BUILDING A 10-FOOT SHARK ROD FOR LESS

Hoogan · 2010-04-22T12:27:36Z

Just want to share my experience of rod building, I built my first rod at age 16, now 51 have built a few.. for my myself and for friends. It does not have to cost you $500 to build a top quality 10-foot shark rod, and you can pick your custom colors, components and fore grip and rear grip lengths. Please read on! -ROD BLANK - This should be the most important part of your rod (not the rod guides) and probably the biggest expense of the build. PLEASE take note - Gator Glass rod blanks come "unfinished" (they show the layers of fiberglass and are not smooth) from the factory, therefore you want to FULLY coat the ENTIRE blank not just the guide wrapps. LATE ENTRY- I assumed most would be using a Gator Glass 10-foot rod blank, which is rated for 80lb. test to Unlimitted line class. About $190. -ROD GUIDES - You do not need to spend $100-plus in SIC rod guides! they are NOT necessary, not even for today's braided lines. FUJI - Hardloy's or even FUJI aluminum oxide guides DO NOT grove when used with braid. I do recommend sticking with FUJI for their far superior bonding of the ring to the metal frame (the ceramic does not come off the guide frame) Metal guides - We love those foulproof (snake) guides but with time they do tend to break, and of course heat disipation is much lower then a quality ceramic ringed guide, for about another $20 you can get the FUJI alum. oxide guides (guys SIC looks nice but you do not need to spend the extra $100 on Silicon Carbide, I have used Hardloy never a problem, the guys in the Left Coast use braid for yellowfin tuna and experience no issues, Calstar factory wrapped rods are equiped with FUJI Hardloy from the factory. PLEASE take note - make sure that you or your rod builder uses an underwrapp (a layer of thread under the guide) in between the guide and the rod blank. You DO NOT want the metal foot of the guides seating directly on the rod blank on a prolonged fish fight with a monster this step is IMPORTANT. This set of Heavy Duty FUJI's will run you under $40!!! for a 10-foot shark rod and will handle 130 lb. test with ease.... rame-Black -TOP - I highly recommed a roller, a top-of-the-line AFTCO Big Foot roller (will allow passing of Bimini's and swivels thru) will cost you under $24 for the largest size: #36 in silver!... t-SHD-Tops - REEL SEAT - Heavy Duty machined aluminum American Tackle number #28 (fits 14/0 and 16/0 reels, and smaller reels) will run you under $22!!!... Reel-Seats - GRIPS - EVA foam - for the foregrip and rear grip will run you approx. $15 combined. - FINISH, THREAD and OTHER - Clear Epoxy Coat, masking tape, YOUR personal color thread, rod-bond (to secure reel seat to blank) will run you $30! (Note- if you have a rod builder do the job for you, this $30 expense is usually included in the "labor" cost) FINALLY - Do I do the job or have it done by a professional? -If I do it I get to learn how easy it really is (just go to Mudhole they have free instructions on line) and I get the satisfaction of fighting a Monster with MY rod! COST $326!!! -If I have a professional rod builder do it, I'll ask him to tripple wrapp the guides and to do a fancy butt wrapp and the labor includes the cost of clear coat the full rod, placing the grips, aligning the guides, splining the blank correctly and a superb job! COST $396!!! (including labor of $100 which BTW is a high estimate) If you need a quality honest and NOT expensive rod builder I highly recommend Bill @ Fishing Rod Ect. (305) 251-6130. Good Luck and please feel free to add, debate and contribute to this thread, I certainly welcome forum members that can help me to become a better angler and I hope to do the same for others. Good fishing, Art.

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cfronczek89

(@cfronczek89)

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Mudhole is supposed to be getting a 80-130 10 foot gator shark blank. I saw it being delivered by Blackfin, but it has not shown up in their online catalog.

In lighter rods, underwraps can create extra weight. I feel they allow for a lot more color options and a more custom look and weight of epoxy doesn't matter in a heavy shark rod.

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Posted : 11/17/2010 5:16 pm

snookman45

(@snookman45)

New Member Registered

Thanks for the helpful info makes me want to try and build my own rod.

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Posted : 02/22/2015 6:29 pm

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