The kits from Mudhole are decent, but they don't give you the right parts to build a killer rod (from a performance perspective). Here's what I'd recommend:
1. Pick the MHX blank of your choice.
2. Get these handle parts:
Grips- F-1.0-250 REVERSE TAPER FOREGRIP
R-1.25-375 FRONT SPLIT GRIP
RSG-23 REAR FIGHTING BUTT FOR SPLIT-GRIPS
RVB-1 butt cap
RUBBER/VINYL WINDING CHECKS- three of appropriate size
3. As far as guides here's what I'd recommend for spinning rods with as 2500 size reel:
BYOG 25, 16, 8
BMKOG 4.5's to the tip
BMCOT tip top in the tube size that fits the blank you've chosen
**your total $ of guides should be blank length in feet +1 (7 foot rods use 8 guides plus your tip top)
For casting rods, something like this will work:
1. Pick the MHX blank of your choice.
2. FSG-387 rear grip
RSG-23 REAR FIGHTING BUTT FOR SPLIT-GRIPS
RVB-1 butt cap
Reel seat: Fuji TCSD 16
size 16 graphite arbor
Cap the front of the reel seat with a BP-16 plug with a hole drilled in it so it fits over the blank. This will take the place of a foregrip...when's the last time you used a foregrip on a bass rod?!?
3. For guides, here's what I'd recommend:
BNOG-8
BOG- 6
BMKOG- 4.5's to the tip
BMCOT- to fit the blank you choose
Throw a hook keeper on and you've got a killer rod. If you build with these components instead of a kit, you'll end up with a rod that performs much better.
Hey i am interested in rod building, i was wondering is it cheaper to make your own rod? If you were to spend 150 dollars on a rod at bass pro could you make a rod way better for 150 dollars? Thanks For the help
Hey i am interested in rod building, i was wondering is it cheaper to make your own rod? If you were to spend 150 dollars on a rod at bass pro could you make a rod way better for 150 dollars? Thanks For the help
If you already have the tools and equipment, it would be cheaper to build your own. I can build a heck of a rod for $150 in materials. The problem is that you need 2 kinds of epoxies, color preserver, a thread pick, a burnishing tool, razor blades, a wrapper (home made or otherwise), etc. If you were to build a bunch of rods, then your equipment/material costs would be spread making it more worth your while. If you're only looking at building a few rods, you probably won't save much if anything. But, on the other hand, you'll have the satisfaction of catching fish on a rod that you've built.
I just finished up this 2S66MLF-3 and built it to match the Shimano Stradic CI4. I use some cobra skin in the split grip area and wrapped the rod with a metallic red to match the CI4 and trimmed it in silver.
I just built this rod for a fellow musky fisherman from NY. The blank is an XH Predator with a metallic silver pearl paint. They are made for Thorne Brothers by St. Croix. I extended this rod to 9'3", it came as an 8'10" model. The grips are EVA foam with black x-flock over top. The guides are American Tackle Virtus Lite Ringlocks wrapped in metallic lime green with silver trim. I like the Am Tack guides because they are much beefier and have ring lock technology. So many musky guys are hard on their gear and these guides should hold up much better to hard use.
Here's a pair of musky rod's I finished up last week. The first is the Lamiglas 102XH with a cranberry metallic finish. I used a little Bullard classic silver mineral over the black wraps. Guides are Virtus Lites. This rod is going to the Linesville Hatchery Baitfish Fund auction to raise money to feed the musky fingerlings more baitfish so they are larger when they get stocked. Bigger fingerlings means less mortality.
The second rod is the St. Croix Big Nasty ('9 heavy for the non-musky people). I decided to go with the usual cork on this one with a python skin inlay between the split grips. I also used Virtus Lites on this rod. Gudebrod thread on this one! My last spool!
Some rod pictures
FISH ON !
Linear Mode
