This may sound like a foolish question but here goes anyway. Three specs are usually given with reel seats, inside diameter, outsiide diameter and length. When building a rod to be used with a spicific reel I assume that you select the reel seat who's length most closly matches the length of the foot of you reel and who's interior diameter come close to the diameter of the rod. In other words it is a compromise of what fits the rod and the reel.

Is this correct, or am I missing something?

Frank,

That is not a foolish question at all, and hits upon one of the major points of customization that can really set a custom rod apart from a factory rod!

For fly rods, you can go by that set of rules. In that situation any weight you can keep off the rod will result in a more efficient rod, which is true for all rods. However, for spinning rods in particular, the angler's hand is wrapped around the reel seat the majority of the time, and using a large OD reel seat can result in a more ergonomic grip for the rod. I have pretty small hands and when I must use a reel seat, I opt for an 18mm spinning seat. Otherwise my spinning rods get a woven graphite split TN handle with the reel wrapped on with thread and finished like a guide foot.

Casting seats are a whole other ball game, and everyone has their favorite styles, but on casting rods, I use the smallest ID seat I can for the rod.

Anytime you have extra space between the blank and the reel seat, you need to shim it. I prefer to use the various foam arbors available to take up the space, but masking tape, thread, or drywall tape and other options work as well.

Joe

On rods where you physically hold the reel seat, you may find it better to size the seat to fit your hand.

Reel feet are generally close in size regardless of reel size so most seats, beyond say a size 16, will fit most reels.

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Thank you for asking this question. As a new rod builder I learn a lot from reading other peoples questions and the answers.

Tom, a suggested topic for next year's Expo, a "Buy The Numbers" seminar. The rod building class I attended was great in that it taught us how to assemble our rod kits. But it did not teach why specific components and sizes were used.

After attending the class and building my first rod I was eager to order parts for my next rod. But when a beginner looks in a catelog and starts seeing reel seats in 16-20+, and guides of this height and material vs micro vs COF vs microwave vs NCG, and rods of graphite vs e-glass vs s-glass, the new builder is quickly overwhelmed and confused. Or at least, I was. A Buy The Numbers seminar at would help educate about which components and sizes a new builder should buy and use.

Just a suggestion, but a seminar that I and I am sure many new builders would attend.

Frank,
As others have said. Use the reel that fits the hand of the person that is going to use it. Of course at the same time, you want the reel seat to be able to handle the intended reel.

Years ago, when I first started building, I used to cut off the threads on seats, so that there were few if any threads showing with the reel in place. After finding that a new reel would not fit the way that I had modified the reel seat; I no longer cut threads off of reel seats.

Many folks including myself will have rods for a much longer time than they might have a particular reel. Things change in reels all of the time and there are times when a person wants to change a reel for a new or different model.

This is also the reason, that I no longer get hung up on matching a particular reel to a particular rod.

I will sometimes use a small reel on a rod, and then; for a particular reason; I will use a middle sized or even large reel on the same rod.

Be safe