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How I got into this

I built my first rod out of necessity, not passion — I couldn't afford a decent saltwater setup and a buddy talked me into building one instead of buying one. That was over twenty years ago. I've been at the bench pretty much every week since, building for myself, fixing rods for friends, and eventually building a small side business repairing and building custom rods out of my garage.

I started Ono Rods because most of what's written about rod building online is either written by people who've never actually wrapped a guide, or it's a thin wrapper around an affiliate link with no real opinion behind it. I wanted somewhere to put down what I've actually learned — what's worth the money, what isn't, and what I wish someone had told me before I wasted $80 on a blank that didn't suit what I was building.

How I review things

Most of what's on this site, I've built with myself — blanks, guides, thread, epoxy, tools, all of it goes through my hands before I write about it. Where I haven't personally built with something (a new release, or a niche product I haven't had a reason to use), I say so clearly and base the review on specs, published testing, and what other builders in the community are reporting. I don't take payment for a positive review, and I don't rank something higher because the commission is better.

I do use affiliate links — mostly Amazon and a few brand programs — because that's what keeps this site running without ads plastered everywhere. It doesn't change what I recommend. Full details on that in the Affiliate Disclosure.

What you'll find here

Reviews organized by what you're actually shopping for — blanks, guides and seats, thread and finish, tools, and the odd piece of gear worth mentioning. Plus guides for people just starting out, because everyone was a first-timer with a blank and no idea what "static deflection" meant at some point (me included).

See the reviews →