Welcome to 2017, y'all! I hope everyone had a good and safe New Year's celebration.  I am looking forward to all the exciting things 2017 is going to bring to our shop.  For starters, this year we will be offering ready-to-purchase rods in our on-line store.  You can view our store at www.baldguyfishing.com/store.  This blog gives you the specificiations and details of our first ready-to-purchase rod.

The backbone for this rod is built on the MB843, Mag Bass rod blank by MHX.  The blank is 7', one (1) piece, medium-heavy power and fast action.  It is rated for 10-17 pound line and 1/4 - 3/4 ounce lures. This MHX blank is made of multi modulus materials, which helps the rod have the ideal material in the best possible position in the blank.  This MHX series of blanks is as much as 40% lighter and more sensitive than other graphite blanks of similar standards and quality.  This blank is lightweight enough to fish all day and has the backbone to be a dependable fishing rod for years to come.

The handle needs of this custom rod are taken care of by the MHX WINNDRY® split grip fishing rod grips. These aren't your typical grips.  No EVA foam or cork here, these are made with Winn's patented WINNDRY® polymer material.  Professional and pro staff anglers were involved in the process of testing and providing feedback for the various prototypes, until the design was right.  You will not be disappointed in these grips.  They will provide a comfortable, tacky, anti-slip grip for all anglers and in any weather conditions mother nature throws your way.  This will provide more control, especially when fighting fish, and will provide comfort that lasts all day.

The fishing reel will be held in place by the deluxe casting reel seat by American Tackle Company.  These reel seats are manufactured to be extra sturdy and to have the durability to last a lifetime.  We put our own Bald Guy Fishing® touch on this seat by blacking it out to streamline the design of the entire build and give it that cusom look.  It was also given a coat of finish epoxy to provide the durability needed to help catch fish for the life of this rod.  

The fishing line will be fed through CRB casting guides.  This guide set is a concept style layout and the guide rings are press-fit into the frames.  The frames are made of 316 stainless steel for superior corrosion resistance, strength and durability, and are coated black to match the aesthetics of this build.

Looking towards the aesthetic side of this build, we kept it simple and clean.  For thread we chose black and green to match the MHX WINNDRY® grips.  These colors look really sharp together and provide the perfect amount of contrast to really pop on the trim bands and guide wraps of this rod.  For the lone dual foot guide we utilized an olive branch inlay in the center of the two guide feet and accentuated the wrap with a few single strands of contrasting thread.  For the single foot running guides we chose a simple two-color guide wrap in black and green threads to keep with the color theme.

This rod was completely assembled and customized by hand at Bald Guy Fishing® and is ready to fish its new home waters.  This rod can be yours for only $265 (price includes domestic shipping).  There is only one so don't delay, order today and start fishing a custom.

www.fishmhx.com
www.winngripsfishing.com
www.americantackle.us

                                                                                                                            May your lines be tight and your rods bent,

                                                                                                                                                                                            The Bald Guy

We all have a favorite fishing rod that has been with us through thick and thin.  It's the rod in that picture with you and your personal record catch, but it was also there when you spent all day at the lake and the only thing you came home with was a picture of the sunset.  After all those years of casting and catching, that once new rod is probably sporting a handle that has seen better days.  Whether your favorite rod has brittle cork, torn EVA, or just needs a little tender loving care, there is now a product that can give your old fishing rod handle a second chance.  Winn has come out with rod overwrap grip tape that can be applied to your rod to get it back out there catching fish.  Some of you may already be familiar with Winn Fishing Grips.  Here at Bald Guy Fishing® we have used their stand-alone grip options on several of our previous builds.  Some examples of rods built utilizing Winn grips are in our handle assembly gallery and can be viewed by clicking here.  

So what exactly is Winn rod overwrap grip tape?  Rod overwrap grip tape utilizes the same "non-slip polymer technology" as other fishing grips designed by Winn.  It is designed to be used as an overwrap for an existing handle, or as the sole grip on a fishing rod.  Just like Winn's signature fishing rod grips, the overwrap grip tape provides tacky, non-slip performance in a variety of weather conditions.  What this means is anglers will have the benefits of sure-grip security, all-day comfort and improved control, no matter if it is wet and rainy or cold and snowy.  The varied textures on the overwrap grip tape provide comfort and support for the angler's grip where it is needed most.  Winn rod overwrap grip tape is available in either 44" or 96" lengths and comes in one of 18 total color options.  The price typically ranges from $9.99 to $18.99, depending on what length you purchase.  You can purchase Winn rod overwrap grip tape at Academy Sports, Mudhole Custom Tackle, Get Bit Outdoors and Tackle Warehouse, just to name a few.  To learn more about Winn, visit their website at www.winngripsfishing.com.

For this post, I have chosen one of our earlier builds from here in the shop and will apply Winn rod overwrap grip tape to show how simply it is installed. Notice how it can bring new life to an old handle or give any handle a custom look.  It's easy and you don't need to be a custom rod builder to do it.  I have provided step-by-step instructions with pictures so you can get started today.

1) Prepare handle for the tape by sanding and/or cleaning the surface prior to installation.
​     (See Figure 1)

2) Establish the circumference of the handle where the tape is to be installed.  This can be done by wrapping the tape around the handle for one turn until the tape meets itself.  (See Figure 2)

3) Make a mark at the meeting point.  (See Figure 3)

4) Using a straight edge, make a line from the mark you just made to the opposite corner of the tape.
​     (See Figure 4)

5) Cut along the line with scissors.  The cut edge will be the bottom of your grip.  (See Figure 5)  The cut doesn't have to be perfectly straight because this edge will be covered with finishing tape.

6) Remove enough of the backing from the tape to start wrapping the handle (approximately six inches).  The sticky side of the tape will be the side that makes contact with the handle.  (See Figure 6)

7) Starting with your cut edge begin wrapping the handle with a spiral wrap.  (See Figure 7)

8) As you are spiral wrapping the handle be sure to line up the "traction edges" and continue wrapping to the desired length.  (See Figure 8)  Not using the "traction edges" will negatively effect the wrap.

9) Repeat steps 2-5.  This time the cut edge will be the top of your grip.

10) To complete your wrap, apply a layer of finishing tape to both the top and bottom of the wrap.  (See Figure 9)  If you damage or lose the provided finishing tape, electrical tape can be used as  a substitute.

                                                                                              DESIGN

​I can't speak for the other custom rod builders out there, but at Bald Guy Fishing®, the customer is an integral part of the design process.  I rely on customer input and feedback because I want to make sure the rod you get back from us is what you envisioned, if not better!  You work hard for your money and deserve the best.  Customer investment in the process helps me ensure the finished rod meets all required standards and gives the customer a fishing rod they are sure to be proud of for years to come.  With the order of a custom rod, you are getting one that can't be purchased in any store.  You can design a rod to support your favorite sports team, a business, charity, your fishing club or any number of other potential options.  There are endless possibilities and they are all up  to you.  No matter what purpose you are designing your rod for, or how you want it to look, Bald Guy Fishing® will take special care to ensure that attention is paid to every detail of your custom rod throughout the fabrication process.
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,                                                                                   PERFORMANCE

​There is a misconception floating around out there that custom rods are purely for looks.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  As anglers and rod builders today, I think we are very lucky.  If you follow the fishing industry, or open any magazine dedicated to fishing, you will undoubtedly see the innovation continually taking place in the industry.  The winning lures at ICAST always make a huge splash with customers, no pun intended.  Innovation in the fishing industry is in no way reserved for tackle alone.  I was fortunate enough to attend the International Custom Rod Builder's Exposition this year and the new products are amazing.  If you have been paying attention recently, then you have noticed how the custom market is showing up on rods in big box stores.  This is no coincidence.  Winn Grips has introduced a new line of saltwater grips as well as an overwrap tape that can be applied to quickly and easily add Winn performance to any existing rod.  American Tackle Company is still improving on their award winning Microwave Guides and have introduced a new model, Airwave, which are lighter and have increased durability thanks to new zero ring loss technology.  You can find rods outfitted with Microwave Guides at your local Academy Sports + Outdoors stores.  The good folks at RODgeeks are constantly stepping up their game and have introduced a new surf blank that will surely revolutionize the market.  This new blank has one handle and two (2) interchangeable tip sections which will allow the rod to have two (2) completely different actions.  The angler can change out the tip section and be able to cover a wide variety of surf fishing applications.  You can also get a reel seat through RODgeeks that can be painted to match your RODgeeks blank, or a different color depending on the style needs of your build.  Good custom rod builders take your design ideas and build a fishing rod that is not only built to your specifications, but can also be built for your style of fishing and/or a specific lure presentation.  Pick up a custom rod built to throw your favorite bait, and you'll feel the difference. 

At Bald Guy Fishing® all of our rods are built by hand.  We fabricate handles based on specific requirements, guides are strategically spaced and aligned, and special attention is paid to our builds to  ensure the end result is a high quality, performance rod.  Purchase a custom rod and go fishing with the rod built for you and how you like to fish.  Now enjoy catching fish with the increased performance gained from confidence in your custom fishing rod.  This is why at Bald Guy Fishing® our motto is, "Uniquely Built for Superior Performance".


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​                                                                                                                  May your lines be tight and your rods bent,

​                                                                                                                                                                                    The Bald Guy

I am always excited when a new rodbuilding magazine is in the mailbox, but in February I was particularly excited.  When the most recent issue of the RodCrafter's Journal arrived (Volume 41, No. 4 to be exact), I already knew I was going to be the featured centerfold rod builder, but couldn't wait to see how  Bald Guy Fishing® custom rods would look in print.  I was not disappointed.  I am especially proud of the rod chosen as the centerfold spread because I feel it is one of the most unique crosswraps I have completed to date.  It was an honor to not only be featured in the RodCrafter's Journal, but to be included alongside features about RODgeeks and Don Morse from American Tackle.  Being mentioned next to these folks really put things in perspective for how far I've come as a rod builder.  A big thanks to Harold Durham and Dan Troxel for helping to make this happen.  If you are a member of the Custom Rod Builder's Guild you can see my feature next to the Winn Grips advertisement.  If you are not a member of the guild I've attached some pictures below.

About a month ago I took a break from the shop to tour the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.  While driving back to Chattanooga, WUSY US 101, a local radio station, was discussing Jake Owen's new single, "American Country Love Song."  Jake was road tripping to Key West, Florida in his Volkswagen bus, aptly named "Jake's Love Bus."  The "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" singer called the radio station and told listeners he was going to stop in Chattanooga to play a couple songs and take pictures with fans.  I was only 20 minutes from the Tennessee Aquarium, where he was planning to stop, so I decided to head that way to meet him.  The mission was a success and I have the picture below to prove it.  I also took the opportunity to toss a Bald Guy Fishing® business card into the Volkswagen bus.  No word yet if Jake Owen plans to order a custom fishing rod, but I'll keep you posted if he does.

For the first time, I made the trip to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to attend the International Rod Building Exposition.  It was great to meet the folks at American Tackle, RODgeeks, Winn Grips, Mudhole Custom Tackle, Get Bit Outdoors, Decal Connection, Batson Enterprises and many others.  In addition to creating new business connections and taking advantage of some great deals available at the expo, I was fortunate enough to take in some of the extraordinary rods on display.  There are some truly talented builders out there.  All in all, the expo was a great experience. I look forward to attending again in the future, but for now it is time to get back to work.

We are making a handful of custom rods in the shop right now and the current projects vary in their intended use and design.  I'm working on a few rods that will have checkerboard, cork handles and another that has a custom grip wrapped with paracord.  Some of the rods are being built to target bass while another will utilize Winn Grips and will be used for catching musky and pike in Canada.  All of them will be customized with unique wraps and fabricated with Bald Guy Fishing® quality.  Thanks to all who have ordered a custom rod and I look forward to working with those who intend to in the future.  Take care until next time.

                                                          
                                                                                                                             May your lines be tight and your rods bent,

                                                                                                                                                                                            The Bald Guy