Hi All! I've been gone for awhile. I hope everyone's well.
Question: Mike Barkley has been a great help to me with rod building and deciding on a spin rod blank and components for my newphew. Is building and wrapping a spinning rod any different than a fly rod? Is the building sequence the same? I've done 3 fly rods and they've gotten better each time, but I've never attempted a spin rod. He likes to fish for smallmouth bass. I was thinking of a med./heavy, 71/2-foot rod because he also likes to fish for steelhead occasionally. Any opinions will be appreciated. Thanks

hello Bruce i do alot of smallmouth fishin up here in michigan as far as the river goes i like the7''6 med.lite with a fast action more then enough rod when drifting crawlers or leaches. when throwing rapalas the 6''6 scv has become my favorite. depending were your at the 7''6 will hold up to steelhead in the med.lite deppending on what kinda waters you guys fish myself i use 9ft and 9''6 drift rods a 16mm reel seat and some fuji guides and your good to go hope i could help tight wraps crabtree's customs

Bruse
Check out thes articals on spin guide placement:
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org] On the library page

Gee, I'm sorry Bill. I should have looked there first.

Everything is done pretty much the same, handle mounting, guide prep and wrapping, etc. If you can build a fly rod you can build a spinning rod.

There was an article on building specialty smallmouth bass spinning rods in the volume 7 #1 issue of RodMaker.

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No need to be sorry. Spinning rods IMHO I think are the rods that really use the system well
Careful of the guides you get- there are all purpose( lower ring height ) concept the ones too use ( just a good height )
and the ( M ) guides, maybe a little high?