Well, I just finished my first rod! It's a 12' two piece surf caster, and was a very enjoyable experience. I learned a ton of stuff from this forum, and about a half a ton from my mistakes. I can't wait to start my next project ( a 10' spinning rod for the surf). I already have the blank, and am trying to decide on guides. I want to try the new concept system, and am sure I'll be asking some questions here once I get it underway. Here's a link to some pic's, and am looking forward to comments/sugestions on what I can do to improve. I kept the butt section of the rod simple (no fancy wraps) because I can't wait to cast it, plus I figure I can always add a fancy wrap later. Again I'd like to thank everyone on this forum for the help in building this rod.

Bruce Wetzel

[www.fishingphotos.net]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2005 11:05AM by Bruce Wetzel.

Great job for a first rod, or for a hundredth rod! Those guide wraps are longer than I would have made them myself, but they are beautifully done. Keep on building (as if you could stop)!

Thank's Tom, Yeah the wraps are REALLY long. I decided to err on the safe side because I built the rod to handle up to 16 ozs. of weight, if need be. The surf in Cape Hatteras can get pretty rough in the spring and fall. I can see one major problem in this whole rod building process, and it's finding the time to do all the rod's spinning around in your head!

Bruce, congratulations and great job. Now, do yourself a favor before the addiction takes hold too strongly. Delete this site from your favorites list, never come back here again, destroy your computer, and go fish that surf rod like crazy. As you describe it, "all the rods spinning around in your head" will eventually drive you insane.

Steve

Steve, save yourself, it's too late for me!!!

Ditto

All I can say is it is very addicting. I hadn't built a rod for about 10 years and I started again and I am worse than ever, I am even into doing closed wraps for decoration. I can't stop :-)

But anyway wrap length is subjective to ones own tastes, some people don't care for metallic thread some people think it is the cats meow. Build them the way you like em.

Bruce

If that is really your first rod you have quite a career ahead of you as it looks great. Makes my first look like a used toothpick in comparison. Good color scheme and minimal grips which is what I like on surf casting rods as well.

Well done.

Derek

Great job, Bruce!

As far as extra long wraps for extra durability, only the wraps that are over the guides will add to the strength/durability. For a big rod like you built, I don't think performance is affected as much as it would be on a lighter rod, but you might try extending your wraps only a quarter of an inch or less in the future.

Excellent job with the proportions of the different thread colors. It's obvious that you took a lot of care measuring for accurate spacing of the wraps.

Go catch some fish! We rod builders in New England have to wait a bit, but hopefully not much longer!