As the New Year approaches in a couple of days, our thoughts will begin to look forward to spring and open water fishing. The Sport Show season is upon us as well, with all the new products available it will be a mind blowing experience. We hope to see you at one or more of the shows. Check our web site for the dates and locations of these super great shows.

What is or makes a custom rod will be the subject of the next series of posts. Custom rod building is an example of a cottage industry that adds personality to the larger fishing industry it belongs in. There are only a very few custom rod builders in the US who work full time building rods. There are many thousands of hobbyists crafting rods in their workshops at home however. Choosing a qualified custom builder knowledgeable in the craft is not an easy task for the consumer.

There is a micro economy behind the custom rod building industry supported by major manufactures across the US and around the world. Some of the names are familiar like St. Croix, Lamiglas, Pacific Bay, Fuji, among other like Aftco, Flex Coat, Gudebrod, and many other smaller but niche manufactures of products and goods. Then a combination of these manufactures, artisans and hobbyists spawns some very original and effective fishing rods. Check out the work done by these builders and you will find a wide scale in quality and professionalism.

The next time you are at a sport show, look for custom builders exhibiting their work and compare this work against a major manufacturer of fishing equipment. You will be surprised at the difference! There is certainly a trend by many fisher people to go with custom built tools, as they are unable to find the exact tool in a off the shelf model. Only custom builders can make the exact fit.

So, the question then is: How are these things made? We will attempt to briefly discuss the process in the next series of blogs… stay tuned and participate with us.