anyone build their own rod

[outdooraddict]

been looking at you tube about building my own rod, sounds kinda fun, my dad built me a fly rod years ago, iloved that rod even more cause he built it.  anyone build their own, or advise for or against it?

[Emptyhanded]

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[boneaddict]

I built several from sage blanks years ago.   Years, oh my.     Fun project.  Good time of year for it.   

[Henrydog]

I've built two, a 4 weight and a 6 weight.  I borrowed the wrapping machine.  Its fun getting one the way YOU want it, blanks are fairly cheap but once done your not saving any money.  To me (as some one who reloads a lot) it much like reloading in the sense you are not saving any money but there is a special satisfaction knowing you built it.

[Bullkllr]

I've built two, a 4 weight and a 6 weight.  I borrowed the wrapping machine.  Its fun getting one the way YOU want it, blanks are fairly cheap but once done your not saving any money.  To me (as some one who reloads a lot) it much like reloading in the sense you are not saving any money but there is a special satisfaction knowing you built it.

I've built a ton of rods of all types over the years.
Some I built because there was literally no commercially made rods for what I wanted (like building long fly rods into jig rods before they were available). I wouldn't say that is the case much these days. Also, the price point for finished rods and components for building the same seem closer than it used to, so it's hard to save much $ many times.

Still worthwhile if you have the time. Hurts to break one you spent a lot of hours on though.

[boneaddict]

Same with fly tying really.   

[boneaddict]

Used to be a good shop there in Spokane that did classes or group builds.....  can’t think of the guys name.  I doubt it’s there any longer.  It was out on Sprague but still close to downtown.

Propps......  might have been it or another.

[Wetwoodshunter]

I have built quite a few. I have 11 in my garage that I am currently working on.

This is a 9'6" ranshadow RX7 with alps components.

[outdooraddict]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

[Wetwoodshunter]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

I buy everything I use from Batsonenterprises, you can google them by searching them, or Rainshadow rods. The warehouse is located in Sequim, Wa. They have everything to get you started.

Mudhole.com has awesome videos for rod building. You can also buy components there, but I never have.

[outdooraddict]

the mudhole.com site videos is actually what perked my intrest in it. they have some excellent videos

[walt]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

Steve Moran.  Good guy, he repaired a few rods for me.  He passed away earlier this year.  Silver Bow does occasional rod building classes, I think Alan at Swede's does too.  I have 2 blanks I need to build one of these days as well. 

[Angry Perch]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

I buy everything I use from Batsonenterprises, you can google them by searching them, or Rainshadow rods. The warehouse is located in Sequim, Wa. They have everything to get you started.

Mudhole.com has awesome videos for rod building. You can also buy components there, but I never have.

This place is a couple miles from our new property. I've been wanting to stop in when I'm there on a weekday.

[Henrydog]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

That was Steve Moran...did not know he died that's too bad.  I used to run into him up high on the Joe in the middle of the week a couple of times a year.  He would build custom rods as well as teach classes

[Wetwoodshunter]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

I buy everything I use from Batsonenterprises, you can google them by searching them, or Rainshadow rods. The warehouse is located in Sequim, Wa. They have everything to get you started.

Mudhole.com has awesome videos for rod building. You can also buy components there, but I never have.

This place is a couple miles from our new property. I've been wanting to stop in when I'm there on a weekday.

You 100% have to. They have the largest collection of custom rods in the world there. It would take at least a day to look at them all.

[JimmyHoffa]

that is awesome, the guy in spoakne that my dad took classes from died i think. he had a little shop on trent and fancher, i think thats who it was.  any particular website or company you buy blanks from and thread, eyelets, epoxy?

I buy everything I use from Batsonenterprises, you can google them by searching them, or Rainshadow rods. The warehouse is located in Sequim, Wa. They have everything to get you started.

Mudhole.com has awesome videos for rod building. You can also buy components there, but I never have.

They're pretty cool guys.  They test out the rods all over the world too, putting them through some tough workouts.

[buddy01]

I have built maybe 40, It is very fun. Every pole I have, is  built  by  me. I took a class by  Greg's custom rods In Lake Stevens WA  and I was Hooked. Check out his web site,  gregscustonrods.com  The fun poles are turning fly rods into Kokanee, or salmon and walleye rods, You can really feel the fish with a light pole

[fly-by]

The reloading analogy is spot on.   Makes financial sense if you want something not commercially available, but not for a generic 9 foot 5 weight.  For whatever reason I'm rough on rods and exercise warranties regularly. If you bust one after 20+ man hours and just get a blank in return, it stings a little. For that reason I just buy them now, but it was fun for a few years.

[boneaddict]

    Thats most certainly where I am at as well.    It was fun though.

[BigGoonTuna]

I used to build a fair amount of rods for myself. It’s a fun hobby and especially worthwhile if you want something that you can’t get commercially. My decline in building my own is probably linked with the decline in the local fishing mostly, but also, the cost of components has gone way up relative to the cost of finished rods these days. Used to be that I could buy a lamiglas or st croix blank for less than half the cost of a factory rod.

The loss of angler’s workshop really hurt too, used to stop in there after fishing the kalama or Lewis and play with blanks. I don’t like buying blanks without getting a feel for them first, and shipping is usually a killer.

[outdooraddict]

so being a newb at this, actually brand new and never built anything yet.  you guys keep saying "i built things i couldnt buy commercially", what cant your buy commercially? i grew up fly fishing, i like to troll, fish local lakes, trout and bass. i have always just grabbed my uglystick pole with last years line on it and went fishing. I know there is a lot more to a pole than just "grab and go", but thats all i know and have done for years, and i catch fish so i stick with what works. anyone able to type up the down and dirty on poles, i fish eastern washington lakes and troll roosevelt sometimes.  i have been researching some, and some people turn fly rod blanks into spin casters and cut blanks to a size they want.  can you really "customize" a rod,  i guess i assumed the customization was basically what color thread you wrap with and if you use a cork handle or the foam handle. im all ears and want to learn

[Wetwoodshunter]

so being a newb at this, actually brand new and never built anything yet.  you guys keep saying "i built things i couldnt buy commercially", what cant your buy commercially? i grew up fly fishing, i like to troll, fish local lakes, trout and bass. i have always just grabbed my uglystick pole with last years line on it and went fishing. I know there is a lot more to a pole than just "grab and go", but thats all i know and have done for years, and i catch fish so i stick with what works. anyone able to type up the down and dirty on poles, i fish eastern washington lakes and troll roosevelt sometimes.  i have been researching some, and some people turn fly rod blanks into spin casters and cut blanks to a size they want.  can you really "customize" a rod,  i guess i assumed the customization was basically what color thread you wrap with and if you use a cork handle or the foam handle. im all ears and want to learn

Everything I build is spiral wrapped. When you build you pick every component. For instance, the handles I have been doing lately are eva foam with heat shrink over it, all aluminum reel seat with 2x jam nuts and trimmed with blue winding checks.

Also with the guides you can choose guide spacing, choose if you underwrap, select 2 feet or 1 foot guides, and what inserts the guides have, and do any fancy thread work or add logos.

[Parasite]

Like others, I've built many spinning rods from fly rod blanks. The flyrods blanks bend more throughout the blank than a typical tip-flex spinning rod. It acts like a better shock absorber for fighting large fish on light line.

I also try to make my rods as light as possible, so I use things like titanium guides. Weight makes a big difference when you fish all day.

You don't need much in the way of equipment to build your own rod. Just take your time and don't rush it.

[BigGoonTuna]

for me, i like some configurations that have fallen by the wayside commercially.  i own several baitcasting rods that don't have trigger reel seats on them.  try finding anything like that at your sporting goods store.  lamiglas used to make several "summer run" baitcasters years ago, light 9'6" rods.  they only offer them as spinning rods now, but the casting version used the same blank.

[Bill W]

If you build your own you can make it look any way you want.  I've built a bunch and also had them built for me.  I liked "centerpin" trolling for salmon so much that when I was moving to Moses Lake I had a scaled down one built on a fly rod blank.  Instead of trolling plugs for salmon in saltwater I now can troll littler "plugs" for trout over here.    Nothing to building your own rod and it gives you something to do for a few days in your man cave.

[Thehowler]

I Haven’t built one in quite a few years, but I was taught by a local bamboo fly rod builder On how to build split cane rods. Been thinking recently about getting back into it.