so whew.

When I picked it up, there was a sick elbow in the shipping tube. I prayed for it to be the tip end. My prayers were not answered.

When I got the rod inside into the light, I found the tube clearly marked "handle", right next to the dogleg. I shot Walker a picture. I was afraid he might think I was playing a joke, but man...I would never joke about that.

I pulled it out of the tube, and can see through the bubble wrap that yes, it was broken in twain right below the first guide. I still haven't gotten up the will to take it out of the bubble wrap. It is still lying in my kitchen floor...I had to just walk away.

Oh well, I'm shipping the pieces back to Walker so he can re-use the guides. I had thought about having him make another rod for me at some point...I just didn't figure it would be so soon.

At least it was insured.

By the way...F*** Fed-Ex.

[bassboogieman]

My tube was broken and bent a bit too, upon arrival. But the rod was undamaged, thankfully. Sorry to hear of the shipping issue pal, I know how sick I felt when I saw the tube on the porch. That is the WORST feeling, after all the anticipation, to have the shipper wreck your day.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Looks like an awesome job, Walker. I can't wait to catch my first dink on it.

Yeah, I purposefully had Walker make the handle a little longer, so the balance would be improved.

As for colors matching...check out the reel I'm putting on it.



Now that is pretty darned close.

That reel on that rod is going to look absoltely amazing!!! Beautiful job as always Walker. I just hope Bryce hasn't forgotten our agreement regarding breaking in the new outfit, just to make sure everything is going to be perfect.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by keithdog

That reel on that rod is going to look absoltely amazing!!! Beautiful job as always Walker. I just hope Bryce hasn't forgotten our agreement regarding breaking in the new outfit, just to make sure everything is going to be perfect.

Sadly I think that Fedex took it upon themselves to "break" in the rod.


Bryce and Walker I am sorry this happened. It drives me nuts how Fedex and UPS seem to care less how they treat peoples packages. I hope your claim goes smooth and the next rod goes a lot smoother. Walker I don't know of your already do this or not, and in this case it wouldn't have made any difference. But I know a lot of guys will tie a piece of heavy braid to the handle of the rod and then run the braid through a small hole they poke in the cap of the tube. Then they will run the braided line up the outside of the tube and wrap tape around it. This will keep the rod pulled down to the bottom of the tube and keep the tip from getting slammed against the top of the tube and breaking the rod tip. Of course you would still want to use some padding in there too. But like I said, that wouldn't have done any good here.

[keithdog]

Are you kidding me? Seriously??? If so, that makes me feel ill. If thats true, pics should be posted on Youtube of what they did.

[Jrob78]

Absolutely sickening! There isn't really much to say, FedEx sucks. Hopefully they will make it right in a timely manner.

[bcklash]

This is just terrible. Waffle sent Adam's in a reenforced tube and I'll bet a months pay he done the same for Bryces, it would be hard to break the rod. So Fedex was just plain careless. They suck.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

That is sickening to the third degree. Sorry for both of y'all.

[WaffleJaw]

I dont have much to say about it now...Ive had time and drinks to calm down a bit...Bryce you know I got your back on replacing the rod and making it right.Like I said on the phone it'll all be re-order tomorrow and I hate that this happened and Im sorry.

Part of me is embarrassed but the other part knows that Fedex did some serious,serious damage to make that rod tube bend like that...I hit those tubes with a hammer ,stood on them and jumped,slapped them against tables ,etc...I put way too much time into these builds to just toss em out the door....And after Bruce sent me the photos of his tube,I started reinforcing them the best I could...That ****ing tube weights close to 7 lbs by itself as much **** and time I put into it!!

(calming down,calming down)


Anyway....I thought I solved that problem..But a bend like that I cant deny....Ill swallow my pride and start using PVC to ship.Even though it doesnt guarantee safe travel but Fedex proved that thier careless ****ing service is greater than my engineering.....and I cant win.

As a builder I had to face the fact that this is gonna happen from time to time...All I can do is make it right and make it better!...Which I will!

But Fedex is getting an *** chewing tomorrow for sure....

Sorry for all the *'s .....

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by WaffleJaw

I dont have much to say about it now...Ive had time and drinks to calm down a bit...Bryce you know I got your back on replacing the rod and making it right.Like I said on the phone it'll all be re-order tomorrow and I hate that this happened and Im sorry.

Part of me is embarrassed but the other part knows that Fedex did some serious,serious damage to make that rod tube bend like that...I hit those tubes with a hammer ,stood on them and jumped,slapped them against tables ,etc...I put way too much time into these builds to just toss em out the door....And after Bruce sent me the photos of his tube,I started reinforcing them the best I could...That ****ing tube weights close to 7 lbs by itself as much **** and time I put into it!!

(calming down,calming down)


Anyway....I thought I solved that problem..But a bend like that I cant deny....Ill swallow my pride and start using PVC to ship.Even though it doesnt guarantee safe travel but Fedex proved that thier careless ****ing service is greater than my engineering.....and I cant win.

As a builder I had to face the fact that this is gonna happen from time to time...All I can do is make it right and make it better!...Which I will!

But Fedex is getting an *** chewing tomorrow for sure....

Sorry for all the *'s .....

Dude there isn't anything to be emberassed about Walker. You made a kick a$$ rod and sent it out in a re-enforced tube that should have actually been overkill as far as protecting the rod goes. There is no way you can make anything bulletproof when there are careless idiots in the mix as a wildcard. Like you said a PVC tube doesn't even guarantee safe arrivals of rods, I know of one rod that was shipped in a PVC tube and UPS ran the forks of a forklift through it right between the two "Fragile" stickers. Don't beat yourself up man.

[bassboogieman]

I think FedEx, especially, sees "Fragile" stickers like a bull sees a red flag (think the recent You Tube vids). Why else would a tube be damaged in such a way. It really looks intentional - accidental damage, looking like that tube, is difficult to imagine. I know the shipping companies use automated sorting and it's possible one end got caught then another (heavy) package might have impacted it, but it looks like it was set between supports and whacked with a length of pipe smack dab in the middle. And really, when the package finally gets in the hands of a LIVE PERSON, shouldn't common sense dictate to open the package and inspect it? That the contents would be damaged looks like a very high percentage possibility to me. Why deliver damaged goods. With the You Tube videos of the last couple weeks, businesses like FedEx and UPS should be especially sensitive to the delivery of "damaged goods". But in any case, Thank God for INSURANCE! I bet the delivery guy was praying hard that no one was home when he delivered that tube, and I'll also bet he was very lucky his prayer was answered.........

[Dogmatic]

Sickening, yes, but it's freakin' tragic when you look at the time wasted! You just can't get that back.

[nofearengineer]

Walker, it wasn't your fault. We've already been over that. Of the 15 or so rods I've had delivered to my house, only two were shipped in PVC (both by Cabelas...kudos to them), so it's not like you did anything different than anyone else.

The tube was reinforced with another layer of cardboard. It should have been fine.

The problem is, as the old saying goes...make something idiot proof, and they'll just find a bigger idiot. I am soooo reminded of the old American Tourister commercial.

By the way, I taped the rod together to check the balance. It feels pretty good. I'm going to do a better job this weekend and make my final decision on the handle before I ship it back to you next week.

Oh, and the decals, wraps, grips, etc. all look amazing. Camera phone photos just don't do the 3D-ness of the decals justice.

[Ranger Guy]

I've had 1 bad experience with Fed-Ex ground but many with UPS. I hate them both but I'll go get it myself before I'll use big brown! We haven't used them at work for almost 12 years.

I'm assuming you had the rod insured so in any case hopefully nobody will be out any money.

I've been searching for some of the older KVD rods that I like and found a few and 2 came in cardboard tubes, both were bent a lil somewhere but none were damaged. 1 came in PVC with of course no damage. One end was a plug glued on and the other end had a screw in cap and was taped up & over with cardboard (probably so you could not tell it was a screw on cap).

This really does suck but am glad you guys have it all worked out

[joedog]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C-e96m4730
You sure that's not a Fedex training film?
The whole story makes me sick.
Croix has a return policy and you pay shipping back to factory.
I once had to return a pole due to damage I inflicted. Anyway the cost of mailing a complete rod is flat out outrageous to start with. Gets better.
The person at the desk said that they had a deal with Croix and they replace for the life of the rod anyways The counter idiot recomended I break it in two so I could ship it cheaper.
I really feel for both of you but the Rod builders out there must cringe everytime they mail a completed rod out.
Two words, THAT SUX!

[bamabassman]

OOOOHHHH MMMMMYYYYYYYY LORD!!!! walker, bryce.........i am so sorry about this. that rod was a TRUE work of art. i tell ya folks, after seeing what happens to rods when shipped by either fed-ex, or UPS...i don't know HOW or WHO i would use now. i have a couple of rods i want to ship, but there isn't a price on these. after i figure out who to use, i'll tell you waht i am wanting to do.


MAN.......this jsut really scares the he77 outta me.


again, i am sorry aobut that beaut of a rod guys.

[docirv]

Nice work, Nelson....

[joedog]

FedEx is expected to join its major competitor, UPS, and become: FedUP.