I bought a Berkley Lightning Rod, casting configuration recently from Walmart. I grabbed a couple of rods together, gently, but still I know that isn't best practice, for a short trek overland to a fishing spot. After I got back I noticed there was some chipping out of the clear topcoat on the rod. It appears to be from the eyes of the other rods rubbing against it.

 

One of the other rods (3 in total) was a Berkley Lightning Rod that a member here gifted me. I've used it in the same manner since I started using it constantly, and it doesn't show the same type of wear.

 

So I think that the new rod has a sub-standard top coat.

 

Should the top coat resist rubbing against other rod's guides? Is it just normal and I have gotten lucky with the rod's I have that don't exhibit this? Should I contact Berkley over it?

 

I don't have pictures right now, but I can get some tomorrow in the daylight.

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

Line guides shouldn't dent or damage finish on other rods without some force behind it. I walk with my rods clumped up in one hand (as many as four at a time) and have never had damage as a result, though I am mindful of how I grasp/lift/etc. Doesn't sound normal to me. At the very least, I've never experienced that with any rods I own, everything from Academy store brand and zebco, to daiwa and st croix. Any chance you might be able to get a good photo of it? Will also be a helpful tool dealing with Berkley. I have never dealt with their customer service but I assume it is probably good

Yes, I can get a good photo. I just haven't yet I will tomorrow, and post for everyone.

 

I certainly wasn't using a death grip, the rods I have been using together are:

 

1. Berkley Lightning casting rod in question

2. Berkley Lightning Spinning rod

3. Zebco from the 80s.

 

I've used #2 and #3 together with other rods, an Abu Black Max and a Bass Pro Crankin' Stick, and none of them have the same damage.

 

Originally I just assumed that I had done it by carrying them together, but then I inspected the Berkley Lightning spinning rod and realized, it didn't have the same issue, which got me to thinking that perhaps there is an issue with the Berkley Lightning casting rod.

 

This is a Berkley Cherrywood, which might have the same topcoating. The topcoating on this one is chipped off all along the print. You can see a ragged thin white line above and below the print in this picture.

 

Now to be fair, this rod had a huge number of hours on it, like thousands of hours. Look at how the cork is worn off. I've had several of these, and all of them got a lot of use. This was the only one the topcoating chipped on. Once it got started, it spread to a certain point and stopped. I don't know why this one in particular chipped and the others didn't. Back when I was using this rod, I don't think I was carrying multiple rods in my hand at one time. I do that now occasionally, and I've never seen any damage that looks like it was caused by that. I think what's more likely is that the rod wasn't perfectly clean or dry before topcoating.

 

Contact Berkley, they will probably replace it without a hassle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have rods from many different brands, and carry around 4-6 rods when bank fishing clumped together. The rods are hit with each other, lures, rocks, thrown on the ground, whacked into trees and they hold up just fine.

Only 1 rod i have has a chip in the paint though, but thats from hitting it into an old wall made from rocks while trout fishing 12 feet over the creek a few hundred times.

 

I do however have a few Abu Garcia rods (Berkley-Abu owned by the same company). A few from years ago and also a newer one. The newer one has a very different finish on it, compared to my other rods and it seems like it would scratch or get chipped very easily. It almost feels like they have a chalky/powdered texture to them. (that being said)

Are you sure the rod wasnt like that when you got it? Ive seen the way BPS/Cabelas and DSG put their rods on the racks and how they store them before and it doesnt give me a pleasant feeling how they handle them.

Oops, I said I bought it from Cabelas, but just remembered that I bought it from Walmart. I had looked at them in Cabelas and got my memories crossed.

 

I am sure that it wasn't like that when I purchased it as I inspected it and another thoroughly, and chose the best one.

Some of that looks like delamination. 
I would contact/send those pictures to Berkley. 

Some of my older rods are way worse than that and work fine. 

I contacted Berkley and showed them pictures. Their response was, paraphrase, "We'll send you a replacement rod for $10."

23 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

I contacted Berkley and showed them pictures. Their response was, paraphrase, "We'll send you a replacement rod for $10."

 

Is it worth the $10 to you to get one without the chips? It was free to start with, right?

For $10 get the extra rod and take a bud fishing. 

You need to buy higher quality rods and use rod and reel covers.

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Thanks for the replies. No, the rod wasn't free to begin with. I suppose the new rod is worth $10, though I don't particularly care for the action of the one I have. I like it okay for spinnerbaits and some other things, but it's not what I consider an all around rod, which is what I was wanting.

 

I was under the impression a Berkley Lightning rod was considered decent quality. I wanted to try it, and I was in need as I lost the tip-top insert out of the one this one replaced.

 

I would like to try some rod covers since I've never used one.

1 hour ago, Bazoo said:

Thanks for the replies. No, the rod wasn't free to begin with. I suppose the new rod is worth $10, though I don't particularly care for the action of the one I have. I like it okay for spinnerbaits and some other things, but it's not what I consider an all around rod, which is what I was wanting.

 

I was under the impression a Berkley Lightning rod was considered decent quality. I wanted to try it, and I was in need as I lost the tip-top insert out of the one this one replaced.

 

I would like to try some rod covers since I've never used one.

 

I wouldn't say they're necessarily bad quality. I have a Mod/Med casting rod going on about 7 years now? that has help up perfectly. 

On 4/9/2024 at 9:00 AM, fin said:

 

This is a Berkley Cherrywood, which might have the same topcoating. The topcoating on this one is chipped off all along the print. You can see a ragged thin white line above and below the print in this picture.

 

Now to be fair, this rod had a huge number of hours on it, like thousands of hours. Look at how the cork is worn off. I've had several of these, and all of them got a lot of use. This was the only one the topcoating chipped on. Once it got started, it spread to a certain point and stopped. I don't know why this one in particular chipped and the others didn't. Back when I was using this rod, I don't think I was carrying multiple rods in my hand at one time. I do that now occasionally, and I've never seen any damage that looks like it was caused by that. I think what's more likely is that the rod wasn't perfectly clean or dry before topcoating.

 

Contact Berkley, they will probably replace it without a hassle.

 

 

This looks like at some point you dragged the point or a hook across the rod at some point. It happens. I’ve done the same thing before and it made the exact same mark.