Benjamin Lepien of Wales, Wisconsin turns pastime to enterprise with ardour and creativity
PARK FALLS, WIS. (February 20, 2025) – Customized fishing rod builders could also be a various bunch, however no matter their variations, the group is unified by a minimum of two widespread traits – creativity and a ardour for fishing.
Ben Lepien grew up in a fishing household. “My grandfather owned a bait store in Merton, Wisconsin, so I’ve been fishing so long as I can bear in mind,” the 31-year-old says. “I went so much with my dad and cousin who uncovered me to bass fishing. After beginning with panfish, I bear in mind how thrilling it was to catch larger fish on quite a lot of lures. As I obtained older, I branched out into walleye fishing, which is sort of the place I’m nonetheless at right this moment. I get pleasure from fishing for all species, however love concentrating on walleyes with totally different strategies.”
A welder and fabricator by commerce, Lepien’s foray into customized rod constructing was sudden and accelerated.
“A pair years again I noticed a popup advert on Fb for a rod-building equipment,” he remembers. “It piqued my curiosity and I went down the rabbit gap, consuming as a lot content material about rod-building as I may. I spent about three weeks researching earlier than I constructed my first rod. I didn’t take any lessons, simply trial-by-fire watching YouTube movies and scrolling by rod-building boards on-line.”
Lepien constructed a number of rods that he fished himself and gave to household and associates. “We went up north on a fishing journey and everybody fished them and beloved them,” he says. “It was a take a look at, I suppose. I obtained some suggestions, made some enhancements, and constructed extra rods.”
Slightly over a yr into his new pastime, phrase of Lepien’s abilities unfold from family and friends to a rising variety of new prospects.
“Being positioned right here in Wisconsin, I’m constructing a whole lot of panfish, bass, walleye, and musky rods,” says Lepien, who began Wilson Rods LLC on the finish of 2024 and just lately created a Fb web page to showcase his work whereas staying related to new and current prospects. “I get pleasure from constructing customized rods to buyer specs, however I’ve additionally developed a typical line of handmade rods I name the Carbon Collection that I preserve in inventory. I observed early on in talking with prospects that they don’t all the time know precisely what they need. My Carbon Collection rods are all constructed for this objective on premium St. Croix blanks from Rod Geeks. They’re obtainable in each casting and spinning in a number of lengths, powers, and actions. These are high-performance well-balanced rods that fish extraordinarily nicely, but additionally show customized, high-level craftsmanship not discovered on most manufacturing fishing rods.”
When constructing a customized rod for a buyer, Lepien says each mission begins with a clean chosen to maximise efficiency based mostly on what the angler needs. “I exploit BASS 3, CARBON 2, CARBON 4, and CARBON 5 blanks from Rod Geeks, as a result of I do know I’m beginning every construct with the absolute best efficiency and high quality,” Lepien says. “I’ve fished with St. Croix rods my total life and am very accustomed to their supplies, lengths, powers, and actions. I do know which blanks and supplies work greatest for any given method or presentation. I additionally like the truth that they’re an American, family-owned firm from proper right here in Wisconsin. I additionally all the time use the smallest and lightest guides I can with a purpose to take weight off the blanks and preserve the actions pure. I additionally try for ergonomic grips and reel seats so the rod feels good in my prospects’ palms. It has to really feel and carry out nearly as good because it seems.”
Past these fundamental necessities, Lepien says prospects can select their colours, deal with types, or supplies. “I really like the design course of,” he says. “Speaking with my prospects to seek out out what they like, then designing the aesthetics of the rod to make it their very own is my favourite half.”
Lepien says his commerce as a welder and fabricator interprets nicely to constructing fishing rods. “I’ve all the time been a artistic individual, so there’s that facet, however I additionally assume the regular palms you want as a talented welder pay comparable dividends when performing the element work that’s essential to craft a high-level customized rod.”
Lepien says he plans to proceed constructing rods within the evenings and on weekends whereas he grows his enterprise. “I’m lucky to have a pleasant backlog of enterprise by word-of-mouth at this level, however I’d wish to take issues to the following degree and see what occurs,” he says. “It’s undoubtedly one thing that I’m hoping I can develop.”
Contact Ben and Wilson Rods by his Fb web page, Wilson Rods LLC, or e-mail him at wilsonrodswi@gmail.com.
Come See Rod Geeks on the Expo
The 2025 Worldwide Customized Rod Constructing Exposition will happen this weekend, February 22-23, in Winston Salem, North Carolina at the MC Benton Conference Heart. Rod Geeks, the unique distributor of St. Croix rod blanks, invitations expo attendees to cease and go to in Sales space #98, the place they’ll meet and chat with Rod Geeks and St. Croix crew members and study firsthand about St. Croix clean designs, supplies, and applied sciences.
About Rod GeeksBrought to you by the folks, experience and expertise of St. Croix of Park Falls, Inc., Rod Geeks has delivered handcrafted, high-performance fishing rod blanks to customized rod builders since 2014. Backed by practically 75 years of expertise in designing and constructing the perfect fishing rods on the earth, we personal and function fashionable, state-of-the-art fishing rod factories in Park Falls, Wisconsin and Fresnillo, Mexico the place we mix the perfect uncooked supplies, tools, applied sciences, experience, and skilled craftsmanship to supply hundreds of uncompromising fishing rods and blanks each week. No matter your subsequent journey or mission, belief Rod Geeks to supply a basis on your ardour and creativity that’s worthy of your abilities. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers contains St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
