Francis Custom Rods

Specializing in Building Bass Fishing Rods!

South Boston, VA
ph: 434-572-9785

About the Rod builder!

Francis Custom Rods is about building the rod you want, the way you want it built, to fit what you like to do and the way you like to fish.  I have years of on the water experience and know what it takes to build a rod that you enjoy fishing.  I understand the techniques and I am happy to answer your questions.  Custom Rods means, If you can dream it up, I can build it.

  • I use Flex Coat epoxies and Flex Coat UV finishes exclusively, they are the industry standard and will last a lifetime, the UV finish will not yellow and look old in a few years like other finishes. 
  • I bass fish about eighty days per year, exclusively with G Loomis and St Croix rods!  I am completely familiar with all available blanks, with traditional and today's new bass fishing techniques.
  • On rods with no foregrip, I machine off the extra real seat threads in my lathe to give a professional look.
  • Small things make the difference like:
–I pour my reel seats solid with epoxy instead of using tape mandrels, this takes extra curing time but builds the most sensitive and durable rod possible.
–Tip top guides are epoxied on, then wrapped with wrapping thread, then coated with UV High Build Flex Coat wrap finish.  This strengthens the tip of the rod as well as supports the tip top for the life of the rod, yet allows it to be replaced if necessary.
–Rod labels are ordered from a professional printer for every rod built (with your name on it or any message you desire), this adds a finishing touch to your custom rod.
–Extra guides?  Using enough guides does a number of things, including distributing the stress on the blank, increasing sensitivity, reducing line twist on spinning rods, makes fighting larger fish smoother by preventing line from rubbing the blank.  On casting rods 6’6” I use nine guides counting tip top, on casting rods 7’ I use ten guides counting tip top, on spinning rods 6’6” I use eight counting tip top, and on spinning rods 7’ I use nine guides.  Fuji Alconite guides are light so an extra guide or two will not be noticed in rod weight, the cost and time it takes to put the extra guides on is well worth the investment when it comes to rod performance!

 

 

South Boston, VA
ph: 434-572-9785