maybe the blank had been compromised? the rod was only 3 months old and i take great care of my equipment. purchased at academy but i have no idea where the receipt is but im still looking for it. folded up on a hookset and bruised my arm up where the butt of the rod was sitting.

never seen it from my falcons. they can flat take some punishment

i loved this rod and planned on purchasing atleast 2 more.

possible that it had an issue and after a few months it had weakened enough?

free replacement

You or someone most likely stepped on it anyway it was crushed at some point somehow!!! I broke a rod at the red river and the break is exactly like that! I stepped up to let Raymond get around me and I heard a pop! I assume the rod was across another rod! That is not a defective break from all the rods I have seen broke. It was broke before you set the hook! I could not see the break when it happened but it seemed fine when I flipped it until I hung some grass and put some pressure on it then I could see the split!

I broke one at Berkley tourney exactly like that. First cast of a jig and it snapped. Had that rod for several years but Falcon said send it to them and they'll either warranty replace it or give me a new one at a discounted price.

Academy should replace it with no questions.. at least they did for me anyways

I've seen Academy take back rods/reels without a receipt. Might want to give it a try.

I purposely broke an H2O rod by stepping on it. It broke in the same fashion.

EDIT: Before I get crucified, it was to make the rod fit in the trash can where it belonged. Not to exhange a $20 garbage rod for another.

Rods break. Use the warranty to get a replacement if Academy won't take it back. I always say it's a manufacturer issue when it breaks and its only been used a few times....

Heck some days I don't use my "new" rod much and it might be a few trips before I actually catch a fish that could break it. I ran into that issue at BPS. Broke a heavy action rod I rarely used on a 12" fish. They wouldn't return it due to not having the receipt even though they looked it up under my rewards card.

Sucks now days to have to keep track of hundreds of receipts and then to actually go back and find the one you need....next to impossible.

I broke my 9 weight fly rod pulling the fly out of the grass a few months ago. It was about 4 months old and used twice....with very limited fish catches.

BTW those not familiar with fly rod weights...9 weight is used for smaller tarpon, bull redfish, ect....so pulling my fly out of grass should not have broken it.

I sent it back to Redington and within 2 days I got a replacement. I was really pleased!!

Usually they have been stepped on when they break like that.

I can say without a doubt since I have purchased the rod its never been abused in any way.

this was the first time however I used braid on that rod and was flipping docks.

I didn't even consider taking it to them without a receipt.

Well he did buy it at Academy.....LOL! I don't trust them too much now days.

And we know how UPS is delivery products now days (watch the news last 2 days?) .....and trucking companies aren't any better. I deal with their blunders daily. Knuckle heads!! I get boxes that say "Fragile handle like glass" ect ect....and you will see a foot print of a knuckle head who walked his way across the box. Footprints don't lie!

Or even better yet a fork lift skid torn hole all the way down the box.....they know to drop those off and haul butt before you notice the damage. Shipper always find a way out of it too....thus putting the cost back on the manufacturer.

bass bust im from longview as well we need to get together and catch some fish. I fish alone 90% of the time.

Oh shoot, you have to go back to Longview Academy to return it?

If that old blonde hair hag is at the door turn around and go back later. I gave up on that store moons ago....apparently they follow corporate rules to a T....they won't budge either like other TFF say their local store does.

I am still waiting on the deer feeder they had on sale last week for $99. $100 off. They never had them in stock, no one knows when they will come in, I have called and even been told..."oh yeah we got them here!" only to find out...I know more than they do about what they have and don't have. I got my sales flyer signed and plan on getting my feeder....may be after deer season....but by golly they are going to honor my ad! Sorry for my rant....I keep telling myself to not go back in there....but when you are limited options, you filter back in there to try again.

I will send you a PM and let's go sometime!

and after it happened I didn't know the extent and the break wasn't near as bad looking. I attempted a cast and it folded back up. After that I bent the rod again to see the extent of the damage.

right after the initial break i couldnt even tell. I just heard it.

ANY academy will replace it ... FREE...without receipt...

All rods break every single one of them hahaha. I build my own rods ,and I am my own warranty. Keep your rods out of the rod boxes will also help contribute to bruises.

the sad part is i REALLY liked that rod.

never put in in a rod box. my box only fits rods up to 7'.

get it replaced, easy as that... it was stepped on.

Where that rod broke is the absolute toughest part of the rod blank. It's like breaking your femur! Toughest bone in the body. I would guess this rod was stepped on at some point. It takes tremendous force to break a rod blank in that spot

Did your arm bruise heal up? Looks like a pretty serious injury....

did you or someone else maybe step on it?

thats why i was so bamboozled when it happened and asked. ive never broken a rod before, let alone how it was broken.

i know beyond a shadow of a doubt since i have owned that rod it was never abused in any way, shape, or form. always in my possession. NEVER stepped on.

bruise is still there. battle wounds!!!

i feel like $150 dollars is down the drain by no mistake on my end. like mr z520 cranker said its the toughest part of the blank so i took to the web to find more people who could shed some light on the situation.

Thats funny

A little trick: I take a quick cellphone pic of all of my high dollar purchases. Make sure you get the receipt number and date in the frame. A copy of the receipt can be made with this info.

academy wouldnt return the rod.

talked with the guys at falcon and need to ship them the rod. i took the rod to ups and the total was 48.11 to ship it to oklahoma. cant see where i want to put more money into this rod for them to come back and inform me there was a fault on my end and charge me $52 for a replacement.

needless to say i will no longer be purchasing falcon rods, and definitely not purchase a rod from academy ever again.

I have broken a lot of rods over the years, only a couple I could 100% say it was a defect and I in no way could have possibly contributed to the break. Most of the time at some point I had done something that compromised the blank and over time they broke.

Most of the rod manufacturers I have dealt with are easy to deal with if you are honest with them.

A lot of the times I just replace the rod and move along...

academy just take it back and get a new one, you don't need a receipt.

I think one factor that doesn't get mentioned much is what happens to the rods between the factory and your boat. The carbon fiber blanks will bruise and no one can visually see it. These bruises most times cause the rod to fail later. It amazes me how shoppers unintentionally will mishandle a rod and then put it back on the rack and then walk away.

I have. Broke a Falcon Bucoo Micro Heavy about 4" above the seat.
It was on a 8lb in the slop with 50lb braid. Took it back and swapped it
with no questions asked. Landed the fish too. No bruises.

Don't get me started about the guides popping inserts though. The
two Falcons I have left are gonna be my last. My "new" Bucoo
and my Amistad. Have since started buying StCroixs and want
to try some super highend stuff. Maybe I'll try a Megabass next.
Fishing gear to me is like my pool cues. Can't play pool for [censored],
but I shire like to try. And enjoy looking at the gear. Same for fishing.

I wanted to really like Falcons. Just can't. The sticks are dull, lifeless
POS rods.

Most academy's quit carrying Falcon rods last year. I don't know why you got charged $40 something dollars to ship it back. I have sent rods for warranty and sell and never been over $25 most of the time it's less than $20. I use US Postal service or Fed Ex.

That's shipping all across state and out to California also.

That section of the rod is the strongest part of the rod ,in my opinion. Who knows how it broke and what caused it for sure.

Academy will take anything back and exchange it with or without a receipt. Cash back might need a receipt. I can't believe some of the things I have taken back and they have exchanged without question.

Stan

Did anyone notice he said he tried returning it to Academy already but they refused to take it back? Its on one of his posts. You guys keep telling him to take it back are missing that he tried.

Apologies: Not trying to 'Hi-jack' the thread: Question: What about a 'Powell' rod? Ya'll have pretty much covered Falcon....on recent trip to All Pro Tackle, told $30 no questions asked on replacement, ever.
Have never used one....sure sounds good.... I'm still not in the class of buying the higher end ones yet. Heck, I don't think at this point I would be able to tell the difference other than 'broken'.
Thanks....

guys thanks for all the responses.

i could probably get a better shipping quote but ups was the closest and fit into my schedule better.

i did a LOT of googling and the negative with falcon outweighed the positive. there were multiple people who complained about the exact break but falcon did nothing to make it correct other than say they could purchase a replacement at a discounted rate. needless to say i have marked falcon off my list and if you ever plan on getting in touch with him call. i dont think that their email is set up.

i got online and looked up academys return policy and needless to say it took multiple tries but i did get the rod returned. THANK GOD!!!

it looks like i am leaning in the direction of tfo rods.

this whole situation was much more of a pain than i ever thought! hope you guys are having a good day!