Leppy

If you can swing it, it's definitely worth taking the 2 day course that MudHole offers. You get everything that you need to build a rod, and over the two days they actually take you through building your own, so you get to walk away with your own, finished custom rod! A buddy and I just did one in January and it was a really great experience. You get as much (or as little) help as you need through the entire process. Also, the folks at MudHole have always been super helpful when I call with questions.