HM graphite in the cold?

[Woodsdweller]

Was thinking of picking up a St. Croix Avid 7'MF the other day. I want more sensitivity. The store clerk cautioned me, saying the higher modulus rods are quite breakable when the weather gets cold. Makes the graphite brittle. He said he had broken a few setting the hook on big fish. I've heard this once before, so I thought I'd ask if anyone out there has an opinion. Would I be OK, or should I stick to IM6-7? I fish as long as the water is open, and some of those days are darn cold!

Thanks,
Woodsdweller

[Fin Addict]

I have used Loomis IMX, St Croix Legend Elite, Techna AV, Sage, and other high modulous rods all winter long in MN. From winter trout season to fishing open water year round on the river I have never broken a rod on a fish. I am frequently having to thaw ice out of the guides - any colder than that and you would be ice fishing only. Bites are more subtle and presentations are more delicate when it is cold, so this is when the better rods really shine. If you will be jigging or rigging, get the best rod you can afford.

[Cangl]

My expereince with rod breaking is limited to one of those rods and it a jigging rod so it should be safe I suppose. These new rods have added a new wrinkle to fishing shows you never used to see "pow" broken rods!! Some one piece rods come home in 3 piece's bet that guy did not he was spending a couple a hundred on a "transformer". Proably do not throw splinters like they used to modulous and all. With lower end graphites you seldom break off at the handle either what's up with that? That's the thickest area of the blank?

[mac]

I wanted to get some practice flycasting in prior to a trip to warmer climes and asked the Winston engineer. He said no problem down to -50 degrees with graphite. Says temp doesn't affect graphite.

[Phil T.]

Back when I didn't mind the cold so much, I used to fish our dam's tailrace in cold weather. I found graphite rods to be too brittle/expensive for fishing in freezing weather. But then, I'm not convinced that I need an IM7 rod for most fishing, so tend to buy the IM6 rods because they are harder to break. For high rod stress fishing (downrigging), I still use fiberglass. I don't like shrapnel in the face.

[REW]

I do have to admit that for the short - 20-40 inch ince fishing rods: I have switched to all fiberglass rods.

I used to make lots of hollow graphite ice rods, made from the cut off timps of fly rods.

Very very light and sensitive.

However, after breaking about 6 - while setting the hook on a fish, I have gone to either solid graphite or solide fibergalass.

Most of the rods are solid fiberglass, since it is simply easier to ge a nice "soft
actin in a short "30" inch fiberglass rod - but the same action - in a graphite rod of "adequate strength" is tough to come by.

Take care
REW

[Mattman]

Cold does not effect grapite. Well, at least not the cold anyone would even survive in. This has been a topic on the rod building mesage boards before. Several replies from rod blank engineers and the rod building guru himself (TK) came back with a resounding NO WAY. Actually, many graphites actually start to perform better under cold conditions.


Better to have and not need than to need and not have!

Matt Davis