How mutch can an average rod builder make a year in the US compared to other crafts? How many rod builders are there aproximately in the US?

Here in Norway, where I live, there are very few custom rod builders. The only one I`ve heard of had to quit some time ago. I think it was to expensive to have the blanks imported.

Just curious!

-Harald-

These are tough questions and different people will give you different answers. I am certain that there are about 300,000 people in the U.S. who will build a rod this year. Maybe a few more than that even.

How many build rods for sale? Not nearly that many. Maybe a tenth of that number. How many actually make a living off of selling rods? Even fewer.

You can make a good living off of rod building. But it requires effective marketing and advertising and being able to offer something special to a select group of fishermen willing to pay for it. It can and has been done, but not easily. More will fail than succeed, just as in any business I suppose. Those who are truly successful at making rod building a full time job and who can actually make a good income off of it probably only number in the dozens.

What most who wish to get involved with this for a living usually do, is branch out from a tackle shop or repair related service. Or they operate as a sideline from another full time business. Only you can determine if your market and area could support what you have to offer.

.................................

Tom, this question has been on the tip of my tongue for sometime. Would you know how many of the RodMaker subscribers are professional rodbuilders and how many are amateurs in percentage?

Chris difficult question would really need to define professional as a large portion of builders will sell rods as a suplement to their regular occupation both as a legimate business and off the books.
John

If you define professional by anyone sells more than the occasional rod, and amateur as anyone who either doesn't ever sell a rod, or only on rare occasions, then the ratio would be about 95% amateur and 5% professional. (And that 5% do not make a full time living off the craft, although they are set up as a business.) This would also hold true for the entire craft at large.

There is a bit of a gray area in this though, as many people who do sell a handful of rods during the year but have never set themselves up as a business nor do they actively solitict sales.

............