I seem to have caught this rodmaking hobby (obsession) like a case of bad flu. Its all I think about and its starting to affect the family life and distract from energy at my real job. I am also getting more rods than I can ever use.

It seems that the only solution would be to try and sell something at some point (I am definitely not good enough yet). However, with the component prices the way they are, I don't see how you could do much more than recoup the cost of the materials. Are the wholesale prices available to those in the business low enough to offset this? How do the pro's make a living?

Thanks!

I think you have to reach an upper clientele and charge fairly high prices if you expect to really make any money at rod building. Building rods based on price or comparable price to the factory versions only puts you in competition with companies you really can't compete with. The best niche seems to be expensive high end and high performance rods sold to customers who want the very best.

Most of the builders I know who sell rods either do it just to make a few extra bucks for their own trips and tackle or they build rods as part of a complete business where they also sell tackle and do repair. These things seem to complement each other.

Further down on this page there is info on the new Tackleworks site that might be of some help to you if you are serious about attracting customers.

Personally I wouldn't quit my day job and I haven't.

I also think you have to reach the high end of rod buyers to really
make a profit. My main criteria is to explain to these buyers, what
they are buying (spining, correct guide placement, color preference,
custom handles, specific fishing technique, etc). I try to make
the purchase as buyer specific as possible to the point of having
them bring in the reel (with line weight they will use), pick out the
thread they want, guides and all the components you will use.
You can't compete with "Wally World" or Bass Pro and don't try
to!

I also stress the fact that a $9.95 rod will catch fish, but without
the same satisfaction that a custom rod will. After all, we spend
20,000 for a boat to get out to the fish, it certainly makes sense to spend 200.00 for the correct weapon to bring them IN the boat.

I pick up a few bucks buying old rods at garage sales and flea markets and retro fitting them with ceramic guides, handles, paint,
tips or whatever they need to bring them up to date. The key to this
is to buy quality rods not junk. Junk is always going to be junk.

Remember not all fishermen are custom rod buyers. Don't get into
a shouting match with those that would rather spend 39.95 for a rod.
A real sportsman is into his game and knows what he wants to accomplish with his choice of tools.

John

John brings up some excellent points. Far too many rod builders are intent on making a sale - any sale - to realize that the entire fishing community is not the market that custom builders need to cater to.

Another key element, if you plan to make any sort of living from custom building, is that you have to offer the fisherman something which he or she cannot get anywhere else. Custom rods which are just copycat factory rods will not make a living for you. They may bring in some extra cash for an occasional fishing trip, but they won't make you a living unless you wish to become more of a small scale assembler of fishing rods. And that is something I certainly never wanted to get involved with.

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

All of these people have great points. I'm getting started in the buisness part time and let me tell you all of these people want something for nothing. Like they've all said you'll never compete with the big dogs.

Look for the person with the fat wallet, take a rod you made fishing and use it and show it to the potential buyer. In my opinion there is no better advertising that people seeing the rod you built cast and fish. Also get some buisness cards and hand them out while on the stream.

It's tough selling a rod to someone tell them the price of the componets being used and the blank and they look and run the other way. Don't get discourged keep at it and soo it'll all pay off (I'm still trying to sell my first rod after the many I've built formyself and family).

Good luck.

I took the small business approach myself. No I don't depend on it for a living. I would most certainly starve. I have several contacts involved in fishing that helped me make the decision. I mostly use the profits to make my arsenal and help off set the sport for myself. There is a lot of foot work involved in establishing you tax status depending on state. I have a few guides who are using my rods and probably made 10 rods last year off of people using my rods on those charters. I made 0 dollars on because retail decided that. Now as for this year? I sold 2 rods just by fishing the other day on Lake Mich shoreline. I have a 9' St. Croix I use to cast lures standing on the rocks and a couple of guys asked where it came from and I just smiled and handed them a card. They called later in the evening , we met up, got a deposit and I will complete the deal in a week for them. I totally agree with show off your work if you are getting started in this field. Just remember the tax man!!! Keep good records. And make good contacts here at Rodbuilding.org These are the most helpful, knowledgeable and conciderate people you may ever encounter on the internet as far as rodbuilding goes.
GOOD LUCK,
Mark Schulte

common mistake don't get caught in it-you reach a stage where you are good enough that people are inquiring about your rods and how much it would cost to have you do one for them. In most cases the first to ask are aquaintances and you feel since you know them you'll charge just a few dollars over cost,say you think about $20 profit,after about doing 10 of them you discover your profit is less then you thought,after some consideration you realize it would be better to take a part time job at McDonalds as far as profits but you like building rods, so you build some more, at some point you realize this is ridiculous, you are working long hours and not showing a profit but you also discover how many new friends you have acquired.
Now you decide you want to make a good profit after all you have all these people who want your rods,watch how fast all your new buddies disapear and to make matters worse they are now telling everyone you were a nice guy but have become a thief.
Far better at the beginning to decide on what you consider to be a good fair profit just like you would for any business and stick with it you won't sell nearly as many rods in the beginning but over time you will build up a much better clientel who appreciate good craftsmanship not someone looking to score a low price, my 2 cents
John

Ever notice how many of these guys won't buy a rod, but think you should give them a demo and let them advertise for you. Yeah suuuuuuuuurrrrrrre.


Ray Alston
Goldrush Rods

Lee,
All the advice given above is quite valid. I've got more. Some motivational, but mostly reailitic.

Especially agree about the idea to provide a custom rod that is not meant to compete with factory rods, due to their unique handcrafted nature. Having said this, I believe also that there will be guys just as you have been 'smitten' with the notion of wanting to produce custom rods. This bears more onto the considerations that are perhaps less glamorous or desireable for an individual custom rod builder... and that is marketing. You may easily develop your particular market for the rods you build based on what you can provide for your customers, if you decide to get that far into the business. There are considerations to purely selling, as already mentioned with bus. licenses, taxes, expenses, expectations for a profit (that IS what is expected when you set up a business, and is important to structure into your pricing at the start). Many will say they just want to build custom rods, but not be bothered with the business end. Probably not possible for the long term. And the idea of 'offsetting' with prices from the wholesale, are really a lesser consideration for the final price you'll set for what you particularly put into the rod for your customer.

John's point is paramount about the idea of 'competing' with factory for purely the price point. It rarely works for any period of time to the benefit of the builder. If the notion is for purely wrapping rods to completed assembly, better off applying with the rod factories for such a position...might do better at MacDonalds, I couldn't say. Treated as a CRAFT, I think is the better notion that the custom rod can fit into a category to interest the buyer.

Basically it boils down to you putting forth interest into the craft of your custom rods to make them marketable to the clientele that is looking for such product. I feel also some help from manufacturers or organizations in promoting more on a collective basis for awareness to the public about contacting a reputable custom rodbuilder. Remember also, you'll spend a good deal of time explainging what is the benefit of your custom rod, such as showing details of the artwork, or the 'chemisty' of better performance.

Just a side note. There is nothing wrong with having too many rods for your own fishing. It may mean you'll have to justify more fishing time for yourself, or start with different species or tournament fishing, for example.
My wife has a closet full of shoes for her own two feet, but has never sold a pair herself. Quilters have made quilts, other crafters have made craft for themselves or loved ones with no intention of it being a business. Whether you should craft rods for love, and not money is something more personal. It is upseting as John and others mention, about exploiting sub-quality 'custom rods' against the better intentioned craftsmen (or craftswomen) in the endeavor of custom rod building. Some of the finest custom rods ever made have never been with the intention for the marketplace, but just being done with the love of the craft. Those who are further immersed to sell custom rods to carry on as a business level, deserve the credit due for fair pricing of their craft and seen in the light as custom rods not being competetive for mass produced factory rods. (Sure, custom rods are better, but they are not for everyone).

Not saying everyone is on the same level, or to discourage anyone. Not at all, whatever level you are, you will get better and MAY get into a position of 'selling' considerations. That is more a personal decision and pursuit that you'll best see fit to carry on with.

The day job might be a nice thing to fall back on, but for us that are in it seriously full time, perhaps linked with other fishing or tackle related ventures (guiding, tournaments winning, etc.) I would bet more hours go into it than a stable, regular paying job.

Rich
Solyrich Custom Rods
Richard's Rod & Reel

Profits are generally small, but you can offset a little by getting a business license. It is a hassle to send the sales tax in that you have to charge, but the savings on rod blanks alone is worth it. I do not sell to many people (just friends and family, mostly) but I can charge them a reasonable price and still get some cash for my next project.

Here in Minnesota the license is free, but the registration of a company name (if you chose to register it, not necessary) has a charge.

I recommend the license if you can handle the small extra burden of bookkeeping for the sales tax.

Dave

Dave sales tax will vary with the state and or counties involved,some areas need or require occupational license fees and lets not forget any earned income needs to be added to your IRS returns which brings up the need also to collect the federal exercise tax.
One must also consider just how much time one wishes to invest in a business 80 hour weeks are not uncommon during busy periods,one should think long and carefully before deciding how they wish to proceed. I would think for most part time is a good way to start and aim as high as possible for your market share.Would rather do one rod a month and come away with a $200 profit then build 10 for the same ammount.
John

Thanks to all for the advice.

I certainly won't quit my day job. I really like the idea of treating the obsession as a craft, and I still have a long way to go. I feel pretty comfortable with the basics but have yet to really tackle (no pun intended) the more artistic side of things... fancy butt-wraps, inlaid handles, etc.

I have given a couple of rods away as Christmas gifts this year to family members and fishing buddies. I also have a guy at work wanting me to build an ultra-light spinning rod for him on a Loomis blank. I also really get a kick out of fishing with rods that I have built myself. The darn things just seem to perform better (perhaps it's just my imagination). I also have developed a better appreciation of sport fishing as a whole. Guess I am rambling here, bottom line is that rod building is a great hobby.

Lee...........

Don't think it's your imagination cause it isn't. Careful set up and assembly usually results in a rod that just plain performs better than what you buy off the rod. Give yourself some more credit. You are probably building a much better rod than even you yourself think you are!

I am another one, I just got my tax id's and all that fun stuff, but again, at this point I can't quit my "real" job yet. I have only been in the area now for a little less than a year, and response has been very good, especially with repairs. Right now I just do this to support my own addiction, but who knows where it will lead. IT is actually pretty easy to get someone pointed in the right direction and get them into a cusom rod. For instance, just last was talking to a guy I know, a crotchety old S.O.B. who is really into ice fishing, but has never fished anything but solid fiberglass rods his whole life, probably never spent more than five bucks on a rod, and swore up and down that he "wasn't into that graphite junk, its too wimpy" well, I put a rod in his hand that I built for myself, nowhere near any water I might add, and I no longer own that rod and he is happily showing it off to all his equally crotchety old friends, and I expect to get some calls in the coming weeks.
I guess my point is yes, I think it can be profitable. I guess my advice would be, build some rods, then go fishing, @#$%& with lots of people, let them try your rods, point out the benifits to them, and from my experience, don't get overly technical with them, while we all know what a spine is, or modulous, or other things like that, some of the folks you will deal with bought their best rod at the harware store twenty years ago. So you have to explain everything in laymans terms, maybe if you are discussing the spine, roll out and old junk rod on the dock and let them see where it jumps to the side, or where ever the spine ends up, stuff like that.
Once you get a few people fishing your rods, if they are good and everyone is happy, it should start to snowball from there.