Ok, the time has come for me to take my next step in this godawful hobby we call fly fishing!

For quite some time I've been kicking around the idea of building a rod. I've seen so many beautiful examples of hand made rods but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't very intimidated by it. Heck, I've even been a little scared to click on the link to bring me into this part of FAOL because I was afraid if I came in here I would probably never get out!! LOL!!

So, having said all of that, how does one get started? Is there a basic rod building kit one can buy, (much like a basic fly tying kit),? Where do you get the various materials, tools, and other doo-dads necessary to feed this compulsion?

I currently own a couple mid-range rods I fish with, (St. Croix and a Reddington), plus a few low end rods that got me started. They are all 2 pc. rods and I really want a 4pc 5wt rod I can keep in the car so I have it on hand on those days when I pass a pond or nice looking ditch and feel like tossing a fly.

So, gentlemen, where do I start?