Hello everyone,

Today, somehow, I came across someone who was building their own rods. I can't remember where it was. This is something I have considered in the past, but never gave it much more than a glance. I enjoy fishing, always have, always will. I figure rod building would take my enjoyment to another level.

Why do you guys do it?

Looking at costs, it won't save me any money to build my own. Rod blank prices seemed to be $30 and up. I generally keep my rod purchases in the $100-$200 range. Do you do it for the fun of it, the ability to make what you want, for business, or what?

Also, are there any good books to read about this?

Thanks for any information.

Trey Allen

One quote I remember "it's the second best thing to do on a winter evening"

You asked " Do you do it for the fun of it, the ability to make what you want, for business, or what? " My answer is "yes all of the above" I started this some years ago because I couldn't find what I wanted in any of the sporting goods stores (which ought to give you an idea of how long ago that was since Bass Pro & Cabela's hadn't really come on the scene). I find it enjoyable, challenging and a way to keep my mind / hands busy. I off set the cost of parts and 'product testing trips' by building and repairing fishing rods.

Will you save money - probably not but you'll get a kick out of catching a fish on a rod you built... and you'll soon find out how many of your friends have rod in disrepair.

Overall the best, most clearly written book out there is by the owner of this forum Tom Kirkman



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2015 11:35PM by Ken Preston.

In the late 1970's I purchased a Sage FIBERGLASS steel head drift rod. this rod was more sensitive and caught more fish than any other rod I had ever owned. This sent me on a search to find out why. To make a long story short this rod was made of S glass. I also looked into how graphite rods were made, so the next steep was to build my own rods. I purchased a book called Fiberglass rod building by Dale P. Clemens. I started building my own rods then had friends want rods and rods repaired, my next steep was to get a business license and started a part time business. I contacted Sage and at that time was purchasing blanks direct from Sage. I talked Sage into providing me a slide show on how they make blanks and added a portion of how I build a rod VS a factory rod. I then went to some various fishing clubs and asked to be a speaker. My message was to explain why this rod cost 30.00 and this one 300.00 and how some factories cut corners. I had a great full time job and the business never got past part time. Now I am retired and still building rods.

Anyway Rod building opens a whole new fascist if you love fishing and yes, you can build a better rod then most that you could purchase off the rack in you local tackle store. Will you save money probably not. But you will get a lot of satisfaction using a rod you built. .

But a word of warning rod building can be very addictive especially if you get into all the art work!

Gerald (Jerry) Bouyear Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Anyway Rod building opens a whole new fascist if
> you love fishing and yes, you can build a better
> rod then most that you could purchase off the
> rack in you local tackle store.
>


Gerald, You may want to edit the first line of this ....

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Trey,

The more I learned about rod building the more I began to realize so many of the store bought rods were not built correctly. The competition is really stiff out there for commercially built rods and a lot of the manufacturers cut costs by cutting corners. I have seen store bought rods, even expensive ones, that when static loaded allow the line to drag against the blank and even drop below the blank in a few cases. Or in the case of spinning rods, guides that are out of position or the wrong size. This is not to say all store bought rods are bad; because that is not the case. When you build your own rod you get exactly what you want: length, action, power, line & lure weight, guide type, etc.

Considering these things many years ago now, I started building fly rods then moved onto bass rods for myself. I didn't save money; but I had hours of enjoyment and there is no greater feeling than to catch your first fish on a rod you built. I have found being in business my greatest competition is not other custom rod builders; but the "store bought rods". Clients need to be educated as to what makes a rod perform to it's maximum potential. I continue to learn after all these years. I check RodBuilding.org every morning to see new ways to skin an old cat or learn something I didn't prevoiusly understand.

Once you get the bug, you will never buy another "store bought rod"!

Welcome to the addiction!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2015 12:39PM by Donald R Campbell.

Fred Thanks for pointing that out I guess it was getting to late when I composed this. It was after midnight.

Rod building opens up a whole new side of fishing. If you love fishing rod building is like making lures or tying flies it can give a great deal of satisfaction. when you catch a fish on something you have made yourself. You can build a much better rod than you can buy off the rack at your local tackle store. You probably wont save any money but you will have a better rod. Remember off the rack rods are built in large quantities and often corners are cut..

Donald,
By the way, in the current era of casting rod micro guides, it seems that the rules about line touching the blank or going under the blank have been tossed out the window.

Today, lots of rods are being built where the line routinely touches the rod blank or goes under the rod blank on a loaded rod. No issues at all with the rod. It has been found that if the line touches or goes under the blank, it is not a big deal and really has no negative effects on the rod, fishing or catching the fish.

Be safe

Donald,
By the way, in the current era of casting rod micro guides, it seems that the rules about line touching the blank or going under the blank have been tossed out the window.

Today, lots of rods are being built where the line routinely touches the rod blank or goes under the rod blank on a loaded rod. No issues at all with the rod. It has been found that if the line touches or goes under the blank, it is not a big deal and really has no negative effects on the rod, fishing or catching the fish.

Be safe

Trey, part of the answer depends on "how long ago" and "what you were fishing for and how". In the distant past there weren't a lot of choices for certain things, like light line fishing for blue water record sized fish.

Today it can be the same....in that often the superior rod for your needs may only be offered in way different part of the coutry for a very different fish. For example, although I am in Miami I like steelhead blanks. I'll never see one offered at any store in my area.

Fly rod blanks can make great spinning rods for panfish and crappie. Saltwater popping rod blanks can make wonderful crankbait bass rod. There are many such examples.

But yes, forget about saving money. Not because you can't. Just that everytime I do get a great deal on something....it merely makes it harder to settle for less....so I upsell myself! So maybe I don't save money...but I do get more for my money.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I have yet to build my first rod, but that will be remedied in the near future. The reason I am getting into rod building is one .... because of the satisfaction I recieve from catching a fish on a lure I've made. Catching a fish on a rod you've built has got to be even more satisfying. Couple the satisfaction of catching a fish on a lure you made and a rod you built, and it has got to be nirvana.

But what it really boils down to for me is that I'm taking up rod building because I can't find a factory rod in the length that I like for specific types of baits, and the way that I like to work them. I don't want to be limited to what a factory determines as the proper length and action of rod for a specific lure type or fishing technique. I want to set those parameters myself. Will building my own rods allow me to build what I think the perfect rod "for me" would be in all cases? Maybe, maybe not .... but I know I will be able to come a lot closer to that perfect rod, than a factory can.

David,
You use wise words.
But, you also have to think about the time, effort and investment that factories put into their rods.
Basically, factories build rods that have the parameters that most fishermen want, which gives the fishermen the inclination to purchase a given rod.

It is rather interesting in that many folks go out and build a rod that they think will be the ideal rod and go out and use it. But, then after using it for a while, those same folks start to reach for the factory rod when they fish.

Fishing rod manufacturers that have been around for years don't put rods on the market and keep them on the market unless they sell and folks are happy with them. If they find that a rod does not sell; they pull it off the market and either modify it or discontinue it.

You will find the same thing when you make your own rod. You will build some rods for your self, that you absolutely love. You will build other rods, that you think are going to be just perfect, but find that they actually are not really very good rods for the purpose that you built the rod for. But, if you do build a rod and find that it is not suitable for its intended purpose, don't give up on the rod. Try using the rod for other purposes that you did not envision when you originally constructed the rod. You may find that a rod that you built for one purpose, is just not very good for your fishing style for that particular rod.

But, if you keep trying the rod for other applications, you will often find that you have actually built the perfect rod for a use that is far removed from your intended design purpose.

As a wise man once said, "Everything can be useful for something. If nothing else, it can serve as a bad example of something not to ever do again."

But, that is why rod building is a journey into the unknown and a fun and interesting journey to explore.

It certainly makes sense to check out production rods when you are starting, or when you have been building for a while and have become set in your ways. One needs to get out now and then to check the market, to see what is new and different and could make your rod building better and more interesting and actually create a better rod to do a particular job.

Some folks build rods to be an artistic display to hang on a wall. Others build rods as a tool. Basically a tool with components to do a particular job very well.
Others build rods, as a combination of the above.

Some folks build rods with the idea of spending their time to create wonderful pieces of art that are meant to be enjoyed, but not necessarily used. So, lots of different reasons to build rods and many different ways to achieve satisfaction from the effort.

Remember production rods are built with the idea of one thing. Make a profit for the stockholder and owners of the company. So, a typical rod that a beginning rod builder might take a week or two to build, a good production rod factory will build the same rod in an hour or so.

Good luck and enjoy.

Roger, thank you, and I definitely agree with what you're saying. Some very wise words to be sure. My problem with factory rods stem almost entirely from the move to longer rods. I understand factories build what the masses want, so maybe I should place the blame for the movement at it's source. In my case it would be professional bass fishing circuits. I know that the bass fishing masses follow the trends of the professional bass fisherman very closely, and they try to imitate them by using the same products that their favorite fisherman does. I know this for a fact, because I was once one of "them"

I understand that there are advantages to longer rods, and that what I once thought would be the perfect length rod for a specific technique turned out to be shorter than what really was best for that technique. But at the same time I feel pretty certain that the masses would find a shorter rod than those offered by the factories better for some techniques. I actually feel sorry for those that have started bass fishing in the last 15 years or so. They will never know the short distance casting accuracy that a 5 1/2 pistol grip casting rod has to offer. Or they'll never know how much less strenuous on the arms a 5 1/2' or 6' casting rod is when you're working a Zara Spook, or a suspending jerk bait.

I giggled to myself when in your post you spoke of the words that a wise man once said. I used to have boxes full of bad examples of something to never do again. They were in the form of lures. lol I bought them because I was trying to imitate what the bass pros were using. I put them to good use by selling them, and used the money to buy the baits that I knew were good. I still experiement buying the new "hot" bait every now and then. But for the most part I've gotten over that. And I'm sure I'll end up building a couple of rods that end up not being as good as I thought they would be for a specific lure type or presentation technique.

Actually the second rod I plan on building could very well turn out to be a piece of junk for its intended purpose. If it does, it won't be because the length I plan on making it is the wrong length for its intended purpose. It will be because of the blank I'm going to have to use to build it. Just as the factories have to sell rods that the masses want, so do the blank manufacturers that sell to the suppliers rod builders get them from.

One things for sure .... I'm going to enjoy the journey.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2015 03:44PM by David Baylor.

David,
Take the first step, and enjoy the walk. Sometimes you will trot, sometimes you will trot and at other times, you will turn around and back up.
But, yes, it is an interesting trip to take and enjoy.

Be safe

Trey,

There are so many reasons for you to do this! First, you can build rods exactly the way you want them built. Second, you can build rods that will perform better than than any factory rod. Third, it's incredibly rewarding to catch fish on a rod you've built yourself.

You don't need much to get started. I built my first 20 rods using a cardboard box, not a fancy wrapper.

You've come to the right site, the best in the business frequent it and they are very helpful.

jeremy

Trey The one thing that hasn't been said is the addiction .Rod building is more addictive than heroin or ice & there is no known way to get you free of it .You will be continually trying to improve you skills ,when your wife asks "do you really need that many rods " you will always look at the ground & shuffle your feet while trying to think up an answer that will satisfy the question .Plus all those rods you've made will need reels to go with them .Then comes the equipment that you will acquire & you will work happily with it until you read about a new beaut piece of equipment just released & you will have to have it just to make the rod building easier ,faster or better .The only other thing I can say is WELCOME TO THE ADDICTION you will come across some of the best people in the world suffering as you are .

Good luck with it

Regards Baz

Bundeena
NSW Australia

Years ago, I was looking for long ultralight rods to fish for pan fish with. They were not available so I built one on a fly rod blank. I got the parts from old rods, and used over the counter epoxy finish.. It was ugly, but worked well. In recent years, more and more manufactures have developed blanks for such a purpose. and guide and handles have came a long way. I love the idea of using cutting edge components on rods that I have built myself, and often look at some of the older rods and notice improvements in my ability and in the performance of the new rods. As Baz noted earlier, it is addictive... When I handed a 7'2" ultralight rod that I built to one of my friends here in Michigan he called it "A Toy", then took it out on the water, and I don't see it for a day or two; when he come back he asked me ..."Can you put one of these together for me?", I simply asked him what color thread he wanted on it.. <º{{{><

trey allen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I enjoy fishing, always have, always
> will. I figure rod building would take my
> enjoyment to another level.
>
> Why do you guys do it?
>
> Looking at costs, it won't save me any money to
> build my own. Rod blank prices seemed to be $30
> and up. I generally keep my rod purchases in the
> $100-$200 range. Do you do it for the fun of it,
> the ability to make what you want, for business,
> or what?
> Thanks for any information.
>
> Trey Allen

Well I guess that the first thing is to know your fishing and what you desire in your fishing rod. Once you know what you want you will look out on the market for it. Soon you'll see that you can't find it because it does not exits. Second, you'll see that factories do not build one of a kind product's but rod builders do. Third you will find out that, no mater how hard you are trying to explain what you wish, the only rod builder who will fully understand you ad what you want for your rod is... The one that you see when you look your self in the mirror! Then you will became a rod builder an learn how to do it.
Afterwards, you may find out that what you wish cannot be achieved with what the market it 's offering in the present . It 's then time to take your had out of the box and , as many guys here like to say, " find a new way to skin an old Kat ". When finally you make it and it works, just as I recently did with my reel seat system, you will find that is no greater satisfaction in this life than to find the solution to a long time bothering problem. You will know the meaning and joy of "Evrika!" ;)
So, long story short , i'll say that " the ability to make what you want " is what drives one into rod building and the fun and the ability to put a better value on a dollar will act just as spices on food.

kingofbeasts custom rods



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2015 03:42AM by carol staiculescu.