Travis - I don't understand what is happening here. As a starting point, can I suggest you check your end guide. All you need is a piece of braid or dental floss which you can run along the end guide to see if anything is catching. I sincerely doubt ther is anything wrond with the rod from a design perspective. Rather, I think there might be something wrong with your rod. It can't be hard to find. Even if you reattaxch the lure and hook it around the bail arm then roll it all around the guise to see what is catching. If it looks fine and nothing is catching whatsoever, I'd say it is some outside agency and nothing to do with the rod. It could even be a problem with the braid. I know a few people using the rod with no worries whatsoever.