A rod for my son

[JasonGotaProblem]

My lil dude, who just finished first grade, got honor roll all 4 quarters. He also got a perfect score on the math and reading sections of the standardized tests that I'm frankly surprised first graders have to take. He's reading above a 3rd grade level, and his teacher is trying to argue for his school to make an exception and let him into the gifted program, which generally isn't an option til 3rd grade.

So when I asked him what he wanted as a reward for the 2nd half of the year, he said he wants me to build him a rod. But not another little rod, he wants something to use inshore with me.

I asked what colors he wants. His favorite color is orange, but he also wanted red and blue on there.

Honestly this may be my best marbling work yet. Some of the other details aren't as tight as I'd like them to be (the epoxy slid a bit toward the foregrip so I couldn't put my thread banding or my hook keeper there and had to improvise).

For a reel he's getting a Japanese-made daiwa SS1300 that i believe is older than I am.

[Keta]

NICE on all.

[quang tran]

Very nice rod , Daiwa whisker SS 1300 reel also very good reel .Nice combo

[JasonGotaProblem]

I guess I should had added specs. It's 7' 6-12# line fast taper 1/4-3/4 lure weight.

He definitely deserves this, and more. 

[steelfish]

a lot better rod and job than what I did for my daughter when she was 6yo (now 14yo), you might remember this thread https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,20515.0.html
I choose to rebuilt a solid glass rod for her and some chrome rings guides to withhold the use of a 6yo kid, years later I asked her if she wanted a brand new custom rod instead of that rod I built for her (with her help on the shiny stuff and fairy dust) but she told me that shes happy with that fishing rod, so I just did a complete rebuilt job from the foregrip to the buttcap recently.

Im sure your kid will love it and treasure it for years

[Gobi King]

Fancy !
What guides did you use ?

[jgp12000]

Jason that is a good looking rod! I am sure he will keep it forever, and join you in the rod building hobby

[Jim Fujitani]

Jason, your son will remember his first very own rod and reel, especially because you built it for him.

I have vague memories of the first fishing reel that I used, probably at the age of 4 or 5, and that was a brown Shakespeare closed face spin caster.  I can't recall the rod.

But the rod and reel that I remember using for years, with which I caught rainbow trout and some blue gill, was a Mitchell CAP reel and a green Shakespeare wonderrod, with sliding rings.  It was handed down to me when I was 5-7 years old. 

I have never been able to find that Mitchell CAP and Wonderrod.  I'd like to find it but I think it is lost forever.  I believe my dad loaned it out to my nephew or someone else.  My aging parents sold our home and moved in the late 90's, and some fishing equipment was misplaced/lost/destroyed in the process, and both of my parents have long passed on.

[MisterStinky]

Wow what a great gift. What species does he like catching?

[oldmanjoe]

  Very nice looking stick .  And Glad he is doing well in school .

[JasonGotaProblem]

I think he likes it!