Does your dog bite?

[Buck Henry]

Well, this is one of those stories that can only start this way: you ain't gonna believe what happened to me today! I stopped by the Chatahooche River on the way home from work to fish for a bit while traffic died down. As I usually do, I walked up river from the parking area with my float tube to float back down to my truck.

I reached my normal put in point (a little sandy beach area on river right) and was getting my self ready to go. As I was finishing stringing up my new (to me) Jerry Clark Penta fly rod, a couple of ladies walking a bunch of dogs showed up. Because several of these dogs were Pit Bulls and Rotweilers, I asked them if their dogs were aggressive as they were not leashed.

They replied no, and sensing no danger from these dogs, I went back to the business at hand and was holding my fly rod under my arm while putting my fly box back in my vest. All of a sudden I felt a stong pull on my fly rod and looked up to see this 120 pount Rotwieler with the tip of my rod in his mouth. Before I couild say or do anything, that darn dog bit the tip of the rod clean off! After a few brief moments of shock, I went into a tirade with these ladies and insisted they pay for the damage. They said they did not think it was their fault and refused to even give me their names. I was fuming mad, so I gave one of the ladies my business card and told her that is she was a remotely honorable person, she would contact me and pay for repair / replacement of the rod. Fat chance I ever hear from them I would think. :pissed:

I will be contacting a few folks to see if this broken tip can be repaired with a scarf joint, but I am not sure if it being a 5 sided impregnated rod will allow a scarf repair to be done.

BTW Fish Gazer: I guess the above story is the answer to your question about why they build bamboo rods with two tips.

PS: I will try and post a pic of the break later on.

Bumming in Kennesaw!

[Drifter]

Dang Buck....After reading this....I kept waiting for the punch line. I feel your pain. Maybe the lady's conscience will get the better of her.....Probably not. :(

[S.Trutta]

Ouch!!!! That really sucks. I would hope that she comes around and does that right thing. Im hoping that your rod at least has a second tip?? Let us know how that goes


Rich

[Buck Henry]

Here are a few pics of the carnage. I still cannot believe this happened. The only thing that was good about today is that I went back to the truck for my second tip and caught some really nice fish.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u207/buck_henry/rod_snap2.jpg


http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u207/buck_henry/rod_snap.jpg

[JDGFish]

Why does no one obey the "Dogs must be leashed at all times" signs? That's really a shame. I hope her conscience bites her harder than the dang rotweiler and that you get a call.

[FitFisher]

Listen, I don't own a boo, but man, that hurts!!!!!

[kayakerguy]

Buck you're a better man than me. I would have followed them to their cars and got the plate numbers and then reported them. That just kills me; I feel your pain.
Mark

[Buck Henry]

Buck you're a better man than me. I would have followed them to their cars and got the plate numbers and then reported them. That just kills me; I feel your pain.
Mark

Mark,

Thanks dude. The situation had escalated to the point where I felt it was best to back down. Several of their dogs there were capable of killing me on their own and collectively I would have had no chance if she had turned them all on me. So I figured I had better back down and just accept what happened. I figured handing her my card was the only way to possibly have them contact me. I have resigned myself to accepting that I will never hear from them.

PS: Heard from the Boo Boys at Sweet Grass already about possible repairs. They said it is possibly repairable with a scarf joint ($50 bucks), but most likely will need a whole new tip made ($200). This is a very nice bamboo rod and I will definitely be restoring this tip.

Oh well, easy come easy go!

[kayakerguy]

If anybody can fix it, the Boo Boys can. Heck it might even go up in value if they fix it.;)
Mark

[Gatorbyte]

Buck:

That's awful. I am so sorry for you. It is a shame how people dont take responsibility for themselves.

[fishnpreacher]

Not only did the dog bite, this whole ordeal bites. Dogs, especially large tempermental types like rotts and pits should not be allowed off leash in public. Owners need to be held responsible for the actions of their animals, on or off leash. Trying to get law enforcement to follow up after the fact may be a waste of time, but I'll be willing to bet that the owners and their pets will be back on the same path soon. the next time it may not be a playful tug on a flyrod, it may be a childs legor worse.

[Robert Hicks]

Buck,
If Glenn and the boys will build you a new tip for $200, go for it. That's not a bad price at all. From looking at the photos I was thinking that a scarf would be a little tough. The cane "splintered"....not a clean break. It looks to me like it splintered a pretty good bit down the shaft. That would make a scarf rather large, and it may just be easier to build a new tip...safer for sure.

[Buck Henry]

I think you are right Robert, a new tip is the way to go and I was pleased with the cost estimate that Glenn provided. He said he would build me a new impregnated penta tip and also attempt to repair the broken one to use (exact quote from Glenn) "when I was fishing near another pack of attack dogs".

I can only imagine the chuckles they are having about this one out in Butte. I wonder if I am the first to send in a rod tip bitten in two by a stranger's dog. My rod will be on it's way to the Boo Boys Monday!

[childers]

thats horrible

[nu2trout]

Buck,
I feel badly for you. I am very particular about my things and would flip if something like this happened. You were probably very wise not to get outwardly upset, because I am sure the dogs would have reacted to your actions, even if you just yelled. That rod picture made my heart sink. Hopefully you will be able to spot them in the parking lot again and get a tag number.
On another note, you guys are running with this Boo Forum. Good for you guys. I love reading this stuff. I think it is so awesome that you guys build these things. :cheers:

[oyster]

That story is disturbing on so many levels. Sounds like the dog was just being a dog, but the owners were the worst kind of waste of consciousness.

Bill O.

_______________
www.oysterbamboo.com

[Buck Henry]

Penta Rod Update: I just spoke with Glenn Brackett (Mr Boo Boy himself) and my rod arrived in Butte safe and sound late yesterday. He said the tip is definitely destroyed and he will have to build me a new one.

He told me that he has several blonde impregnated penta tips already built and that he is pretty sure that at least one of them is a dead on match to my rod's taper. If so, he said he would be able to turn this aournd for me pretty quickly.

[Gatorbyte]

You should ask them to return the damaged tip so you can flog that woman the next time you see her. Too bad that we can't really do that without consequences.

[Buck Henry]

Well, I came home today to find a long cardboard tube with a Sweetgrass Fly Rod mailing label on it; my Jerry Clark Penta bamboo rod is finally back from the Boo Boys. Glenn Brackett did a great job in building my replacement tip. I spoke with Glenn a litte while ago and he said that I would probably like the action of the new tip better than the surviving original. I am heading down to my buddies pond after dinner to try it out on a few Bluegills.

I have really missed this rod and am so glad it is finally back in my posession. The whole situation with the ladies and the dog sucked, but I guess I will file this away under the "alls well that ends well" category. Like a wise fishing friend told me when this all happened: "if you can't afford to screw it up, you should not be doing it".

I will try to post some pics of the rod and new tip later when my son gets home from work (he has the digital camera in the family).

Ciao,

[watkins]

This whole tale, dogs vs cane, has caused me to look sideways @ two doxies when rods are brought out.:nervs: By the way, did you get the non cane flea rod back? TRW

[Buck Henry]

This whole tale, dogs vs cane, has caused me to look sideways @ two doxies when rods are brought out.:nervs: By the way, did you get the non cane flea rod back? TRW

Yep, got the graphite Flea back, repaired the stripping guide insert myself and then immediately sold it to a good friend of mine. I meant to get some pics of the two Fleas side by side but forgot to do so.

BTW, sent my bamboo Flea off to Orvis to have new ferrules installed. The original ferrules were OK but getting a bit loose so I decided to have Orvis install new ones. Orvis discounts repair work on their own rods, so I am getting factory Orvis ferrules put on for right at $50 bucks which is a great deal. I should have it back in a few weeks.

PS: new Penta tip got a nice work out at my friends pond tonight. Hooked into a mess of Crappie and they were fun to catch with this rod. I will be sure to bring the Penta to the next Boo gathering in October.

[Shadow]

I just saw this thread and for some reason got really light-headed when I saw the damage done to your rod. Glad everything worked out ok for you.

I am now planning on always carrying my camera w/ me when fishing so if a similar situation arises I'll be able to capture "the moment" and the parties involved.