Basic Rod Building Class

Ever imagine what it would feel like to land a fish on a rod that you built? Our custom rod building classes are designed to help design and build your own custom fishing rod.

Our classes are taught by custom rod builders Kevin Howell and John Rich. Kevin has been designing and building custom rods for over 25 years. Kevin is experienced in all levels of rod building from advanced wraps, to marbling, to simply wrapping a guide on a rod.  John has been building custom rods for the last several years and currently handles all of our rod repairs here at Davidson River Outfitters.

In the basic rod building class Kevin or John will walk you through every step of building your own rod. At the end of the class you will have a completed rod ready to fish. In the basic class you will learn how to spline blanks, attach tip tops, thread wrapping, cork reaming, filing guide feet, guide placement, attaching reel seats, and how to apply finish.

In the advanced rod building class Kevin and John will teach you how to make marble and feather inlays, as well as decorative wraps and under wraps. You will also learn how to glue up and turn your own handle with various inlays.

Rod building class is $150 per person and is limited to a max of 6 participants. DRO will provide epoxies, glues, threads, wrapping jigs and drying motors, tools and instructors. Participants will need to provide their own rod blank, handle, reel seat and guides. DRO will help participants pick rod and components and will offer a 20% discount on components purchased through DRO. When building rods, day one will be handle construction, guide placement and guide wrapping. Day two will be guide wrapping and finishing. Rods will have to turn overnight and will not be able to be picked up and fished until mid morning on Sunday, Dec 5th.

December 3-4, 2021, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

More class dates will be announced for 2022.