I’m excited to have Saltwaters Tackle in West Islip now stocking my custom rods in their shop. Mike, Jose, and Mike have one of the best tackle shops on Long Island with just about anything you’d need for fishing the surf or inshore, along with offshore essentials as well. They’re also an authorized Van Staal service center and rod repair work is being expertly completed by yours truly. Their first two builds are without a doubt the most popular surf rods I’ve made n 2017 - a

Considered by many to be one of the best Blackfish and bottom fishing rods of all time, the Lamiglas 1143F has been a favorite among anglers for decades. Reintroduced into the Lamiglas line up in early 2017, this rod is the perfect choice for anglers who prefer a slower/moderate action rod for their bottom fishing needs. A slower action blank is a perfect choice for braided lines, while also giving that double digit blackfish a split second longer to position the crab before

Black Hole is known for making some of the lightest and most sensitive rods on the market today, with the Challenger series being a favorite among local anglers. These blanks weigh a mere 2-3oz prior to being built and feature a soft tip, but don't let that fool you. These blanks can deadlift 10-20 lbs with ease, so they're plenty capable of pulling that big Sea Bass, Fluke, Cod, or Blackfish off the bottom and over the gunwale. This build starts with a Black Hole Challenger

It was a pleasure to make this beautiful Lamiglas Tri-Flex Inshore for Patty, who will use the rod for general purpose bottom fishing around Montauk and Long Island Sound. The build starts with a Lamiglas Tri-Flex blank, which is a series of composite rod blanks that feature the best characteristics of graphite (lightweight and power) and fiberglass (durability and softness) to produce one of the best all around inshore rods on the market. Shaped hypalon grips and a polished

I was happy to deliver another CTS Vapor Trail to a repeat customer in Martha's Vineyard recently. Modeled after another Vapor Trail I made for him in 2015, this build features Fuji Silicone Carbide K guides, Infinity style shrink tube grips, and a Star/Snowflake decorative wrap. The rod will be used extensively this fall in the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby; I hope it puts a winner on the sand for you Ned! The CTS Vapor Trail blanks represent some of the li

Since their introduction last fall, I'm happy to see customers finding the Lamiglas GSB1201M and GSB1321M Old School blanks as a rod to have in their arsenal. These blanks are the most versatile on the market today and can cover any task from jigging and eeling, to plugs and topwater lures. This build features Infinity style shrink tube fore & rear grips, along with a Fuji DNPSD reel seat. The decorative wrap is a "Spider" in matching colors, with the light green base adding

Another CTS Vapor Trail is out the door and ready for action! This build starts with a 10ft 3-6oz CTS Vapor Trail blank and features a shrink tube handle and Fuji DNPSD reel seat. The wrap is a double chevron, which produces a pattern on 4 sides of the blank as opposed to two. Fuji Alconite K guides were wrapped in a classic black/silver combination that is sure to look good for years to come. The CTS Vapor Trail blanks represent some of the lightest, best casting rods on the

With wire line trolling once again gaining in popularity, I've started to build a number of trolling rods designed specifically for customers using parachutes, bunker spoons, and mojo rigs. This set of custom wire line rods starts with a pair of Seeker BA115 fiberglass blanks, which were sanded/polished to a matte finish. The handles utilize graphite gimbals, slick butts and Heavy Duty Fuji Seat with shaped burl fore grips. Guides are traditional carbide ring models capable o