Can any body tell me where i could find information on the number of rod builders. Is this number stable, increasing or decreasing? This info would help me on a project i am doing.

thank you john

Increasing, slowly but surely. But you do have to remember that most rod builders are folks who will build just one or two rods, and then give it up. Luckily they're replaced by another just like themselves the following year.

I talked to Jim Cabela and one of his catalog marketing people a few years back. He said they tracked their sales in all categories and that in a year's time they would receive first time orders for rod buiding items from approximately 48,000 people. These are people who had previously not bought rod building items from Cabelas and as we know, Cabelas markets to the first time builder, not the established builder. They also told me that most of those folks would not place a subsequent order for more rod building items, either having completed their one rod, or finding other places to purchase these items and moving on. But each year, they'll get another 48,000 or so who will place that first time order for rod building items.

All indications are that about 300,000 people in the U.S. will build a fishing rod this year.


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thanks tom, another question. How much does the average rod builder spend a year. on this an the other question does any bod have any hard numbers? or could i assume that an actual study has never been done?

john

New guy here from San Diego. I just got back into the rodbuilding habit/addiction after many years. So far Ive built 2 rods this month, 9' steelehad spinning rod and a 4wt, both with 2003 forecast blanks. I have 3 more blanks on order so I guess its safe to say Ive jumped in with both feet!

Lou

According to what the folks at Cabelas told me, about $75 to $80. Now there's bond to be many who spend one heck of a lot more than that, and probably many who spend less. But this the average builder - the guy who's going to build one rod.

Without an industry trade group to collect and compile such data, there's not a lot more to go on.

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thanks tom
john

The numbers are bound to be on the increase as the major demographic segment of Americans grows older. Most are in it for a hobby to make there own weapon and as a greater portion of ppl grow older and retire,. theres more time to inverst in such undertakings. The entry level builder usually goes the cheap route as Tom via Cabelas noted, until they get hooked. For a long time I thought only older ppl built rods as that is all I ever saw building rods, and I even called it a lost art like reading, but then again... back then, I considered older to be 30ish. What is the popular saying now a days... 40's are the new 30's Just a natural evolution, like Bush saying were addicted to oil and he has a plan to get off it, using other forms of energy, which become more and more viable as the price of gas sky rockets. Its called the do nothing natural evolution plan.

I am constantly amazed at how many people had either built a rod at one time or have the parts to do a rod in their garage or storage. It seems that most of my fishing club buddies have either done it once or twice or considered it. I would bet a considerable percentage of the 48,000 that Cabelas sees never build the rod or get so frustrated they throw it away. Several of my friends have said they did this. We built most of them a rod or have talked about it. I guess it is the model car builders all grown up.... Throwing away $70-100 is not a big deal to a lot of people, especially if they dont have time to find out how to do the project right. My son-in-law Scott, built a rod from components a friend of ours had in his garage for 10-12 years! The cork was not in good shape was all that was wrong. I would not have trusted the thread they supplied either. It was a no-name kit that he thinks he got from Oshmans.