LilDrgn (US)

 You're Ready For A Custom Fishing Rod If: You want quality and performance - a rod built especially for you and your style of fishing. You want a rod that is perfectly built and features a striking, attractive appearance - a combination of masterful craftsmanship and thread artistry that sets it apart from anything you could find in an off-the-shelf rod. You want a rod built by a skilled artisan who cares about his work, his reputation and your satisfaction. There are many high quality fishing rods available to the serious angler today. A visit to your local specialty retailer will most likely expose you to an array of rods, each one claiming to be the pinnacle of perfection for the task at hand. Not one of them is a "custom" rod and cannot be compared on an equal footing with true custom-built fishing rods. The custom rod stands apart and above all manufactured rods. Wow! A strong statement! What I have to say is not about "theirs" versus "mine." As a quality custom builder I acknowledge the quality found in today's manufactured rods. What I want to do is point out some of the features that make a true custom rod distinctly different enough from a good quality manufactured rod hence, to make comparison is meaningless. Apples and oranges cannot be compared because they are different yet both fruits. Let's look at some factors that make a custom fishing rod different from the manufactured rod. Rod Fit Rod fitting is a critical step for comfort, balance, distance and accuracy. No two people are the same. Yet the manufacturing process dictates a rod built to fit the "average" person. Very few of us are "average" so we all make some concessions to proper fit with a manufactured rod. In designing your custom fishing rod, I will take your physical factors into account when building your rod. The size of your hand dictates the diameter of the butt and fore grips. The length of your forearm and the overall length of your arm dictates the butt grip length for casting and spinning rods as well as the placement of stripping guides on a fly rod. These are just some of your physical factors that I will consider for the design of your rod.
Your casting style (the motion of your wrist, arm and torso) has developed over a lifetime. It generates a unique combination of motions to accomplish the cast. Custom fitting will not "fight" these motions but rather will "complement" them for optimum performance. Component Selection Quality components affect fit and function, the longevity and durability of your rod as well as its "cast-ability." More specifically, quality components, due to reduced friction and proper placement produce dramatic improvements in your rod. Careful de-burring, polishing and guide foot adjustment all reduce "guide abrasion" against your rod blank, and improve the durability of your custom rod. Reel seat type and placement are important for the fit and function of a rod. Proper sizing along with the aesthetic attributes of all the rods components are important. Careful attention to these and other small details are beyond the economics of mass manufacturing. Finally, don't be confused by components that "look" the same. The quality of cork rings used in the cork handle and their fit will become very evident as the rod is fished. Line guides placement, size and type selection all are important for over all performance, durability, fit and functionality of a rod. The guide weight, guide ring smoothness and hardness of the ring material, corrosion resistance, and how the inserts are mounted and glued are not readily seen. True quality more than offsets the small cost increase of high quality components. Overall weight is a significant factor for virtually all rods, component selection is a vital part of achieving this goal. reducing the weight of components on the upper half of the rod is key to best performance. I have the experience and the availability of components to address all of these factors for you. I will inform you of the available trade offs between fit, function and cost and assure you of achieving a quality custom crafted rod that satisfies you the customer. Rod Blank
Modern composite rod blanks come in a dizzying array of actions and compositions from the ultra light high modulus engineering wonder to solid glass blanks. I will select from literally thousands of action and composition combinations from blank manufacturers to precisely match your application. Choice of blank is a hallmark of the custom rod. It is the starting place, after the consultation phase, for the realization of your desires. I select Blanks that are best fit and value for the customer. I will build on the blanks that you the customer chooses. Many of my customers have already decided on the blank for their rod. Great and the more customer involvement in the design choices and selections are always welcome in my shop. Set Up Everybody's casting style varies slightly if not dramatically. How you hold your rod dictates the opportunity to customize your cork grip to fit you in such a way that causes your rod to be in the exact same position every time you cast. This will result in a dramatic improvement in casting accuracy. Guide placement can affect both the length and accuracy of your casting. Each rod describes a unique curve when put under deflection. The goal is to place guides for optimum performance. By preventing 'line slap' against the rod shaft, the custom builder is able to reduce friction to allow for longer and smoother casts. Guide opening size and spacing is critical in dampening line oscillation that is set up during the cast. The fishing line as it travels from reel to rod tip needs to experience the least amount of guide contact friction possible, while the line needs to properly load the rod blank in fighting a fish. Observance of the "nodal point" (the center of vibration between the rod tip and the butt portion) as a guide placement joint helps to dampen the rod vibration by equalizing upper and lower line balance effects. The line travel from the reel to intersection point along the spinning rod blank is important for the casting ability. Guide placement for downrigger, casting, trolling and stand up rods are important in eliminating rod twisting when the rod is loaded. Stripping guides placement and spacing are important factors in "straightening out" and damping oscillation of the fly line during casting. Each point of set-up contributes to the whole, making the rod function at an optimum level. No "formula" for spacing will work for every rod simply because no two blanks exhibit exactly the same characteristics. This meticulous attention to detail is the hallmark of my custom crafted rods. Rod Balance Regardless of the actual weight (within reason), balance is the most important factor in making a rod "feel" good to you as well as reduce casting fatigue. For example, fly reels manufactured for the same line weight will vary in reel weight by several ounces from the lightest to the heaviest. This difference is more than enough to make a rod 'tip-heavy' or 'butt-heavy' in your hand. When the rod is properly balanced with your reel and line, the outfit feels "weightless," allows for delicacy and accuracy, and is simply a joy to use for a fatigue-free day of fishing. For casting accuracy and effort, reel weights are very important elements in achieving proper balance. Proper balance is therefore a feature of a custom built rods.

Consulting
Before I became a professional Rod Builder, I was a fisherman. The stimulus that prompted me to begin rod building was the desire for a rod that would better serve my favorite kind of fishing. I understand those special techniques and needs you have for your favorite kind of fishing. With my practical knowledge of fishing and custom rod designing. As a consultant I will use my intimate knowledge of the casting and fish fighting properties of literally hundreds of rod blank styles and rod tapers. My first hand experience regarding grip, reel seat and line guide performance and durability enable me to select the exact group of components that will meet your specific needs. Your physical stature, specific casting style, personal aesthetics, and equipment balance are all considered during the consulting phase. Consulting is the first step of the process that will culminate with a fine fishing implement for you. The Spine Most rods blanks, when put under a load, torque or twist into a position of "static comfort". The outside of this curve is referred to as the rod's "spine". My custom crafted fishing rods are built using the 'Dynamic' spine, which includes the static and the dynamic effects of casting and fighting a fish. My custom tuned fishing rods are spine oriented to achieve optimum performance in casting and fish fighting abilities.. Aesthetics Custom rods are first and foremost yours. My goal is to build a fine custom fishing rod that is pleasing to you. Beauty does not improve function, but does enhance pride of ownership. So too can you have your fishing rod. I can aesthetically convert your rod to a 'work of art' that is meant to please the only person that counts...you. Pride of ownership of a custom rod should be driven by performance and aesthetics not brand labels. What makes a custom rod better than a factory rod? Several things. A knowledgeable custom rod builder will begin by assisting you in designing a rod around your specific needs. Then he will select the best possible blank and components available today. (Commercially made rods almost never employ the very best component parts.)
You may desire a certain diameter or shape of handle that is not available commercially. Or maybe your type of fishing requires something that you just can't get in a rod off a store rack. A skilled custom rod builder can accomodate almost any need or desire that a fisherman may have. What can a custom builder do that the factories don't? For starters, the custom builder will take into account the fact that all rod blanks have a preferred stress curve and orient it to provide you with optimum tracking on the cast, if that is your desire. Or he may set it up so that you have maximum response and power, if that is your primary consideration. These are things that commercial producers can't really take the time to do, nor are they building rods for the specific individual. The custom rod builder is fitting the rod to you and your needs. It can be considered a highly specialized tool. A good custom builder realizes that sensitivity is almost entirely a matter of stiffness to weight ratio. Thus, he or she will use the most modern and technology proven materials and techniques for mating the handle components to your blank. This provides you with a stonger yet lighter assembly and truely does increase sensitivity. Then we get into rod balance and the role it plays on the fatigue you feel after a long day's fishing. A good custom builder can do a lot to reduce strain and stress on the angler by properly balancing the rod. I thought custom rods were all about fancy wraps and decorations. Perhaps some are. But the true custom builder always places a premium on performance and precision and makes sure that form follows function. So I can't get fancy wrapping done on a custom rod? Oh yes, you surely can! And much more than that. Much like a fine firearm with beautiful checkered wood stock and intricate engraving, a custom rod can be embellished with beautiful decorative wraps and distinctive handle and grip additions that make it uniquely your own. Many custom rod builders are true craftsmen who create rods that not only perform at the top level, but become genuine heirlooms to be passed down through generations. Are all custom rod builders equal in skill and ability? No, probably not. Just like people in any trade or craft, some are better than others and each may specialize in a particular facet of the craft. What you can be sure of, is that by talking with various ones you can certainly find the custom builder who can best meet your particular needs in a fine fishing rod. How much is a custom rod going to cost me?
Probably more than your basic off the rack rod. But many anglers feel that the higher level of performance and quality you get is worth spending a bit extra. Custom rods are not for everybody, but if you are one of those who value a truly high level of performance and craftsmanship, a custom rod could well become one of your most trusted and prized possessions.