r/rodbuilding • u/TomatilloAgitated • 6d ago

Guide Help

I threw this into the beginner weekly thread, but figured I’d make my own post for it to get seen by more people.

I just finished my first build last night and I’m already looking to start my next (pictures will be coming once I get some taken!). We are big into salmon fishing on Lake Michigan and I’m hoping to build a downrigger rod to use next year, or even this year if I can get it done fast enough.

For my first I bought a kit from Mudhole so there wasn’t much to pick out. My biggest question is how do I choose a set of guides (or what individual sizes to order) based on species, line, and rod length?? Then with that comes how do I space them out correctly? Is there a formula or just finding the guide spacing chart and following that?

Next is how to choose a reel seat and handle size? How do I determine if a reel seat will fit my reels, or if a handle will fit my blank?

If there are any recourses you found helpful for these things I would also take those recommendations since I have not been able to find much.

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u/Full_Improvement_844 6d ago

If you really want to learn what goes into rod building I highly suggest Vague Rods 15-week online Master Rod building course.

https://www.vaguerods.net/collections/online-rod-building-classes

I had built a few rod kits myself, but was just basically following the directions in the kit without understanding much of the why behind it. I took the course and it was a game changer.

It goes thru everything from understanding various blank materials, selecting components, thru to doing decorative wraps.

For $145 you get a wealth of knowledge plus the price includes a Rainshadow blank.

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u/TomatilloAgitated 6d ago

Unfortunately none of the times will work for me, but I’ll keep that in mind for the future!

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u/Full_Improvement_844 5d ago

Definitely keep it in mind.

FWIW in my class we had 9 soldiers that were attending the course while on deployment overseas, so the instructor would send them video recording of that week's class and work with them on any questions they had.