Depending on how much you like that rod Chef, it might be worth the effort to try sending it back to Tica. I've got plenty of rod tubes on hand if you need one or I can just ship it from here.
We just had our first experience with Tica Customer Service and it definitely gets a
for now.
I sent back two rods that "broke while fighting fish..." and Tica called back and said that the rods were backordered a few days but new ones would be shipped out as soon as they arrived.
Not bad...