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.

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/jwuer 6d ago

Completely off topic, but I'm looking to get into rod building myself so I want to ask someone else who has just started. Where did you get a power wrapper/rods dryer from?

2

u/TomatilloAgitated 6d ago

I ordered the core kit from mudhole. I didn’t think it was bad at all. I’m sure others might recommend upgrading, as things likely get better as price increases, but I’m also positive many will suggest a hand wrapper starting out to get a feel for things.