berkley lightning rod

[DEADEYE NICK]

I have just recently purchased a Gary Roach signature lightning rod 6'2", medium action,
I didn't buy it for the signature , but because of the stiff action.My question is is it an IM-8 IM-7 or what? All it says on the rod is IM.
What is the highest grade of graphite?
I mounted a Penn reel on it.This is the first
Penn I have ever had , I don't know if it is defective or what ,but when I filled my bail with line, there is more line on the top and on the bottom and not a lot in the middle.Any suggestions?

[dummie]

I would email www.pennreels.com and tell them the problem. They are very helpful. Myself I don't know why that would happen. Good fishing, God bless.

[dummie]

pennreels@pennreels.com

[Phil T.]

Graphite numbers make the ad agency's job easier. The resins that hold the graphite together are probably more important than whether the graphite is 7,8 or whatever. The better rod makers use high grade resins. As it was described in a flyfishing website, think of the graphite (or fiberglass) as the rerod, the resin as the concrete. I believe the analogy. Last year an new IM7 rod made an ugly cracking sound the first time it was strained by a snag. It found a new home via the "Goodwill" store.

[MarbleEye's]

I dont know if this would be true in your case but i learned how to build a rod earlier this year. The first thing you do after the glue sets up is to take the rod and pretend you have the buggest fish of your lifetime on, when i did this it almost gave me a heart attack all of the glue will crack but after that it is fine. This may have been the same in your case, mabey not.
ASo did you throw a perfectly good rod away?
MarbleEyes

[Box]

I believe it's an IM7.

About the reel, have you tried letting it all out when at trolling speed, then cranking it back up again under a little tension? Maybe it's just the "first spooling" of the reel that sucks. I've seen that before on shimanos...

Box
MN

[Phil T.]

Maybe, but I doubt it. I'd heard that sound before, as a graphite downrigger rod exploded just above the grip, spraying my face with graphite shrapnel. One of the few times I was grateful for the need for prescription glasses.