In his quest for the perfect ice fishing rod, Brandon Greene says he never could find one he liked and that fit just right. So, he built one that did. And hooked a booming side venture in the process.

The man on the other end of the phone was noticeably hesitant, perhaps even a little embarrassed. He had spent 34 years in the quiet, comfortable background of the sport-fishing industry, most ...

When it comes to making custom fishing rods, Barry Weaver employs many skills. Weaver alternates among being a woodworker, an engineer, a lathe operator, a technician and an assembler. And when it ...

CHISHOLM — If there’s ever a tornado warning for this Iron Range town, Mike Lesch will likely be safe. That’s because he already spends a lot of time in his basement shop, where he turns drab sticks ...

Getting a custom-built rod from Wayne Fowlkes always came with a bonus. Fishing stories. Fowlkes loved to hear them, loved to tell them. “I remember the day I met him at his shop to have two rods ...

Kyle Watson of Smyrna and KDUB Rod Co was selected as a Top 10 finalist during a custom fishing rod building competition, the 2023 International Rod Building Challenge by American Tackle.