To everyone on this forum, I have been having a wonderful time reading through all of the topics lately in order to learn a few things. My 11 &12 yo grandsons and I spend a tremendous amount of time fishing the White river in Ar for both rainbow and brown trout and thankfully they would rather fish than play with video games etc. I decided to surprise them and I am going to order a Forecast rod wrapping system/dryer etc and some basics to begin with and most likely a few inexpensive rod kits to start us all off for what I hope to be a lifetime fun craft all of us. I have worked in the hunting industry for most of my career but since the boys developed such a love for fishing I have been having a blast on the water and realized how much I really missed it and honestly have been spending more time on water than in woods the past few years with no regrets whatsoever. I am looking forward to reading more of the valuable information from all of you veteran builders. Thanks

Mr. Warren,
Glad you are enjoying this forum and those grandsons. I too have enjoyed a career of fishing and hunting as I retired a few years ago as a state conservation officer. Shorty after retirement I got into rod building as a hobby. You and the grandboys are about to embark on a very addicting adventure. I have built all but one of my five grand children rods and enjoy fishing with them. The last one is only two right now so his rod will come later. Don't know how far you are from Schneider's Rod Shop but it would be worth your time to visit. The Schneider's are good people and Mr. Schneider would be glad to help you with questions and supplies.
Good luck with your project and if I can be of help just e-mail.

I second Howard’s suggestion of visiting Schneider’s Rod Shop. He is in Mountain Home and should not be very far from you. He will have everything you need to get started, and if not he can get it for you. I love it when kids get involved in the outdoors, it’s something that will stay with them for a life time.
Norm

Thank you both, I am quite anxious to get building with the boys, they are watching youtube videos on rod building already getting prepared. Crazy enough where I go in Lakeview, Ar is basically own the road from Schneider's and I was up there earlier this week. When my wife retires we are moving up there from down here in Texarkana, TX, I have an uncle that retired there from CA and he is now battling lung cancer by himself so I am there very often as I am the closest relative. The boys have spring break early next month so I am taking them up for 4-5 days of fishing at that time and I am going to try and get over to meet the Schneider's. This is a trade/hobby that I know they will love and hopefully help keep them somewhat distracted from what I feel is an all too impersonal world of telephones and computers.

God Bless you Doug, there should be many more like you and this world would be great! Back in the 50's I was asked to vouch for a teen neighbor who was being tried for shoplifting, I pleaded my heart out for that young man to no avail,the judge gave him 18mos in juvenile detention, but what he said stayed with me since: "let the rod in the boys hand be a fishing rod". PS the boy grew up very good completed college and became a wonderful dad. Nick R.

Thank you Nick, basically your quote is what my father taught me but included hunting in there as well and I passed that on to my own kids and all 3 are responsible members society today despite my travel schedule etc during their growing up years, my fantastic son in law has to work twice as hard to make it and over the past few years I decided to slow down and enjoy my family. Was not the most financially responsible decision I could make but so far the benefits outweigh any other loss. I have worked from home for the past 20 + years and it came an easy decision to slow up my travel and make AA airlines take a hit, thankfully my wife is very supportive.

btw as everyone gets to know me better if I can be of any assistance with that which I am familiar with being the hunting/outdoor industry please feel free to ask, my fishing industry exp is a little limited minus a few manufacturers as I used to be a regular at the annual Icast show and fished with a number of the industry folks over the years.

Can't go wrong with Schneiders.