duckkisser Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Thinking of making my dad a fishing pole for the holidays. Has anyone ever made any custom poles? If so can you give me any tips, sources for parts or supplies? Here is a link that looks useful.http://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/topic,14069.15.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 If he's a fly fisherman, bamboo rods are a whole wormhole you can go down, kind of like luthiery. There's a lot of info out there on making bamboo rods. Lie Nielsen even makes a couple specialty tools for the task. If he's a gear fisherman I don't know if there's anything other than wall art to make him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 no my dad is just a guy who like to fish while on vacation. ill probably buy a graphite rod and make the handle and buy the reel and all the hardware myself. thining a casting pole or a reel pole since that is what he does no ice or fly fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barron Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have built a number of graphite rods using the instructions in the book by Skip Morris. I got most of my supplies from Anglers Workshop. Amazon has the Morris book and AW has a website. It's a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I made a couple of rods several years ago, using graphite blanks. I recall the only 'special' tool involved was a home-built rod lathe my buddy owned. Moderate speed for sanding the cork handle rings, super slow for applying finish and drying. It also had rollers to support the rod along its lenght as it turned. Remember to attach the line guides along the 'spine' of the rod... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trz Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Try Mudhole.com. They have a good forum too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 Guide wrapping is a skill in and of itself. You'll enjoy it. Baitcaster or spin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted November 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 thinking spin like the look better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Cool. Not sure how much fishing you do, but as a guy that used to fish every morning before and after work, and on my lunch, and dusk til dawn on weekends, I'm happy to offer suggestions as to the application of the rod as it pertains to your build (customizing it to your dad's specific use). As for the woodworking aspect...I have no input . Personally, I'd pick the reel first, and build the rod around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Or even better, the technique. If he digs topwater, spinnerbaits, cranks, jigs, tossing flukes around docks, etc. Then pick the reel, then build the rod. I don't build rods but I have gear that's specifically chosen for the techniques I use the most. I don't gear fish really at all anymore since I picked up a fly rod, but I used to have dozens of rods all for a particular purpose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Eric, do you drop flies from a boat in open water, or prefer to wade the riffles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 We do both. If we're canoeing, there's really no way to fly fish and float at the same time, especially if you're floating solo. So we'll float a stretch, stop at a riffle, get out and wade, repeat. But my group of fishing buddies includes a couple guys who own drift boats, and they are really the best way to fly fish the bigger streams in the Ozarks. A good oar man can just sit in a riffle and let you hammer the juiciest spots. We also do some warm water fly fishing...mostly we chase the white bass runs up into the creeks on the big reservoirs in spring and fall. One of my buddies has a fleet of flats boats with big decks perfect for fly fishing. If you hit it the right day and get on a big school of hungry female whites...man that is fun. And there's nothing like catching a big largemouth on a cork popper in shallow water. I wish I had more time for it. Unfortunately, living in St. Louis means it's about a two hour drive to any decent water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 I grew up next to a relatively small lake (50-60 acres). Used to fish with my grandfather. My favorite technique is to scull around the shoreline in a johnboat, fly fishing for bluegills. We always used a double fly rig, a wet bug at the tip and a popper about 18" up the line. Quite often we would catch 2 at a time. During the April spawn, bluegills are aggresively hungry, so our catches frequently exceeded 100 fish (mostly released). Grandpa once took 120 fish in 17 minutes, by himself. I take my son fishing whenever we can, but I really miss that lake... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Spent a year in Key Biscayne, running and gunning for bones, tarpon, and barracuda up and down the beach, and catching tarpon and Sharks from a kayak...haven't lived until a 12ft bull shark dragging you 3 miles out to sea in a kayak! (Sorry for the threadjack....but at least you know you have some 'fish stories' to accompany your build . ) I'll tie it back in...Eric and WTN are right, drill down the technique, application, and reel , then build your rod, guides, tip around it. Balance is key to limit fatigue if it going to be cast/retrieved all day. Holding the reel in your hand, the rod should suspend perpendicularly to the ground. I have 1 or 2 slugs electrical taped to the back of most of my rods to achieve this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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