Mudhole should just sell these as Matt Stefan rod building packages. I haven't taken this leap yet, but really like seeing the process and your discussion about why you picked the components you did and the measurements.

It's nice to see others getting into building their own rods. Quality control at home, no more off the rack crud. Eyelets that line up and aren't twisted or broke. It's all worth it !!!!

Mudhole actually tours the country giving weekend classes on rod building. At the end of your weekend you have a rod you built yourself.

Super happy to see another build video. I like watching different people and their techniques. It's been a huge help. In the last 5 months I've built 5 customs and I can see the growth from rod to rod. I'm still not putting out perfection looks wise (my friends disagree but I'm a perfectionist) but I can tell I've gotten much better and the rods I've built perform much better than anything I've ever bought off the shelf, they're also more comfortable because they're EXACTLY how I like them. I gave one recently to my friend as a gift and delivering one to my dad in a week. I'll never buy another factory rod again. Thanks matt!

Thanks for your time

one day i want to make my own fishing rod! thanks for sharing the process as well as giving pointers throughout! i just subscribed

Thank you for the inspiration!! I just built my first rod using mud hole supplies and techniques that I learned watching your videos! I now have a great productive hobby to get me through the N. Idaho winter and the rods are awesome!

Very nice presentation Matt.

I’ve been watching videos on building rods. I think I’m gonna get into it and maybe flip a profit. It looks like a fun hobby! Also this video is great for details and explaining things.

These videos are really cool, as a big DIY type of guy I am hoping my new Doctors can get me where I can try to build one. 🎣

I'm going to do this. I retired this year and was planning on trying my hand at making soft plastic baits. However, heating the plastics to 350-400 degrees F for hand pouring or injecting into the molds, not to mention the associated toxic fumes, can be dangerous. I think it would take a lot of practice (and expense) to perfect. This is more do-able for me. Just subscribed to the Mud Hole Custom Tackle channel and registered on their website. Thanks for the video.

🍺Thanks Matt. Another nice video👍. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a HUGE Shimano, G Loomis, Mega bass and Yamamoto supporter. For you chatterbait fans. I recommend Yamamotos new 5” shad shape floater as a trailer. It mimics your body of waters bait with very little interference to the baits intended action and is not too intimidating to any of the bass. It catches bigs and numbers.🤠

I took a rod building class this spring. I have built 2 rods. Let me say this, you make it look easy and I know from personal experience it’s not. However I do enjoy it and I plan on building my entire arsenal.

I have a feeling that making your own rods is a lot like making your own baits: once you get started, it's really hard to stop, and the next thing you know, your house is stacked full of hundreds of rods, lol. I keep telling myself I'm going to start doing it. Maybe I'll buy myself all the needed equipment for Christmas this year.

Great video Matt. Started building after your video in ‘20. I get the specs and handle dimensions I want. You just showed me something I’ve been missing to clean up my wraps. Thanks again!

You have given me the confidence to try building my first rod.

Cool video on how to build a rod. Thank you

This was incredible

Really enjoyed Matt. You are the best teacher!!

Thank you for the video.

Very informative info on this video, I built this exact rod last winter per your suggestion and it is absolutely a great rod for the baits you mentioned, thanks for the rod advice last winter!!!

I love these!! Thank you

Thanks Matt for the awesome videos on rod building. You just cost me a lot of money, now I'm getting into custom rod building also. Please make a video on how to make an A rig rod. Thanks for all your help.

Really enjoyed this one..

Great video. I started putting epoxy ramps on with pigment and gorilla glue 5 minute epoxy. The options are endless. I’m torn between fancy rods and basic rods. They. Both look good. Keep up the good work. Sam

Im getting into this, there is nothing like hand picking what you want . Plus thinking about making a few rods for close friends.....good stuff...

I've been doing minor fixes on my rods for years, but only recently thought about building my own rods from scratch. My brothers friend has been building his own from scratch for years and I really like the idea of reusing components when a rod breaks as they do every once in a while and I really like the idea of making all your rods of one type a specific color so you know what you're picking up. The biggest problem is I already need an area for storing my tackle, boat, and fishing stuff! Thanks for the video.

thank you sir! awesome video!

I’ve been thinking about getting into rod building. Might be a way to offset a small portion of the cost of fishing. As far as I know there isn’t anyone else where I live that builds rods or repairs rod eyes.

Fantastic video, Matt. I've already dabbled with my first custom rod build. It's a rookie finished rod but I had fun and learned a lot from that build. Watching your video, it's definitely helping me to prepare for another custom build. Thanks for all the tips...thumbs up and subscribed to your channel.

That’s really cool how you explained everything I thought it was great

Hi Matt, recent subscriber and I ran across these rod building videos. You talked me into it. I've been reviewing the Mud Hole site and I'm ready to go. Keep these rod building videos coming!

I've got my first one on the dryer now. I decided to shoot for the moon, lol. NFC's new c602 xray 724 with their soft touch carbon fiber grips, then clear wrapped titanium torzite guides to the tip. I threw in some NRX blue wraps for the hook keeper and above the reel seat. She's looking pretty...now more importantly I need to do some fishing.

I am a fan, looking forward to more videos.

I just got into fishing like a month or so ago and I like the high viz colors. Neon green and orange and blue. I don't have one in those colors yet but I see people with them and I really like them. I'm surprised no one has made a neon green glow in the dark fishing rod. It just seems like neon green and glow in the dark goes together. That might be a million dollar idea.

Ok. You convinced me. I ordered the starter kit from mudhole.

Great Video Matt! Thanks for all you do. Looking forward to building one. Waiting on my starter kit!!

I could see myself building at least a rod or two to see if I liked it so having you provide exactly what you are using is great for that but what about if I wanted to build a different type of rod? Imagine I am sitting here looking at the Mud Hole website, how am I supposed to know which reel seat is going to fit snug? How will I know how many guides I want and what sizes I want? Where would someone go to learn all that. I don't even know what I would google to try and research it. Maybe you should think about doing an in depth series about understanding the basics of rod design and parts. I mean winter is upon us (just about) there is no better time. Thanks for another great video. Also, someone below mentioned Mud Hole should just offer a Matt Stephon rod building package. I think that would be a great idea if you could get them to do it. Every time someone ordered one they would know it was a result of your site and it could help you out a bit. This could be a really great way to promote their business and they really don't have to do much to make it happen. I might even email them and tell them it is a good idea.

You should build them to sale. Matt Stefan series.??? Thanks Matt

Very informative. If you fish long enough, you find yourself having to replace guides. I've been doing them, myself, and has actually gotten me interested in taking the next step and building my own complete rod, so I was sure to pay attention to how much force you were applying to get the rod seat down to the final spot (Gives me an indication of how tight of a fit I should be looking for). I found it interesting that you didn't mask off the back area of the reel seat location, to aid in clean-up and as a stop guide (I guess it's a matter of choice, and not entirely necessary). Another thing I noticed when you were winding the guide was that you didn't add any winds in FRONT of the guide. My No 8 Tackle rods were infamous for losing single foot guides like that, and they had no forward winds on them, which allowed them to slip loose of the wraps, over time. I haven't lost any guides, once I started adding a couple wraps in front of the guides. Just food for thought. Wonder what you think. Moving ahead after watching this, I should at least upgrade my winding station from the cardboard Vees that I made and the hand crafter bobbin thread holder, though. 😄

I’ve been thinking about doing a rod, thanks.

Very cool. If you haven't tried the North Fork Composites blanks I would recommend you check them out. American made. Great pricing and the guru Gary Loomis designed. By far the best technology, especially the newer xray blanks, and design available for the money. I had a MHX blank snap in mid cast. I'll never go back to the cheaper Asian made products.

You've convinced me to finally build a rod. Do you know where I can find spec/material list to build 10' casting rods for pay lakes style fishing? Thanks man your videos have been great!

Wow Thanks, I been wanting to do this for so long, even sent for mudhole catalog. I am just too scared 😱...i watched bunch videos but the measurments and guide buying etc overwhelm me.

Thanks for sharing

Matt, you need to check the guides you listed. A search on Mudhole's site did not find any. I also checked the guides in the components section and did not find what you have listed. Very good video by the way. I'm a fan of Mudhole. I've build several of their rods.

Man I wish I could convince my self to build rods. By the way I just purchased Gulp alive shad/shiner scent. I hope it works. Thanks.

wish you had all the tools listed too. This was awesome

Great video , Nice work ! ........ I watched other videos that say you should take a file and taper the guide feet , do you do that , is it needed ?

This is an idea I've tossed around for a while now. Ive always wanted a nice steelhead rod but through various personal issues I've not done it because it would be used enough. Now I've fixed myself I've gotten back into it this winter and would like to just make my own, I think it'd be great feeling those first head shakes from the best fighting fish in northeast Ohio. I'm looking for something around ten foot, medium light and two piece. Cork handle, dunno about what else or where to begin

Hi Matt great video, what do you put in front of the real seat to have something clean?

Matt, does Mudhole provide or sell guideline dimensions for reel seat and guide train for a given blank? How did you determine where you wanted your handle, and guide train?

What's the initial cost for all the additional materials? I can see it being cheaper if you are building 10+ rods but if you are going to build just a few it might be cheaper to buy from a store? Do you have issues with consistency from rod to rod? Do you notice variations in build or blanks?

Thank you again. I am looking at this just to get what I really want and need. If you read this, what blank would you recommend for an UL BFS system.

Great video Matt! Im getting my stuff from Mudhole soon, first rods ever and this video will help for sure. Just curious, as I am living in Sweden and there's a lot of shipping and import taxes on the items, can you or have you done a video explaining the difference between the rod types in more detail? Im looking at NP842 vs NSJ841 Im guessing the NP has a bit stiffer tip action? ML Vs L. Would be great to get a better understanding of the differences.

Love building rods. 10 so far. What is your process to maintain proper alignment of the guides? KZfaq has some great info when you start building rods.

Hey all. Would this be a good first time build rod? I throw a lot of chatter/swim baits. Sometimes a whopper plopper or red fin. Just want an all around first build. Also don’t wanna spend over $100 on a blank. Have the order set up ready to pull the trigger.

What do you do if you get a bunch of micro fiberglass splinters in your thumb

👍👍

Matt, Nice video and nice looking rod. What ever happened to the Tennessee handle spinning rods? Many anglers used them when I was fishing tournaments but I haven't seen them for years.

Are these videos enough info to try building or is it best to sign up for a class when you're first starting out? Thanks.

Matt, I don't know if you will answer but I do have a question. What is the best length rod for skipping? Thanks. Scott.

Hum.. I use a locking wrap on my guides as extra precaution against a guide getting pulled out. Maybe it’s overkill? I use the same setup, you ever had any issue with any LZR pulling out?

I have just bought a rod & the top section of the rod is slightly different colour carbon with a different weave in the carbon. Is this normal to help with rods action or have they sent me the wrong top section because it wont be the first time thats happened.

I have always used spinning rods and reels and have just started to use a casting rod and reel. I have always been looking for a spinning rod that I could use for most types of baits. I was wondering if you could help me with this. Or would it be easier to build one.?

What size thread do you use to wrap the guides?

But where can I get the rod blanks

It’s hard to believe that they haven’t made something you can attach the eyes with instead of thread

Looking to start building my own rods in the near future!!! How about a build for spinning rod for Ned/wacky rigs Stay Safe & God Bless!!

He didn't say anything about finding the spine of the rod

I would like to receive all your broken rods with all the guides everything still on them if possible because I put broken rods back together with carbon fiber insert and the rods I use you don't lose sensitivity and I will be glad to pay shipping on the broken rods you have if any way possible let me no thank you

It's even easier to build chatterbaits. Trust me.

I appreciate you doing this, but you talk too much then you don't show much of the actual work. Just saying...sorry