[cool]Now, you're gettin' serious. But, everybody wants to make their own stuff at one time or another. There's just something especially satisfying about fishing with a rod you build, casting lures you made and catching fish too.
There is a lot of mystique about building rods. That's probably because of the craftmanship necessary to make the old bamboo rods...with all of the special materials and attention to detail needed to keep from ruining your project. The good news is that there are kits available today that are preassembled to help the first timer produce a serviceable stick, with a much lower chance of botching it.
Sounds like you are looking for some "instant gratification". That only means that you are qualified to be called a fisherman. However, I suggest you do some reading before you purchase any of the raw materials, and make an informed decision as to the length and action you want for your rod. You will also have to choose the type of reel seat, guides and tip top, along with the kind of wrapping you want to do...plain or fancy. Fancy is nice, but it don't help you catch more fish. Stick with simple until you get a feel for the techniques.
If you haven't already done so, go to your web browser and enter "fishing rod making" or "rod building". You will get hundreds of websites to look over and become
with all of the different options in blanks and materials. One site worth looking at is "Mud Hole". You will find it easy enough, and I do not have the link handy.
Janns Netcraft is one of the most complete and reasonably priced sources of blanks and components...although Cabelas sometimes has some super deals...especially on multiple blank purchases. Also, If you can get a copy of the Cabelas tacklecraft book for 2003, there is a simple and easy to follow tutorial on the inside of the front cover. I can scan and send that to you if you can't come up with it readily.
While it is possible to teach yourself to build rods, it is one of those learn by doing things for the most part. Watching someone else go through the steps and explaining why you do each thing as you do will save a lot of trial and error. There are lots of classes through the year on fly tying and fly fishing, but I have never seen mention of any classes on rod building.
Just going into the winter season, taking up building a rod might be a good hobby for the next few months. If you go slow, and are careful, you will learn a lifelong satisfying way to fill in those lost hours between fishing trips. And, the good news is that if you mess up something, it is usually possible to redo it without ruining the rod.
Hope you can find someone in the area to plunk down with you and guide you through getting started. Once I get back up to Utah, that's one of the things I plan to do once in awhile...have show and tell sessions on rod repairs and rod making. It is simple and it is easy...but it can be harder than it needs to be if you don't do it right.
Good luck.
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