Best Selection Ever

The breadth and scope of rod blanks available today boggles the mind of those of us who were practicing this craft back in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  Back then there were only a handful of companies offering rod blanks and the selection was somewhat limited. If you wanted a “7 foot, 4-power,” you might have to buy a 7-1/2 foot, 3-power and trim it back. Why not just buy the 7 foot, 4-power? Simple – it didn’t exist! Nor did most of other models that we take for granted today. Blank selection back then was hodgepodge and scattered all over the place. A couple lengths in this power, another power in a different length. You hoped to find something close enough that some modification would result in about what you wanted.

The big names of the time were Fenwick, J.K. Fisher and Lamiglas. All made great rod blanks, but the overall selection of product left most of us trimming or extending to get what we wanted. Those were the days when rod builders were forced to be creative.

When LCI (Loomis Composites, Inc.) came on the scene in the late 1970’s, their catalog featured the most complete blank line up I’d ever seen.  Blanks were available in 6 inch increments and usually in 4 different powers per length. The days of cutting or extending were over. Well, almost. Even today you still run up against the odd requirement where you just can’t find a model to suit your needs. But it’s much more rare than it was 25 years ago.

Today’s custom rod builder has an assortment of rod blanks that is incomparable. Never before has this craft had so many different rod blanks, in so many lengths, powers and actions. Never before has it had this many blank manufacturers and distributors. Chances are, whatever you need is out there – you just have to find it amid the truly huge selection available.

Tom Kirkman

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The following RodMaker advertisers manufacture and distribute the world’s most diverse assortment and variety of rod blanks for custom rod builders:

American Tackle  -  http://www.americantackle.us/

Batson Ent. (Rainshadow/ForeCast)  -  http://www.batsonenterprises.com/

Mud Hole Custom Tackle  -  http://www.mudhole.com/

Pacific Bay, Inc.  -  http://www.fishpacbay.com/

Seeker Rod Company  -  http://www.seekerrods.com/

St. Croix Rod Company  -  http://stcroixrods.com/