Tom has always said that there was a large number of people who "surfed" this site without ever posting! I just spent 4 days at a large fishing show in S.E. Michigan with a walleye club I belong to and I had the rod that my grandson had built on display. I had half a dozen people come up and say " Is that the rod I just saw on the internet?" They said that they visit the site often and love it (one said that he visits daily) but they all said that they have never posted! What really surprised me was that only one subscribed to RM!!

I met quite a few longtime rod builders there (because of my grandson's rod) who had never heard of RBO or RM and were very surprised to hear that they existed!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

That's always been my suspicion. The postcard mailings I've done recently on behalf of the National Rod Show have on confirmed it moreso than ever. Rod building is actually a reasonably large craft, it's just not very well organized (then again, what craft really is?).

The photo page on this site does get a ton of traffic - over 2.2 million views since it went up 9 or 10 months ago. Although about half of those are from Billy Vivona.



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Then you have curious blowhards like me! :)

At any rate, I do think that rod building is definately more popular than you think. In the Seattle area alone I've met *several* fly fishermen that build their own rods. In fact 2 *fly* shops around here get quite a bit of revenue based on their rodbuilding classes. One of them told me that the revenue that they make from the classes is nearly 1/2 of what they make in tackle and fly sales....

Good job Tom! You should feel proud of the site and community that you've help build up!

One of the builders that I met lives about 1/2 mile from me!

I've long heard the lament from several who feel that their own somewhat lukewarm success in this business is due to a craft that is just very, very small. Several have told me that there are only about 15,000 rod builders in the U.S. I've always found it hard to believe as if that were true, all these component dealers couldn't possibly stay in business - most builders only build 1 or 2 rods per year. So it takes one heck of a lot of builders to keep this whole thing up and running. The fact is, 300,000 to 350,000 people will build a fishing rod this year in the U.S.

I think a lot of heads are going to turn in Charlotte this year. As good as last year's turnout was, I have a great suspicion that this year's turnout will dwarf that from last year's event.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2006 08:12PM by Tom Kirkman.

I am one of the lurker folks, so here is my first post. I really enjoy this site and the information it provides. I am also a subscriber the RM and really enjoy that as well. I don't post because... well the last rod I built was in 1988. I still fish the the first one I built in about 1979. My skills are a bit rusty and in need for a tune-up so I have been hanging around here and devouring (needs more salt :>) every issue of RM. I have several blanks, all lamiglas, that date from this time and hope to build them sometime this year if finances allow. I did sell several rods back in the early 80's, couple of dozen, but a move and career put rod building on the back burner until now.

You are probably in the majority of rod building folk - the great silent majority, but rod builders nonetheless.

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I really wish I could go to the show. I can't afford it right now. I am raising two girls but then again, I have the rest of my rodbuilding life to get there. I would be like a kid in candy store, seeing all the componets and talking to the pros and buying everything I can. Shopping on line is difficult in this hobby. It takes a few e-mails to distributors to get everything right. For us guys that can't be there, it would be great if you could take some pictures of the displays and post them on the board, It may be a good way for the distributors to advertise their componets. Tom

Count on it. There will be plenty of photos taken and posted. In fact, if you visit the photo site and look under my name you can see many photos from last year's event.

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Tom, I go to members galleries and click on T or K and it only brings up a couple of pictures. What am I doing wrong. Tom

Click on Members Galleries. then onT (they are listed by first name alphabetically) and when pix come up, scroll until you find one by Tom Kirkman click on the pic and his will bring up four pages of pix.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I'm not sure, My name should be listed under T. Then, click on my name under the first photo it shows you and I think the rest will come up.

I may also have posted them under "Administrator." Check that one too.

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Although about half of those are from Billy Vivona

On "Company time", too LOL!!!!

i have been looking at this site for awhile, (this is my second post)and it inspired me to take up this addictive craft again after being out of the loop for many years ,just finished redoing an old fenwick surf rod.there is so much info to get here and everyone is willing to help.At this time i'm finishing the basement and giong to set up a work area.I saw many great ideas in the photo gallery,i did not not realize there wre so many rod buiders out there.Tom you have a great site here,and hello to all.

Hey Mike,

I was the builder you met that lives 1/2 mile from you. We didn't talk much about RB mag but in the marbleizing article you did a while back, it stated you were also from Southgate MI so I took note of your name and then I started noticing your posting here. Small world! It was cool meeting you, and keep up the good work!

Mike I also met you at the show and we talked for about a half hour about marbleizing. I have a subscription to Rod Maker magazine for the last 3 to 4 years. I have never posted here either but look at the website everyday. There is a lot of people in Michigan who build their own rods and I am one of them.

Mike, Donald,

We should get together one day and compare notes! Give me a holler!!


Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!