So, I bought a rod blank.

St. Croix 9 ft 2 piece medium light.

It’s designed for steelhead.

I’d like to build it for mainly slip bobbering and rigging. Also use it occasionally for steelhead drift or bobber dobbing.

Any advice? I’ve never done this before. Kind of bought the blank impulsively.


Thanks,

Mr. B

Good for you. If i wasn't so busy I would build all my own rods just for the fun of it. As it is now I do all my own rod repair since I live in the middle of nowhere. I purchased everything I needed and can't really see building a rod without the right equipment.

Once we go down a road one thing can quickly lead to another. ;-)

Lots of books and videos showing how its done, not so hard if you do what they say. My work is perhaps not quite as tidy as a professional but plenty good enough for me.

Be sure and spline the rod blank.( Both pieces) match them. Check out this video. Rod Spline This is very important if you want the rod to track straight casting. Many other important steps to building good custom rods. Check out mud hole website.

Dirty trade secret, a large number of rod manufactures align sections based on what gives them the straightest assembled rod, they ignore the spine.

I still align the spines on my rods, just because.

I guess my main questions I have revolve around the guides.

How many do I need?

How should I space them?

Which ones should I look at?

St. Croix rods has a guide spacing and size guide on their website. Just find your blank on the chart and follow their spacing recommendation.

I like Fuji k series for conventional rods, REC recoil for my fly rods.

Thanks for the info.


:)

do you save $ building your own?

zski: "do you save $ building your own?"

Short answer NO.

I built and repaired hundreds of rods for two different stores plus my own business working my way through college. Just to be sure nothing has changed I priced out a St. Croix Legend spinning rod on tackle warehouse at $260. I priced out the same blank, reel seat, guides, grips, finish, tip and hook keeper from Mudhole at $299.21. This doesn’t count the wrapping and finishing equipment you should have to do a professional job. It’s a hobby and +/- break even proposition. However, should something happen to the rod only the blank is under warranty so you will have to re-build the rod using salvaged guides and re-buy reel seat, grips and tip. That said, it’s a fun hobby I just got burned out years ago. I still tie hundreds of flies per winter but, that’s a loser as well just a hobby.

boondock: "St. Croix rods has a guide spacing and size guide on their website. Just find your blank on the chart and follow their spacing recommendation."

I haven't really done rod building myself, but I own two 2-piece St. Croix rods. And my ONLY complaint about them is the guide spacing. On all my other rods I can separate the two halves, reel up, and the two halves match up to make a compact package.

On the St. Croix rods the top half gets pulled way up above the bottom half. That forces me to move my hook/ lure from the hook keeper, or to leave the line slack Either way the top half can flop around and tangle with my other rods.

I think the St. Croix rods put the first large guide too close to the two piece rods joint. I would compare the guide spacing to other 9ft rods and adjust accordingly. I've never had that problem with any other brand.

I have also heard you don't save any money. If you live in the Twin Cities metro there is a bait and tackle store that makes custom rods on St. Croix blanks. They charge $20 more for a custom rod than the same rod from St. Croix. That included the custom "finger groove" fore grip I requested.