For some reason yesterday as I was building a rod I thought how It might be fun for Tom to organize a "Rod Build Off"....you know like the Discovery Channel does with bikes. What if we took some of the sites best builders,...Tom chooses them and gives them a deadline to finish a rod, any rod, and the viewers of the site or Rod Maker Magazine, votes on the winner by maybe a pole through this site.
Just A thought?

Good thought, but I could see someof the contestants who don't win being very upset. It's also impossible to come up with a winner, as if the majority who vote are Bamboo guys, they won't have a clue what an Unlimited Stand up rod should or would look like.

I think there was an imaginary Contest years back, one entrant, he won, then used that imaginary championship belt as a marketting ploy. lol.

NA you got it all wrong billy there would only be one justifiable outcome


A DRAW

Just a thought.

Hi Mike,

I think this is a great idea but I think they would have to be in catigories (flyrods, inshore, ect). I think there would be some really unique rods built.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Hey, does anyone know if there are any building competitions ? Thanks, Kevin.

The main problem that I see would be that there is no standard. How would it be judged? Beauty, functionality, craftsmanship? All of these things are entirely subjective. How can a weave, closed wrap, feather inlay, etc be judged against each other. Is one better than the other? That's probably why there are no competitions. For a competition to be even remotely fair, they would have to be identical! IMO.

The last rod building competion on a national scale was sponsored by Varmac
in conjunction with the old AFTMA Trade Show in the mid eighties. The judging of the finalists was done at the show by representatives of various tackle and
component manufacturers. When Varmac went out nobody was interested in picking it up and as far as I know that was it. It was a big deal and helped me get started greatly as I was fortunate enough to make the final 10 twice with a seventh and third place finish. If I remember was one of the judges in the last
one held in Las Vegas. As Billy said there has been at least one individual who
reportedly ran his own contest after the demise of Varmac.
Tom Cooney

It would be hard to judge something so subjective.

Tom, I'm shocked to hear there was actually one of these contests at all. The guy I was referring to, I think he is near where you are?

Contests like this sound like a lot of fun, but I think tehre would be far too many bruised ego's from people who think they should win and do not. Personally, I rather be friends with other thread artists & rodbuilders then lose to them or beat them in a contest & lose that friendship. We have the photo board where we can outdo each other anyway.

What a wonderful idea! No problems at all! I would hope that every builder in the world would submit an entry. Just send them all to me postage paid and I will volunteer to be the final judge. Notice: No entrys will be returned to the sender! I will be sure to properly reward all entrys with a Authentic Official Rodbuilding Champion Blue Ribbon. Please include a SASE with each entry for the return of the ribbon.

1/2 of Swamp Boyz Judging Team

It would be fun if it was set up to be fun - How about a "fastest wrap contest" - hand wrapping and/or machine - contestants show up with their equipment, give them guide X and thread Y and require them to do a few "standard" wraps to - simple single foot, longer under wrap with over wrap (with set minimum lengths) - fastest time combined with "quality score" wins.

Or an ugly rod contest (simple enough rules) ---- or a "best new idea or technique" contest (people would have to share their new ideas) -- or a "best single guide wrap" where contestants enter just a one foot blank section with one guide wrapped --- lots of ideas to keep people interested in rod building and give people something to look forward to at each years event. Some would be subjective some would not - lots of national awards are subjective - Academy Awards, Noble Prize, Grammy Awards - the point is to keep a "buz" going in the craft that people can relate to.

Tom McNamara
Mud Hole

Mike,
I've been thinking about this exact idea (inspired by the biker build-offs) for about 2 years now, and finally came to the same conculsion Billy did.....not viable. There some rods on the photopage that get a ton of remarks regarding the level of beauty and craftsmanship that I think are horendous.....then there are some that get ZERO remarks, that I think are simply beautiful.
The point is that it's just way too subjective, and there would be way too many bruised egos like Billy said.


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

All great ideas............Sounds like fun...........Maybe TK could sell this to OLN or ESPN to help make money for this site and other ideas he has. Great Saturday ESPN show..............Hum Might work.......Let's see Ken vs Doc building a tuna rod............Great idea when you think about it.........May grow our business and hobby as well.........I could enter the ugly rod contest...........

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

Maybe just a Global Rod Project were a bunch of builders trick out some rods and raffle them off with the funds going towards a charitable contribution?.......just make it even bigger and better with diffferent rods...bamboo fly, fly, inshore, offshore, FW casting, FW spinning etc...

I have typed four different replies already and still I am stymied. Art, performance, function, too much to think about even trying to narrow it down for a contest for me. Just as Andy stated I look at some posted pictures and wonder why it had so much interest and there are the others.
I'm staying neutral on this one, that’s my story and I’m stickin to it.



Tight wraps and lines,
Wylie

Michael, I'm with you! Now there's a project that could really be expanded on. I'd love to get involved in something like that!


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 think it could be done in conjunction with RMM and one or more of the largest
sponsors like Batson Ent. and Mudhole. It sounds simple enough but in reality
it would be quite and undertaking I'm sure. With all the catagories and skill levels
like "Pro," "Hobbiest, "Novice" etc. Guide, Dec. wraps, feather in-lays, handles

It could generate tons of advertizeing for those who set up the event and really
promote the "arts" of rodbuilding but the costs incured, I think is what would be
the biggest bridge to cross.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Canada.

Michael, "HUH"?????????

Mike