I'm in the process of building my first rod. It's kind of a cheapie - my dad got me a gift certificate to Cabela's so I'm building one of their Fish Eagle Rods. It actually seems pretty nice for the price - plus if I mess it up, I won't be too far in the hole... Anyway, I got all the guides placed last night and I'm ready to start wrapping.

My question is: I never use the hook keeper on any of my rods, is it okay to leave it off? And if I do, do I still need to wrap that area of the rod? Are there any benefits to having a hook keep, even if I don't use it?

Thanks in advance for any info!