What is your age and years of rod wrapping experience? I am hopeful in discovering a good number of those under 25 interested in fabricating useful items, in our case fishing rods, rather than bending their necks and thumbs over a cell phone or video game. I am 63 and have been wrapping less than one year. Although the first blank purchased was over 20 years ago, I just recently realized what I have been missing and have dove in head-over-heels. While technology advancement is basically a good thing, it has unfortunately contributed to the decline of old-school craftsmanship. Those of us veterans, either age or experience, should consider it our obligation to pass that craftsmanship on to the younger generations, for humanity’s sake.

<<< I profoundly prefer wrapping rather than rapping! >>>

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

I'm 59 years old. My first post on this site was January 29, 2015, and I started building rods for myself shortly afterwards. I did a lot of research on this site prior to posting my first thread, just so I could have an idea of the kinds of things I needed to consider when building a rod. My first experience with wrapping guides was the year prior to my joining this site. I replaced the guides on three of my factory rods, and the difference I saw in the rods performance afterwards opened my eyes to how much better a rod can be.

I also started building so I could afford to fish with higher quality rods, and so I could build rods that weren't available in a factory form.

My first foray into building fishing equipment was tying flies that I would use to fish for steelhead, I got hooked on bass fishing back in the late 70's and have pretty much just pursued them since that time. I started making spinnerbaits for myself and friends, then I started making jigs, and also started custom painting some of my hard baits.

I guess building my own rods was just part of the progression. I've only built 6 rods to date, so I don't have a lot of experience. I'm proud of the builds I've done so far, and more than very proud of my most recent one. In the beginning, other than building my first two rods on trimmed down blanks, I felt like I was just assembling a rod. Now, thanks in large part to the knowledge I've garnered from this site and its members, I feel like I actually design and build them. I've had some problems along the way, but nothing so great that I couldn't fix with the help of the fine members of this site. I know I still have a lot to learn though, and I'm sure I'll keep learning until the day I stop.

I am 34, started 3 months ago and am hooked

I'm 45 years old. I was 14 when I built my first rod. It was an ice-rod, built on a broken fiberglass car antenna. The guides were take-offs from a broken Zebco spin-caster, the handle was a custom job cut out from a scrap piece of 1x4 pine, and the thread was metallic gold sewing thread. I don't remember what was used for finish, but I know it wasn't flex-coat. It was one of my prized posessions for several years, finally done-in during a car accident when I was in my early 30's.

Over those 31 years, I built on and off until I hit my late 30's and got serious about it.

The survey that was done in RodMaker Magazine a few years was filled out and returned by roughly 4300 custom rod builders. The bulk of those in the craft are over the age of 50 and most do not start rod building until after the age of 45.

..................

I was 21 on my way to the Arctic on the USCGC Nortwind, the year was 1973. Built it the the blueprint room on the long countertop above maybe a hundred drawers of blueprints. The countertop was easily 20 ft. long.

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The survey that was done in RodMaker Magazine a
> few years was filled out and returned by roughly
> 4300 custom rod builders. The bulk of those in the
> craft are over the age of 50 and most do not start
> rod building until after the age of 45.
>
> ..................


An interesting demographic, Tom. One I fit. I'm 64, and didnt really get started until 2014. Since then I've averaged about one rod per month.

It may be a question of space and time. I know it was for me. It could be most people dont have the space and time until their kids are grown, out of the house, and off the payroll. My space time came from retiring from teaching, and inheriting a small cabin on the local lake, which has become my mancave/rod shop.

I am enjoying this rod building thing very much. I have made progress. My last rod turned out a 1000% better than my first. I still have a lot of room for improvement, and I still have something on every build I have to strip off and try again. My mantra is the old auto commercial: the relentless pursuit of perfection. Might not ever achieve perfection, but I'm having a great time chasing it.

I have to say my modest progress would not have been possible without this forum; and the experienced, knowledgable folks gracious enough to spend time here passing out their wisdom. I would like to list all of the people who's brains I've picked on this sight, but it is a long list, and I'm sure i would forget somebody. In place of that, I say thanks to all of you who are kind enough to post here, freely giving us rookies the benefit of your experience. It is priceless, and I hope I live long enough, and become good enough, to become one of you.

Spencer Phipps Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was 21 on my way to the Arctic on the USCGC
> Nortwind, the year was 1973. Built it the the
> blueprint room on the long countertop above maybe
> a hundred drawers of blueprints. The countertop
> was easily 20 ft. long.

I served on the USCGC Mackinaw, but didn't build any rods while I was aboard!

Gary Kilmartin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom Kirkman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The survey that was done in RodMaker Magazine a
> > few years was filled out and returned by
> roughly
> > 4300 custom rod builders. The bulk of those in
> the
> > craft are over the age of 50 and most do not
> start
> > rod building until after the age of 45.
> >
> > ..................
>
>
> An interesting demographic, Tom. One I fit. I'm
> 64, and didnt really get started until 2014. Since
> then I've averaged about one rod per month.
>
> It may be a question of space and time. I know it
> was for me. It could be most people dont have the
> space and time until their kids are grown, out of
> the house, and off the payroll. My space time came
> from retiring from teaching, and inheriting a
> small cabin on the local lake, which has become my
> mancave/rod shop.
>
> I am enjoying this rod building thing very much. I
> have made progress. My last rod turned out a 1000%
> better than my first. I still have a lot of room
> for improvement, and I still have something on
> every build I have to strip off and try again. My
> mantra is the old auto commercial: the relentless
> pursuit of perfection. Might not ever achieve
> perfection, but I'm having a great time chasing
> it.
>
> I have to say my modest progress would not have
> been possible without this forum; and the
> experienced, knowledgable folks gracious enough to
> spend time here passing out their wisdom. I would
> like to list all of the people who's brains I've
> picked on this sight, but it is a long list, and
> I'm sure i would forget somebody. In place of
> that, I say thanks to all of you who are kind
> enough to post here, freely giving us rookies the
> benefit of your experience. It is priceless, and I
> hope I live long enough, and become good enough,
> to become one of you.


You're exactly right. Even one of the leading European tackle industry writers has recently advocated spending less time trying to get kids involved in fishing and instead focusing on the market that appears ready and willing to take up fishing - those over 45 years of age. There are so many other activities vying for a kid's attention these days and with so many single parent households the demographic for fishing or rod building is not what it once was. This doesn't mean that younger people will never take up the sport or craft, only that they're more likely to come to it later in life when so many of the earlier distractions have been left behind.

................

I am 71 years old and built my first fishing rod in 1969 when I was in the Air Force. At the time there were very few how to books around with Dale Clemens' book being the Bible. The internet had not yet been invented and computers filled entire rooms. So most of my learning consisted of trail and error and reading rod building books and catalogs from places like Finny Sports, and Clemens. While in Graduate School and during my career as a research scientist and Professor I used rod building and fishing as my stress management therapy, it worked very well. I retired 7 years ago and continued making and repairing rods but at an increased pace. I do this as a hobbyist making or repairing about 130-160 rods a year for friends and friends of friends. A hobbyist means you do not make any money doing it! I still find the time to fish almost every day, life is good.! Even though I have built/repaired 1000s of rods over years I feel like I am still learning things, most of it from this site. I love to try new things and to experiment. I have taught many people young and old how to build a rod, and I enjoy sharing my expertise. Having fun helps to keep you young.
Norm

I'm 25 and about to start my first rod! I like to hear that everyone is a bunch of old veterans????

Age 62, started on the advice of a local sptg.gds. dealer and builder in 1979 who said "you can do this". Was fortunate enough to have a hand in the production of the Dale Clemens catalog, which allowed me to buy components at wholesale + tax prices and drive the 40 mile round trip to pick them. ( a blessing, thanks Dick French!) With the closing of Clemens and my son coming along I got away from it for a while but started in again on the advent of sites such as this. I'll never be a crosswrapper or a weaver, but all my builds function as they should and don't look like a shoemaker did them. (Shoemakers please take no offense, it's an old carpenters expression. I just borrowed it.) No rod within my reach is safe from being refurbished. I have a bag full of used size 30 stripper guides that'll never again see the light of day, and all my casting rods are in danger of becoming spiral wraps. One of my 1st builds is on it's 4th reincarnation! It's a sickness, and it's great!

I'm 67 yrs old been building since 94

I'm 67 yrs old been building since 94

I am 62 and wrapped my first surf rod in 1984 with components from Merrick Tackle. 32 years later, I am still wrapping rods.

I guess I buck the trend. I'm 29 and have been building for a couple years. I find it's a good way to unwind and get my mind on something else than work and other responsibilities in the evenings.

45 and been building for 2 years. I have completed about 15 rods and a few rebuilds of factory rods. As some said at first I felt like an assembler, using kit builds. Recently, I started forming my own grips and coming up with my own guide layouts. I also started making custom winding checks. This had made the hobby very enjoyable.

I started building in 1970 and am still at it.

Ron Weber

70 years old/young - started in 1974. Very little information available at the time Best source was Dale Clemens' :Fiberglass Rod Making & I still have my signed copy.

Age-58 built my first rod in my senior year of high school-1976 Did not build another till I graduated from College-1981 but have been building ever since.