Fenwick rod replacement

At the last Sportmans show I bought a sweet fenwick walleye rod. When in Canada this year I set the hook into a nice rock and the tip is no longer part of the rod. I was hoping I could just bring the rod to Cabelas and have them take care of the warranty and just hand me a rod off the shelf but they said no can do..(Even if I bought from them they said only a 90 day return window and they still wouldn’t have swapped rod for me under warranty) Have any of you guys tried warrantying a Fenwick rod? What are the steps? Do I really have to box it up and send it in the mail like they say on the fenwick webpage?

I was walleye fishing but caught a muskie last fall. When i finally got it in my little boat it was flopping all over and happened to flop right on a fenwick rod I had sitting to the side. Broke it. I emailed them and they said that I would have to pay to ship it to them and if they decide its a manufacture error they will replace it at no cost. If the fault was on my end, which it was, I’d get a 30-40% off coupon for another fenwick rod.

Fenwick Elite Tech Walleye rod.
So did you have to ship your rod to them? What did you ship it in?
http://www.fenwickfishing.com/Fenwick-warranty.html

USPS and The UPS Store have boxes or tubes to mail rods in. If the rod doesn’t breakdown short enough, you can put 2 of them together. I had to ship a rod to a friend this summer and it was expensive, $25 to ship and another $20 to package.

How much of the tip is gone? Consider putting a new eye on the end and having a slightly shorter rod.

Email Fenwick [email protected]

In the past, they have had you simply take pictures of the location of the break, the full rod, the model number on the rod, and your receipt/proof of purchase. Once they approve it, they’ll ask for $9.95 (give or take a few cents) for a shipping fee. In some limited cases they’ll have you physically ship your broken rod back.

Bottom line – email them first.

What part of the state do you live in?

I emailed Fenwick 2 years ago when my rod broke. not sure how it happened but I think stashing it in the rod locker may have damaged the top foot or so. I went to set the hook into a fish and my rod broke! emailed Fenwick and explained the incident. they responded by saying they will have a technician decide if it was aa manufacturer error. Sent it in 2 pieces and after a few weeks, a new HMG rod was at my door! probably my fault but they replaced it no questions asked. they are based in Iowa so its a quick return usually for us MN guys.

Here’s my response from half year ago, one of these days I’ll send my elite tech back in……

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and we are sorry to hear about the recent damage to your rod. Our warranty procedure has changed warranty claims are handled case by case after the rod is received and all information is inspected. Please note we do not have replacement parts (we do have some for Fly Rods only) or a repair service, but we do replace the full rod when under warranty. If the rod broke as a result of some type of manufacturer’s defect, please package your rod in its current condition for shipping back to us. You will be responsible for shipping the defective rod to us. Once we have received the rod and determined that it is indeed a manufacturer defect covered under warranty we will send you a new rod absolutely free. PLEASE DO NOT SEND IN YOUR ROD CASE AND NOTE RODS SENT IN FOR WARRANTY CLAIMS CANNOT BE RETURNED. Warranty claims that do not qualify for warranty will receive a generous discount towards a new comparable non-warranty replacement rod, which does include tax.

Things to include with your return:

1. Copy of your original receipt or proof of purchase (if available/ required for full warranty) a bank statement or credit card statement that shows the purchase will also work

2. A brief description of how your rod broke

3. Your name, physical return mailing address (no PO Box) and daytime telephone number

4. Include your email address with the return

5. Reference number – VOC # 21256

-Place it between two sheets of cardboard or wrap it in packing paper, since it is already broken no need for a tube.

– Also USPS has proven the least expensive and track your rod to check delivery.

-If it is a fly rod or pack rod, we may have sections, so pack it more carefully.

Please ship your rod to the following address:

In the USA:

Pure Fishing
Attn: Fenwick Rod Warranty
1900 18th Street
Spirit Lake, IA 51360

In Canada:

Pure Fishing
ATTN: Fenwick
131 Savannah Oaks Drive, Unit #1
Brantford, ON N3V 1E8

When we receive the rod and the above information, a trained Fenwick engineer will inspect the claim. Rods under warranty will be replaced with exact or like model with no additional shipping charges or fees. We will contact you directly in the event your rod is no longer manufactured or is currently unavailable.

Thank you for fishing Fenwick!

Fenwick Customer Service

I broke a older elite tech twice . First time Reed’s replace it next time had to send in and they sent me new model. Reed’s would have put a tip on if I had needed to . They had a rod tube for me also .

This is why I like the G Loomis expedited service. Call them, they ship a replacement for about a $100 with a return tag. Send yours back and if it’s a defect you get a refund. If not, you get a $400 rod for $100.

Used it for the first time last week and had the replacement rod in 4 days.

If you need a tube and are anywhere near Maple Grove, MN, I have some in the garage that I’d gladly give you.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I emailed Fenwick per their instructions and now I am waiting for a response. I live near Rogers MN. I appreciate the offer Ralph, I might reach out to you if I need a tube.

When I ordered my catfish rods on line, the manufacturer sent them in a piece of PVC. They wrapped the rod and put bubble wrap in both ends and taped everything up. Worked great and is pretty cheap depending on which diameter you need.

If the rod is in good condition I would have no problem replacing it at our store here in Grand Rapids. (Not sure if you ever make it up this way) Glen’s Army Navy