Technology with out a doubt, the internet for information exchange, Cad and its add ons for design and improvement, manfacturing improvements allowing the use of new materials like graphite and most importantly visionaries who use this technology to create new products for us to make better rods, one person who I would put at the top of the list would have to be the late, great Doug Hannon.

Its people who can dream up these new ideas and then use technology to make things simply better the industry needs creative thinkers or it will stall, so while i still credit technology at the forefront of improvements it is crucial that we have the dreamers right there along side.

Cheers

Mark Newcombe
Old Bar NSW
Australia
markscustomfishing.com
American Tackle Pro-Staff

Upon further reflection I would nominate technological advances in adhesives, epoxy being one of the most notable. Without these adhesives we rod builders would be sharing information on the internet and in magazines about how to maximize the performance of the steel, cane and greenheart rods we are building.

For me personally, I would say the Internet too as sites such as this disseminate information for the advancement of the rod building as a whole.

Mo

And what is your definition of Technology? You can ask one hundred people and get 100 answers. I think all the answers above have at least some merit.

Hello All.

The question is "Most Valuable INNOVATION", innovation in the dictionary is "The act of innovating" which is "To start or introduce something new : be creative".(Webster's II page 630).
You can't say "rod building technology" without centering on a specific part of "rod building technology" because "rod building technology" has been around since there has been rod building, or can you?
It all depends on your point of view like so many other things, are you new and looking for information? are you an old timer trying new things because you are bored? or are you in the middle looking for both?
The way you answer these questions will somewhat direct your answer to the ("Most Valuable Innovation?) question.

Just a thought.

Tight Wraps.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Graphite blanks.

I couldn't help but throw some humor into this discussion:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Jeff