I recently finished my second fly rod. It came out ok but not as good as my first. I built the first rod in the dead of winter when there is not much else to do. My consentration was much more intense. I wil not build in the spring from now on. Its hard to sit down and build when what your building for is knocking at the door in a river a few miles away. This brings me to a question. I have all the rods I need now, But I still want to build. I don't want to sell rods either. I only like building flyrods, which are much simpler than than what a lot of you are doing. How do you start your next prodject when all your personal needs have been met? I think to myself, why should I build a 6' foot rod with a catskill reelseat when I probrobly would never use it. I guess I'm at a crossroad. Tom

get your friends into flyfishing with a promise to set them up with a rod or two! ;-)

eric
fresno, ca.

Expand your fishing horrizon and that should fill the void.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Tom, I sort of have the same problem. I really have enough rods for myself, but am really enjoying the building part. To keep myself busy building rods I've built two rods for my brothers (at cost) and also built one for my wife. I really don't see myself selling rods as a buisness so I offer them to friends and family "at cost".....there aren't many people going to turn down a custom rod at that price.

Tom Nair Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I only like building flyrods, which are much simpler than
> than what a lot of you are doing. How do you start
> your next prodject when all your personal needs
> have been met?

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I had the same problem, but solved it the following ways:
1) built spinning and fly rods for wife and 3 kids.
2) got friends into fly fishing and built rods for them at cost. One guy bought an el-cheapo package deal, then had me build a forecast rig. He'll never buy a factory rod again.
3) presents for extended family and college buddies.

It keeps me building, and I like to keep an eye on closeouts and stock up on the things I know I'm going to need while the prices are right.

You should find out how to build all of them. You will never know when some one may want or need a different type of rod
Find out what your friends fish with and build them a better rod

i have built some for friends at cost. my last project was for a freind who ties flies. i don't. he paid for the components and paid for my labor with a nice wheatley box full of flies. good enough.

There ya go, a little barder system.

Tom,

No snottiness intended here at all so pls don't mis-read the message. Just that I am so curious I want to build different rods to see how they work. Everyone up here uses a 9' from a float tube and says a 10 or 10.5 not good. I think it would be, therefore I am going to build one to find out for myself. I am going to build a 6'-6" rod for a stream just to see how it works. I am going to build multiple weight and length rods for all my three children and wife with different guides sizes, different guide types, different spacings.....Iffen I get good enough I might try to make them look fancy. For now I just wanna build good FISHING rods. I can build a rod for my fly club and they can raffle it off for the club coieffures. Blah Blah Blah.....I don't think I have enough time left to run out of reasons to build a rod.

My point is.....if YOU cannot think of a reason for you to build anymore rods.....perhaps you are done. Maybe you shouldn't build anymore rods but try fly tying.....or something you can get motivated about.

Just a thought.....I think there has to be some enthuiasm in there somewhere.

Sincerely,

Gem

Build up a bunch during the year for the needy kids at Christmas, there are always groups collecting "Toys for Tots"etc.etc.etc. Last year I gave a dozen rods and challanged all the angler's clubs here in the area to put reels on them on a radio talk show and they responded in good fashion to make 12 nice combos for the kids. Jesse

I agree with Jim. You may actually be done, although most of us have the exact opposite problem. Personally, I try to fish in as many places as possible and there is no perfect rod for everything. When I switched to ultralight I suddenly needed another dozen fly rods. When I switch to bamboo I will need a dozen more. And then there are the switch rods. And then the speys. Until you feel the need, you might build a "niche" rod for your friends for that local river. Also consider fly tying. Surely you need more than one fly?

I'll add my 2 cents, cause that's about all that it's worth. I'm with Jesse, I build rods for practice and give them away to kids for nothing. You really don't have to use the best or most expensive parts. I have a supplier of junk rods in South Carolina, who sells them dirt cheap. I just strip them down for parts then use the crushed/broken blanks for repair stock or sample wraps.

Bill in WV

Bill in WV

Here's someone who could use the help getting rods to needy kids.

This is not an endorsement. There are lots of similiar initiatives around the country.

[www.ncaquariums.com]

That problem is being solved for me by our children: they've produced nine grandkids with another on the way. Actually, I like Jesse's idea best, build for charity events and other give-aways.

yeah, jim has a point. tom... you've built what you "need." now get on to what you WANT. it's fun. there are so many variables. experiment with cork grip shapes, ceramics, recoils, wrapping styles, lengths, weights, blank material, reel seat styles. etc. do your own testing, share the results with others. when it gets too much, share the rods with others.

eric
fresno, ca.

Iffen you want to build some economical rods to give away, like if you are too poor like me to be magnanimous......check with Neal, a sponsor of this site. He has som 99 cents blanks! Good enough to build for chairities and give away I would think and you not out big bucks to do it.

Gem