Local Hooker Rods

SWIMMING VW'S

2010-07-20T11:42:00.009-04:00

Hookup @ 730am Sat- first run off was 200 yards ++ on the new Stella 20000

Broken tuna belt – no problem

Put on another tuna belt – got it, no problem

Large cut on inside right bicep – no problem

Broken Rod guide after being slammed on the forward deck – no problem

No ceramic ring in broken guide while fighting a 70”+ fish- now, that’s a problem

Wire cutters and pliers to remove guide – no problem

Fight the fish another 30 mins- then lost fish after 40 mins…..what the hell, BFT wins again…..??

We shouldn’t have been casting into the pod of Volkswagens anyway…..!

(check out how much line had dumped off in pic # 3 (where is shows the broken guide)

Seth is the Manager of the Fishing Dept at Kittery Trading Post. He was using the Local Hooker VIPER w/a STELLA 20000 reel.

84" - 325 POUNDS!!!!

2010-07-11T08:59:00.002-04:00

Hi Bob,
Well we had another great day out of Portsmouth NH. yesterday! Two friends and I took a nice 84in. 325lb. tuna that we got bent with at 7:30 am. It took us one hour and fifteen minutes to subdue him. Your 50/80 Acid Wrap once again worked flawlessly.

This battle was nothing like the one we had on a real giant on 7/2/10 out at The Flag. We fought that monster on the same Acid Wrap rod matched with a Penn 70VS for just under 3 hours, only to loose him because of line failure. We estimated him to be somewhere around 800 lbs. Maybe too much for stand up gear, but you can bet we will keep trying. Get Bent Soon. John

SEXY RODS....

2010-07-01T10:06:00.001-04:00

"Bob, Just received the RASTA rods! Nice is not the word. I can't think of a word I’ll have to get back to you on that…
The two sexist rods I have ever seen. Please tell Mike that he is one of the last living Jedi masters. I'm one also, nice to know there are others!” CP Long Island

TERRIFFIC ROD!!!

2010-06-22T08:14:00.001-04:00

Bob
Our trip was great. We caught some decent smallies. Missed the spawn so it was slower than normal.
The rod was terrific. My son and I were constantly negotiating over who got to use the rod.
I'll drop it back to SWE either Fri or Sat. I need to buy one!
Joe

CHRISTIAN SLAYS THE BASS (AGAIN)!

2010-06-21T17:30:00.004-04:00

AWESOME RODS!!!!!

2010-06-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

Bob, This past Saturday was the 2nd annual Byram Shore Boat & Yacht Club Stripped Bass Tournament and yesterday was the Rudy’s Bait & Tackle Stripped Bass Tournament. It was my friend Jeff Thompsen and I on my boat …..We finished First on Saturday with a 27.10 lb bass and to take the full Calcutta……Fished yesterday all day in the Rudy’s tournament….Took First place there with a 35 lb Bass as well as the Calcutta…….Using our custom made trolling rods by Local Hooker!!! The rods sure have been performing, the action on them is exactly what we want for trolling our spoons. On Saturday we must have caught over 35 bluefish in addition to the bass that we won the tourney with. Rods never failed!!! Awesome!!! Thank you again Bob for such an awesome Rod!!! 8 footer is the way to pump the spoon!!!

Best Regards!!!

Thaddeus T. Kochan
Vice President
DKE Risk Solutions, LLC

ACID-WRAP HOOKER...

2010-06-03T10:32:00.002-04:00

Hey Bob,

Got out yesterday for a couple hours. The rod was amazing, light enough that it was still fun to catch fish and big enough to tame a 38' incher with no problems. I instantly fell in love with the acid wrap, i may never go back to regular conventional stuff again. Not to mention the guys at work, on the dock, and some friends and family LOVE the look of the rod. Thanks again as I'm truly impressed by the performance of Local Hooker.

PS-- It already has some good mojo too. 12 fish in 2 hours and 5 keepers...not bad for two hours of fishing right after work...here's a pic of the first 2 fish taken down...

CANYONS - ROD PICTURES

2010-05-11T12:43:00.011-04:00

LEVIATHAN & "JR"

2010-05-11T12:16:00.010-04:00

THIS WAS BOTH THE LEVIATHAN & LEVIATHAN JR. NEW FROM LOCAL HOOKER RODS SPRING OF 2010!!!!

BOAT TROLLING PICTURES

2010-05-11T12:10:00.003-04:00

SPINNING ROD PICTURES

2010-05-11T12:08:00.006-04:00

ACID-WRAP PICTURES

2010-05-11T12:06:00.004-04:00

SURF ROD PICTURES

2010-05-11T12:05:00.006-04:00

TUNA ROD PICTURES...

2010-05-11T12:02:00.004-04:00

GROUP ROD PICTURES

2010-05-11T11:06:00.004-04:00

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!!!

2010-05-05T17:27:00.002-04:00

Bob, Just a couple more to the collection! I never leave home without my HOOKERS!!!

SLOT RED

2010-04-20T15:06:00.002-04:00

THIS IS A 25-3/4" SLOT RED FISH. IT WAS CAUGHT IN MOSQUITO LAGOON IN NOVEMBER OF 2009 ON A LOCAL HOOKER MODEL # MS700G817SR. THAT’S A 7’-0” 8-17# SPINNING ROD. SCOTT TRIPP; OWNER OF NEW SMYRNA OUTFITTERS AND FISH TRIP GUIDE SERVICES SAID HE’S FISHED HIS ENTIRE LIFE AND NEVER CAUGHT SUCH A PERFECT FISH! SEVERAL OTHER GUIDES AND FISHERMEN AT THE DOCK WERE BLOWN AWAY BY THE “SLOT-RED”…

OUTER BANKS - HATTERIS NC

2010-03-31T17:50:00.016-04:00

Bob - we took names and kicked-ass!!! OMG, we had several of your LOCAL HOOKER rods. We had the 2040 Acid-Wrap and the custom Acid-Wrap you built for me: 2040! WOW what a ride on the rod. Talk about GET BENT! See attached pictures of tuna, dusky shark and a blue. The captain and 1st mate were blown-away by the Acid-Wraps! At first they thought we were some kind of rookies from Long Island. After we hooked the 1st tuna they were believers! These were bluefin and the Dusky was over 200 pounds! You LOCAL HOOKER RODS are amazing! The Captain and his mate want to get some of your rods for themselves, let-alone the boat! That's a testimonial brother! GET BENT! Christian Pforr

SHORT 'N SWEET...

2010-03-31T16:41:00.001-04:00

Bob, Received today as you said I would. The pole is awesome, thank you! Tim Crouch

THANKS DAD!!!

2010-03-31T09:20:00.003-04:00

Bob, I found out about Local Hooker Rods from my father. He stumbled into a hardware store and saw your sweatshirts. He got me one because he knew I would love it. Then I found out that you made rods. I had to have one! I have just ordered my third. I grew up with Lon Wanser custom rods from Seaford long island. Now that I have used your rods I find no rod to be better. I took your acid wrap cod fishing this year. It was light, however. it had no problem taking 20 pound double headers. I also have one of your spinning rods which I use for bass and bluefish. I have not seen a rod that can beat a big fish fast like I have with yours. Just the other day I had about 30 stripers on it up to 33 inches. All on surface plugs. The rod was an absolute joy. It cast very far and had plenty of backbone. Also after all of that the rod looked like it had never been used. Great rods, keep up the great work. Everyone should have a local hooker. Get Bent!!!! Capt. Christian

GET BENT!!!!

2010-03-30T17:15:00.003-04:00

Bob:
In our first tournament in the Sailfish Pro Series (SPS) after switching over from our Key Largo blanks to Local Hooker Rods, we had our best day ever, going 15 for 16 in the KROCK Classic in Miami earlier this month and taking 3rd Place. We also moved up from 6th place to 5th place overall in the SPS! The rods were everything we knew they would be. Thanks again for ‘hooking us up’.
GET BENT …
Captain Kevin Clark
Wet Dream Fishing Team
Islamorada, Florida (Sportfishing Capital of the World)

MARLIN MAGAZINE APRIL 2010

2010-03-24T10:51:00.005-04:00

THIS JUST APPEARED IN THE APRIL ISSUE OF MARLIN MAGAZINE:

Try the Locals
With a lot of sport-fishing gear being farmed out to overseas manufacturers, it’s nice to see someone making a go of it here at home in the good ol’ USA. Started by a survivor of Sept. 11,Local Hooker Rods are hand-built in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and have become quite popular among the Northeast tuna crowds. Making everything from light inshore rods to 130-pound offshore sticks, Local Hooker Rods uses the finest materials and time-honored techniques to build truly superior rods. Triple-wrapped guides, a double coat of ultraviolet resistant epoxy and double-footed guides ensure that these rods can take any punishment that you dish out. The company also uses a unique spiral “Acid Wrap” guide placement on some of its conventional rods that transfers the pressure from the top of the rod to the underside, making it more stable under pressure.
For more information, contact:
Local Hooker Rods at 508-548-1213,
or visit www.localhookerrods.com.
WWW.MARLINMAG.COM MAY 2010 PG:89

PANAMA ACID-WRAPS...

2010-03-17T14:09:00.002-04:00

Bob,

Fantastic Rods! Went fishing for several days in Panama with the Acid wrap rods. We caught several sailfish from 60# to 100# & Dorado from 25# to 50# on the 20# class rod. Absolutely no torque or wobble from the rods!!! We really put the heat on those fish to work the rods over. Great Feel – we did not need to use a Gimble to fight those fish. In one of the pictures I sent you, I was fighting a 500# Black Marlin on the 50# class rod you made. Oh Bob! Open hand on the rod, putting heat to that fish… It felt fantastic! No torque, lots of power. I could really muscle the fish in. We made a good tag & release on that Marlin. We were fishing aboard “The Hooker.” Captain Wade Richardson is the top black marlin release captain of 2009 and the mates are the #1 first mate and #1 second mate of 2009. They were all impressed with the rods. The mates want the acid wrap rods on the boat full time. I left the rod with them so they can keep fishing with them. Bob, great job on the rods, we will be selling a lot of them.

Capt. Dana Nelson

WHAT A TRIP!

2010-03-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

Bob,

I accompanied Captain Dana Nelson on the recent trip to Panama – WHAT A TRIP! We combined the Panama Coiba fishing area, Local Hooker acid wrap 20# and 50# rods, “The Hooker” a famous G&S sport fishing yacht, and the 2009 #1 Black Marlin release Captain Wade Richardson with #1 crew. HOW COULD WE MISS! The fist morning while fighting a feisty 80lb Sailfish on a stand-up 20# Local Hooker acid wrap rod I noticed the smooth power of the 20 and straight “NO TORQUE” rod and reel action. I did not need a clumsy tied on gimble. THE TRIP WAS ON!

Angler – Kent Fleshner

CANYON TRIP ON THE DIABLO

2010-02-18T08:39:00.001-05:00

As you read this, keep in mind Kevin has 100% Local Hooker Rods on his boat the Diablo...

Went out with returning customer Dan Coleman, his son Junior and some friends for a Canyon trip. Dan is a charter Captain himself. He runs a boat out of Oswego New York on lake Ontario. Strike King Charters. Dan had a successful sharking adventure with us back in July. So he immediately booked a Canyon trip after first mate Tim Folan talked up the adventure.

We headed out at 6 am on Saturday the 11th bound for Atlantis Canyon. We stopped at Menemsha on Marthas Vineyard to top off with fuel. Going out the water was a cool 63 degrees from the dock at Kingmans Marina till the Canyon edge where the water temp jumps to a balmy 75 degrees and cobalt blue.

Started trolling the east wall of Atlantis Canyon at about 12 pm. Got our first fish at about 2:30 pm a Mahi off a high flier. We circled back and trolled past the flier again and we had a wolf pack of Mahi Mahi attack our spread, boating one about 22 pounds.

With a few nice Mahi in the Boat and the sun going down, we grabbed a flier for the night. We started chunking and got our first runoff within minutes. There was squid around the the boat almost immediately. More Mahi Mahi taking our baits. Then a big ole Blue Shark showed up to harass us. Finally the blue dog took a bait. After a clean release he was demoralized and decided not to come back. Then some more Mahi, we then had 14 Mahis in the box, so we started releasing them. next to show up was Mr. Mako after a nice fight and a good jump we brought him boat side and let him go to grow bigger.

Then our deep drop Sword bait goes in a different direction. Tim jumps to attention and cranks the line up. We see the pitman sword light come up to the surface so we know we had something. Tim cranks and we get a visual, Swordfish!

In our excitement one of the other lines gets tangled up to the point where we could not reel the Sword fish. Only one choice at this point, cut the other line to get it out of the way. In the heat of the moment with a tangled mess, I cut the wrong line, the sword line was severed! With quick reaction Dan's son junior grabs the severed line and Junior and I hand line the Swordfish the rest of the way in. Pictures taken and high fives, we released the Sword.....Debt number 1 paid in full...

These fall nights are so long, but morning finally comes with new excitement. We get up on the troll before sunrise. At this point the wind started to crank up a little. The 1-3 foot seas that NOAA had forecasted were actually 3-7. We trolled west towards where we had heard some good reports. Not a touch for an hour. We crossed over in to 75 degree water and were heading for our numbers at a fast 8 knots.

Then at the Port side long rigger goes off. Bam, Our blue and silver Seabird Godfather lure Ma (www.seabirdtackle.com) gets taken! BLUE MARLIN on. He jumps about 10 times getting completely airborne multiple times. Dumping three quarters of the 50 wide Tiagra as we buckled Dan into a fighting stand up harness. Lines cleared and Dan locked in, I was in the tower, ready for battle. We backed down on the fish and helped Dan get line back. As I backed down the boat Dan gained line back, after a 25 minute of tug of war, we got the Marlin boat side. 8 feet and 300 pounds. All lit up she was. After many pictures, video and high fives the Marlin was dehooked and released healthy and vibrant. Dan was in tears of joy , as it was his dream to catch a Blue Marlin.....

We ended the trip on that note and headed for the barn. It was a long ride back as the seas were 4-7 from the North East. Well worth the long ride in when you catch up with couple of bills...... Check us out at: diablosportfishing.com

ON THE WATER MAGAZINE:

2010-02-18T08:38:00.002-05:00

This was in the November issue of On The Water Magazine:

Local Hooker Rods Falmouth, Cape Cod (508) 548-121 www.localhookerrods.com

When you first set eyes on one of these rods, you might jump to the conclusion that something went horribly wrong in the building process. But spiral-wrapped rods are nothing new – they just never really caught on in the Northeast. The basic concept behind them is that the guides transfer the pressure caused by a fighting fish from above the rod blank to below. A conventional rod with guides placed on top of the rod blank has the tendency to want to twist left or right when it's under pressure. A spiral-wrapped rod, on the other hand, remains stable, and the angler doesn't have to use any pressure to keep the rod upright. This might not make much of a difference with light tackle, but when you're using heavy offshore reels, the angler ends up fighting the weight of the reel to keep it from twisting. I finally got the chance to fight a big fish with one of these rods, and I'm now a believer. On a trip to West Atlantis Canyon, I hooked into a 60-pound yellowfin tuna using a Local Hooker 30-pound-class acid-wrapped rod. Even with the relatively small 30-pound-class reel, I was able to stop the fish quickly, and the long, grueling process of winching in a tuna was relatively pain-free. All of the weight of the fish was transferred to the bottom of the rod, and it felt like I was able to get more leverage. The rod and reel held stable, and the fish came in quick. We had a double hook-up of fish of equal size (the other one hit a squid bar on a 50-pound-class reel with a conventional rod by another manufacturer). I had my fish in the boat about five minutes faster than the other angler, who was using heavier gear. Like I said, I'm now a believer.

YAKING FOR STRIPERS

2010-02-18T08:37:00.004-05:00

Hello Bob, Got out in my yak a couple of times with my new rod. I've been lucky enough to be on some great early season action with a few keepers. The rod is fantastic. Casts really well. I love how the bend is so pronounced near the tip with a stiff backbone. Easy to control and turn fish from the yak. Can't wait to put it through some more rigorous testing. It's my pride and joy of my arsenal, thanks again. Scott

ON 6/18 I received this note: Hello again Bob, I had to report in on my latest kayaking adventure. While fishing off Grape Island in Hingham Bay I landed my personal best Striper, 44" 28 lbs. The rod continues to amaze me. Thanks, Scott M. Stoughton MA

FISHING ACADEMY

2010-02-18T08:37:00.001-05:00

Local Hooker Rods has been asked to co-host "THE FISHING ACADEMY", a live talk show in Boston. The show is on every Thursday from 7:00 - 8:00 PM on 1510 AM or can be streamed via "THE ZONE" Bostons sports station. Go to http://www.1510thezone.com/ --->LISTEN LIVE<--- We have featured RonZ of RonZ Baits. Captain Kevin Malone of the Diablo Sportfishing. This week we will feature Mike Hogan of Hogy Baits... The Fishing Academy is a non-profit group founded by John Hoffman to help introduce kids to the sport of fishing, specifically kids who may never have had the chance... It's all about helping kids and doing the right thing! Thank you John!!!!!

LOCAL HOOKER RODS IS A VERY PROUD SPONSOR OF THE FISHING ACADEMY!

GET BENT soon!!!

Bob Jenkins Owner of Local Hooker Rods

100 MILES SOUTH OF NANTUCKET = CANYONS...

2010-02-18T08:35:00.001-05:00

We left the dock at 2:00 PM Sunday knowing it was going to be windy later in the evening. Cold too! But it's June and the water at the Canyons looked 68 - 72 degrees: perfect fishing temps! We made the decision to go. Maybe even have bragging rights to the first fish caught this year? We headed out: John, Tim, Kevin and I on John's boat, the "TUNANUT". Four hours later, at 6:00 PM we had 68 degree temps and we saw a very large pod of dolphins. We didn't have all our lines out and we had three (3) blunefin tuna hit us at once! A HAT-TRICK!!!! We were BENT!!!!! It happened SO fast, I didn't have time to set the drag on an 80 I was hooking up to the outrigger and the fish bird-nested it and broke the line! Things happen FAST on a boat! We landed the other two fish. One a 57" and one a bit smaller... We hooked up with a beautiful football a bit later. It's GREAT to see the footballs again! The fish are reproducing and growing! If we ALL do our part, we can fish and manage our fish for generations to come! IT CAN BE DONE!!! Later, around 2:30 we'd set up fresh squid and were drifting for swordfish. WHAM - It hit slowly at first. Then it realized it was hooked. We landed the fish (a 64" 160# beauty) about half an hour later... Then about an hour later we had a 63" tuna hit us! Five bluefin tuna and a swordfish! An amazing night at the CANYONS!!!!! GET BENT soon!!!

CAPE COD TIMES JUNE 18 2009

2010-02-18T08:34:00.000-05:00

This appeared in the CAPE COD TIMES THURSDAY 6/18/2009:

By ROB CONERY June 18, 2009

Want to meet a local hooker?

Bob Jenkins grew up fishing Chatham. His boat is still moored there, in Ryder's Cove. But his business ventures took him far and wide.

An ex-Marine combat engineer, and real estate investor, he found himself doing video conferencing sales in New York. Until that day of days: He was giving a presentation to Lehman Brothers on the 39th floor of the World Trade Center when the first plane hit on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I looked up and saw people jumping and I said (forget) this." Jenkins got out in time and walked uptown, and he never looked back. He returned to Cape Cod and went fishing.

Three years ago, he decided to combine his business acumen with his love of fishing and launched a saltwater rod building concern.

Local Hooker was born.

"I've been fishing since I was a little kid. I love all aspects, the preparation, getting the gear together," Jenkins says. "And definitely the camaraderie with your buddies out on the water."

These are serious rods, built to turn big fish. They make a handful of models, from stout 5-foot, 6-inch offshore/tuna rigs, medium-action trolling rods to 10-foot spinning rods.

Hand-assembled by a master rod builder right here at home, a custom deflection test performed on each blank helps the builder locate the true spine and set the guides accordingly. This limits torsion – which keeps the rod from wanting to spin in your hands, or break – and helps keep the pressure on the fish and the fish on the line.

No two rods are the same. The guides are set according to the individual rod, not some template. All guides are under-wrapped and then double-over wrapped with quality Gudebrod thread and covered with a UV-embedded, slow-dry epoxy for long life.

And some of them have real striper skin inlaid on the handle, which looks very cool.

That attention to detail is exactly what you're not going get from a rod pumped out of some anonymous factory overseas.

Three years in and the rods have a growing reputation. Jenkins has doubled his sales every year. The rods are available in many Cape tackle shops and as far away as Connecticut and Maine. Check out localhookerrods.com.

So while Wiley fights the good fight, it's time to ask ...

What's going on? First of all, last Saturday's Cape Cod Salties Learn to Fish event was a lot of fun. Lou MacKeil showed people how to customize their plugs, Bill Cottle talked about fly-fishing, Joe O'Clair tied flies and there were good vibes to spare. But the biggest screams were for the hotly contested crab races that had the kids in an uproar, and may or may not have engendered some friendly wagering on the side. Good times.

1. Buzzards Bay/Cape Cod Canal – Big sea bass continue to be caught in Buzzards, including many 5-pounders. The Canal has become picky. I fished it Sunday and got skunked – couldn't find fish in a bag of Van de Kamps. "Still some fish in the Canal, but you've got to be a professional" said Red Top. Swimming plugs have been working, and eels at night.

2. Islands – The Vineyard has been solid. Chappaquiddick has been the best for shore fishermen. Dick's Bait said cast Ron-Z's, Bombers and Slug-Go's have been working around sunset. The boat crowd is doing well, but fish are middling; not much over about 28 inches. Nantucket is lights out. Hot spot of the week. "Best fishing I've seen out here since 1975," said Steve at the Nantucket Tackle Center. "If you can't catch a fish out here this week, it's time to take up golf." The bigger fish are off to the east and south of the island.

3. Cape Southside Beaches and Estuaries – Bishops is the place to be. Consistent bass fishing all this week, especially on live or chunked scup. Trolling has been effective, too. Dowses has scup and some schoolie bass. West Dennis Beach has had wild, athletic, cart-wheeling blues in the evenings. Some squid reported down toward Monomoy.

4. Nantucket Sound – Solid. Middle Ground has some keeper bass. Ditto Hedge Fence. And Colliers is still going strong with bottom fish.

5. The Great Backside Beach – Some bass were caught, and tuna were taken off Peaked Hill Bar.

6. Cape Cod Bay – Captain Jeff was out on There's A Will and hooked 35 bass, with eight keepers and only one bluefish. A nice ratio, I think you'll agree. Wire-line jigging was working over Billingsgate with bass up to about 39 inches and big blues – like, 17-pound 36-inch bruisers – testing tackle and angler alike. Tuna have been spotted and pursued from the Fingers to the southwest corner of Stellwagen. And chunking the channel in Barnstable Harbor has been effective.

Freshwater – Joe McNamara hooked a 4-pound largemouth on a shiner to take first place in the youth division at a tournament at Glen Charlie Pond, making him the three-time defending champion. His mom told me he caught his first bass at age 4. Elsewhere, Sheep's Pond in Brewster had some nice smallmouth this week.

Catch 'em up!

TRAVEL ROD

2010-02-18T08:33:00.002-05:00

Bob,

Thanks again for making such a great product! I took your MSF700G1220SR3 7' 3pc travel rod with me to St.Vincent the Grenadines this past spring and slammed Greater Barracuda and School Yellowfin with it! In addition to running my own charter business I have also worked in the Fishing Tackle Retail industry for over 15yrs. During that time I have yet to encounter as reliable a travel rod. I plan on taking this one to Panama next winter to try on rooster fish.

Tight lines brother! Captain Jack Sprengel USCG Master Captain East Coast Charters, LLC 401-338-1752

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS

2010-02-18T08:32:00.000-05:00

I received these e-mails yesterday:

LONG ISLAND NY - I found out about local hooker rods from my father. He stumbled into a hardware store and saw your sweatshirts. He got me one because he knew i would love it. Then i found out that you made rods. i had to have one. Now i have just ordered my third. I grew up with Lon Wanser custom rods from Seaford, Long Island. Now that i have used your rods i find no rod to be better. I took your acid wrap cod fishing this year. It was light, however. it had no problem taking 20 pound double headers. I also have one of your spinning rods which i use for bass and bluefish. I have not seen a rod that can beat a big fish fast like i have with yours. Just the other day i had about 30 stripers on it up to 33 inches. All on surface plugs. The rod was an absolute joy. It cast very far and had plenty of backbone. Also after all of that the rod looked like it had never been used. Great rods, keep up the great work. Everyone should have a local hooker. Get Bent!!!!

WESTPORT CT - Bob - Picked up the rod from Nick this past Friday and fished it for the first time yesterday. Totally loved it as it works awesome for fluking except all I caught were a couple of Sea Robins and a short a Fluke. Really nice balance of stiffness and bend. I had a Shimano Torium 14 on it which matches pretty well while I wait for my Avet SX to arrive. Two guys at the Marina in Fairfield commented on it. I told them about your web page and the you actually answer the phone. Send some stickers or brochures and I will get them out to folks at the town marina here and help you sell a few rods. My friend Eric and Kevin were discussing if it is possible to build that exact rod as a two piece rod? We travel and it would be helpful. Chris

GET BENT soon...

CANYON RUN 7/6 - 7/7/09

2010-02-18T08:31:00.001-05:00

Captain Kevin Malone reports

Headed out on Sunday towards Atlantis Canyon with returning guests, Tom Carpenter, Bill Stella and Dennis Fox. Seas were were a little rough, but all of the forecasts and wind models showed the wind laying down later in the day. This run we also had company. The "Ripple" a 28 foot Carolina classic almost exactly like the "Diablo",

Got to the edge about 6pm and put out our spread and started searching. After an hour and half without a touch we decided to get prepared for night fishing. We got out into 2200 feet of water and 75 degrees. Deployed the sea anchor and set up sword baits. Very little action and bait under the boat all night. Thankfully the nights are short this time of year.

Back up on the troll at 4:30 am. We had drifted approx 10 miles at night, we were now at East Atlantis. We worked the deep areas of East Atlantis and back over to Atlantis. We had a few random knock downs but nothing special. Then came a call from Ripple that they had found some good looking water. We headed over towards there position, about 2 miles away. We found a 67 degree-72 degree temp break. First high flyer we trolled by produced a double header of nice size Mahi Mahi. Getting the bait back in the water we hit the flyer for a few Mahis then trolled along the thermal break. Finding some skipjack tuna working we trolled over towards them and had a triple header. Action was now full throttle mayhem. In came a nice Mahi Mahi about 20lbs, a skipjack tuna and a small Yellowfin. Lines out again 5 minutes later we found a floating log, triple header again. This time all Mahi Mahi between 15-25 pounds. Lines again passed by the log again and quadrupled up! Half of my set of LOCAL HOOKER Acid wrap big game rods GOT BENT all at once. Complete mayhem for we only had 3 anglers. 3 Mahi Mahi and a Yellowfin tuna. This time we had some tangles and unwinding to do, but we got all in. Lines in again and getting close to the witching hour we trolled for another 10 minutes then triple header again. This time 3 Yellowfin tuna. We decided to head for the barn on that note, a good one to leave on.

ACID-WRAP ROD

2010-02-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

Well Bob, Justin and I put your rod I bought from you thru the test yesterday. Got bent around 8:00 am and landed a real nice 250 lb., 72in. Tuna about 1.5 hours later. Your spiral wrap handled flawlessly. Will send pics. Soon. Thanks for making a good product. John

CAPE COD 5000 - & THE CANAL...

2010-02-18T08:29:00.000-05:00

I received these two e-mails yesterday:

Bob, Thank you again for your support of the Cape Cod $5,000, the tournament was a great success and we are already planning next year.

I finally have a minute to drop you a line to tell you how many people were actually in awe of the rod that you donated to the Cape Cod $5,000 Tournament. The craftsmanship was better than any other rod I have seen and rest assured I have my share of custom rods but that spinning rod for tuna was just outstanding. After we raffled it off (by the way it was the 1st prize chosen) several people approached the winner to try and buy the rod from them. One guy offered $800.00 and the winner still didn't sell it. If I were you I would get building because your rods are going to be everywhere, people love them. We also had several people ask where to get the rods. Great product, good luck with the fishing season and I hope to be able to work with you again next year. Thank You, Todd. Cape Cod $5,000 Tournament Committee

Bob, I just bought my 3rd local hooker and they just keep gettin' better every time! My new edition to my rods is a 10 ft rod which Bob made to my order and BOY!! WHAT A GREAT ROD..! I picked up my rod on the 15th and went down to the canal at 3:30 AM on the 16th and took the first cast. I could not believe how smooth and accurate this rod cast. I have a Quantum Cabo 60 and only put 120 yards of power-pro on because of too much backing and on the second cast noticed only the backing left on the spool! I was blown away by how far the plug had gone! The three other fishermen sitting to my left were mortified by how far I was casting! Anyway at about 4:45 I GOT BENT ! To my savage amusement. My first fish on this rod was 40.5 inches long and about 30 lbs. I have to get a cord to transfer picture from camera to computer ! Thanks again Bob! A very happy fisherman !!--- Mike.

STELLAWAGEN BANK

2010-02-18T08:28:00.001-05:00

Bob,

After working in the Sport fishing industry for over 15yrs, I wanted to let you know just how refreshing it is to deal with someone that not only understands the needs of local anglers, but is out there doing it with us. It's not every day that you can call a rod manufacturer, make a suggestion, and receive a correspondence with sincere consideration with-in 24hrs. I believe that companies like Local Hooker Rods will set the standard for the success of our industry. It's about face to face interaction and putting the customers first. I've already noticed that the mix of St.Croix, Loomis and Lami's that used to line my gunwales are quickly being replaced with a row of that familiar black, blue and silver with the Stars and Stripes and "Get Bent" slogan.

That being said I recently visited Cape Cod's infamous Stellawagen bank to try out my new 7' Viper Series 30-50 class. I was anxious to see what it had to offer after landing so many of the 100-200lb class Bluefin's last year on the Viper 20-40. After living a virtual episode of Blue Planet, watching sharks, whales and waking bluefin, we decided to abandon the casting game and troll while searching for breaking fish. I cranked down tight on the drag of my Fin-Nor offshore 9500 which was packed to the gills with over 500yrds of 65# suffix braid. Then I cast out one of Spider Rig's white BKD's and began to troll at about 5 knots. Just as I started to take a heading, the bait was smashed with such a violent strike that it made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. A fish that I could only estimate to be all of 80" (around the 350+ pound range) completely owned the bait. Then before I even had a moment to turn the boat in pursuit, completely spooled all 500+ yards of line in a matter of minutes, it was over before it began. During the midst of this violence there was a tremendous amount of force exerted on the viper, I remember that in-between staring at the horizon watching the ever shrinking spool in disbelief, the rod held a perfectly balanced parabolic arc. After the smoke cleared the "The Flag was Still there!" So was your "Get Bent" logo. The rod took the beating and was begging for more. Too bad I was out of line. I'd hate to have seen what would have happened to one of those overseas mass produced rods in that scenario. I have definitely found my new front line big game spinning rod. Now I just need to find away to pack on enough line. I've got high hopes for this stick, consider this story, to be continued...... Sincerly,

Captain Jack Sprengel USCG Master Captain 50GT Director of Operations -Quaker Lane Outfitters President- East Coast Charters R.I.

ANDY'S BROWN SHARKS

2010-02-18T08:26:00.001-05:00

Bob, Here's a few photos of the brown shark I caught from the beach the other night. We estimated it to be over 70 pounds, and we released it unharmed. I was using a Local Hooker 10-foot conventional rod and it worked like a charm! You need a rod with a lot of backbone to turn these sharks. This beast made two bulldog runs at a jetty, and then bee-lined straight at a channel marker. If I didn't have a powerful rod with good stopping power, we never would have landed this shark. We captured the whole event on video, and I was amazed when I watched the footage the next morning. The fight seemed like an eternity, but in reality it lasted just over 6 minutes. I was able to put the brakes on the shark early in the battle, I broke its spirit and I stayed in control the whole time. These big brown sharks can punish your tackle, and Ive seen more of these fish broken off than Ive seen landed. You need some heavy duty gear, and everything needs to be set up perfectly. The 10-foot Local Hooker rod is well built, well designed and has the stopping power needed to land big fish!

Thanks Again!

Andy Nabreski On The Water Magazine & OnTheWaterTV

TUNA STORY... CONTINUED...............

2010-02-18T08:25:00.001-05:00

Bob, This is a continuation of the tuna story that you attached to your blog under acid wrap rods. Attached are the pics that I promised. I won't bore you with the story of almost sinking my 20ft. Mako by backing down on the fish in a 4ft. sea. Needless to say, we made it home safely, and am looking to our next trip. As I stated in my first letter, your MS560F5080ACR Acid Wrap Rod held up and worked flawlessly in a brutal battle for an hour and a half. Hopefully more pics of a bigger one to come. Get Bent soon. John

CUSTOME SURF ROD

2010-02-18T08:24:00.001-05:00

Hi Bob,

Thank you so very much for putting together the 10" 6" Custom SC4 Surf Rod.

You Guys are miracle workers. I never thought that I would be able to find the exact rod that I was looking for. Not only were you able to produce that rod, but to have it in my hands in the short time that you did is absolutely amazing. My rod specifications did not exactly follow conventional wisdom, but you listened to my needs and were very concise in collecting the specifications for getting the rod built right. The rod is a thing of beauty. It is balanced in every aspect -- From casting, to sensitivity, to hooksets and fighting power. The tip loads beautifully when casting, even when throwing plugs weighing less than 2 ounces. Yet has enough backbone to set the hook long distance, and fight fish in current.

I did not have the right reel for this rod, and got a bit impatient and took it out anyway. I put a VSB 150 on it, and took it out. Luckily we did not get into any Granders that night, because it was pitching out much more than half the spool capacity. The rod handles and fishes flawlessly. As promised I attached a photo of the first fish landed on that rod ( not the largest of the evening ). Thank you again for your attention to the fine details of creating the best application-specific rods available. Sharp hooks and fresh line. Vic Weizer

ANDY'S BROWN SHARKS

2010-02-18T08:23:00.000-05:00

Bob, I hope all is well! I've got two decent browns on that rod (10'-0" 20-40#, 2-pc surf rod)in the last week, and we got some photos where you can make out the rod. Andy...

ANOTHER BROWN SHARK!

2010-02-18T08:22:00.003-05:00

Bob: Thanks again for the great rod, caught a 60 lb. brown shark last night, in the rain, on menauhant beach! Rod handled great as always! Mike

GET BENT W/AN ACID-WRAP!

2010-02-18T08:22:00.001-05:00

Hey Bob -- just a quick note to tell you that I had a chance to use my new acid-wrap rod the other day on the rips at Monomoy and it was a blast. The rod was everything you said it was and more. I hope you get a chance to come to the club one day to demonstrate this system to some of the guys who may not be familiar with it yet. Keep up the good work, they're great rods. --- Vinny Foti, V.P. Cape Cod Salties

MONSTER SHARK

2010-02-18T08:20:00.004-05:00

MONSTER SHARK OB MV 7-09 Caught on a LOCAL HOOKER "WINTHROP" 5'-6" 80-130# STAND-UP ROD.... CAPT JACK; QUAKER LANE B&T

GET BENT!

2010-02-18T08:19:00.004-05:00

Bob: Attached is a photo of me on your rod, on a eight foot blue shark, successfully released, one of several caught south of the Vineyard last month. Willy...

BLOCK ISLAND BLUES...

2010-02-18T08:19:00.003-05:00

Bob, Late report but was out on Block I. end of July and my Local Hooker was the lucky rod again! Got a 18# bass '08, and this year got out for some casts in a boulder field and nailed (2) bass about 10# each. First one hit on first cast! Fishin so good out there this year no one is talkin. I'm going back in the fall. Pics of bass and my Jr. Hookers in the coast guard channel. Fluke were automatic - every cast. Love theLocal Hooker! Capt.KJ

LONG ISLAND BLUES...

2010-02-18T08:18:00.000-05:00

Bob, Bluefish tournament was not hot for me. I made a gamble and went west. The big fish all seemed to be down east on the Connecticut side. Go figure. Here is a pic of my buddy with a decent one on a Local Hooker.

IMPECCABLY PRODUCED...

2010-02-18T08:17:00.000-05:00

Bob, I have purchased three of your rods to date from Quaker Lane Tackle and my fishing partner has purchased three as well . Each of which has been matched with Accurate reels both conventional and spinning .

I frankly cannot envision a better set up for east coast game fishing . Each of your rods has been impeccably produced and is visually impressive to say the least .

However , I had my first opportunity to land a very large blue shark with one of the acid wrapped models and I was amazed at how stable and secure the rod felt during the one hour fight. It never tended to twist or move around under the load and performed perfectly throughout . There are times when the performance of a product does not justify the hype . Your acid wrap design does everything it purports to do and more. Thanks, James Gallagher

LOVE MY HOOKER!!!

2010-02-18T08:16:00.000-05:00

Bob, my 8 foot rod pulls through again. I caught this 38 inch monster from my secret spot in E.Falmouth last night with a total of 28 fish for the evening. This rod has performed time and time again for me without fail. Thanx for another great rod!

SKINZ-WRAP

2010-02-18T08:15:00.002-05:00

Thought I would post a few pics of a killer rod modification from Bob at local hooker rods. This is my favorite rod.. caught my first false albie on it 2 weeks ago. I cut off the skin gave it to Bob..he laminated it into the rod! Bring your favorite fish skin to him and let him build you a custom rod from scratch with it. His customer service skills are second to none! thanks Bob!

CHILLY DAY...

2010-02-18T08:15:00.001-05:00

I was a little bored today on my personal day off so I went to the beach today and stretch out the winter cow webs! Chilly day in MA. Didn't stop me from doing some casting runs. Anymore cabin fever, I'd kill myself! Anyways, I bought along my custom 10ft casting rod made by Local Hooker Rods based on Cape Cod, MA. Some of you guys might've seen pics of it last year. Orange wraps all around. I have a orange Mag Elite that's why! But this time, I slapped on a Daiwa Luna 300 I acquired recently on BST (thanks Giorgio!). Casting with 3oz bank sinkers, I just let it fly. The Luna is quite impressive for a levelwind BTW! The rod never ceases to amaze me the way it loads. So easy and fluid. It rockets the sinker out of sight! Light as hell too. It's similar to my former 11-ft G.Loomis in it's action. Kinda whippy but really loads up when you really lean into it The point of my story? Root for the little man in the business! Local Hooker Rods will always have my business!

MAINE COAST BLUE-FINS

2010-02-18T08:14:00.001-05:00

Bob, Just wanted to give you a quick shout. I have had your rod bent four times already and put the first fish in the boat on it today. Not a record-setter but for a 49" fish he put up one hell of a 50 minute battle. Anyhow, that rod truly is a beast, everything you said it was and had I a better reel and 80-100# braid he would have come in much sooner. Thanks again for the great deal and I sure will be recommending it to others. Stay in touch. Seth B. Legere Fishing, Archery and Shooting Sports Divisional Manager Kittery Trading Post

7' HOOKER!

2010-02-18T08:13:00.000-05:00

Bob, Last spring I purchased a 7' Local Hooker spinning rod from a dealer of yours on Cape Cod. The salesperson assured me I was going to love the rod and it would fish unlike anything I had ever used. He was right. It's one of the finest pieces of equipment I own. Light, responsive, cast like a dream, very sensitive. Needless to say I am thrilled with this rod.

I own an 11'6" fiberglass surf rod which is okay but there is something missing. The Local Hooker rod is a real pleasure to fish with, whether I'm catching fish or not. I'd like a longer rod for the surf on the Vineyard. I fish the rip at Wasque and the rocks at Squbnocket and I think I would benefit from a longer rod, heavy enough to throw 8 ozs. I looked through your online catalog and noticed you build 10' spinning rods, but it seems 2 pcs only. Any chance you'd make a 1 pc??

MATT'S MAHI MAHI

2010-02-18T08:12:00.004-05:00

Matt Trombley, Commercial lobster-fisherman w/ LOCAL HOOKER RODS in hand. Caught this bull Mahi-Mahi! Watch for the Discovery Channels: LOBSTERMEN starting Friday 10/16!

CHATHAM TUNA

2010-02-18T08:12:00.003-05:00

Bob,

See attached!

Great Rods! We fished them along side two popular "mass produced" rods all year. WOW! What a difference. Watching the angler fight just the fish and not trying to steady the rod from spinning out of their grip was an eye opener! Perfect rod for the size fish we were catching.

Thanks Again.

Rick P.

LOVE MY HOOKER!!!!!!

2010-02-18T08:10:00.000-05:00

October 13, 2009 Bob, Thanks for coming out and fishing with me at the secret spot! I've learned over time that there is more to fishing than just catching fish! It's about sharing the sport with other people and teaching someone else not just to fish but how to catch the wiley little buggers. It's also about sharing a certain bond with really good people around you. Anyway, this has been a really great couple of weeks for me with over 220 fish caught! You said it best the other night "Mike you ain't rite" referring to all the fish I had caught that one night. With totals in the twenties and thirties on most nights I fish, I would like to thank you for making such a great line of rods. It's relieving to know that I can fish with absolute confidence in my gear! Thanks again. And last nights total was 36 fish with 4 nice ones mixed in...(lol) From Mike ...LOVE MY HOOKER!

PASSION & LIFESTYLE

2010-02-18T08:09:00.000-05:00

Bob, Fishing to me has always been more than a hobby. It is a passion and a lifestyle. That's why four years ago I became manager of Orvis Outlet Cape Cod. Getting a new fishing rod is like Christmas morning, and this year Christmas came early with the addition of my new local Hooker 7' 15-30lb action rod. Aesthetically it was stunning from its graphite reel seat to its deep blue and silver wraps, the cork grip was perfectly sized to give the instant feel of power and agility in my hands. The cast ability that comes from a perfectly spined rod is second-to-none. From the beach this 7' was easily out casting much longer rods and with more accuracy. From beach to boat to jetty this rod does it all, and the years of adventure I know it will provide are well worth the moderate price tag. Fish on! Todd N. Gray Manager; Orvis Cape Cod

IN-LANDERS...

2010-02-18T08:08:00.000-05:00

Hi Bob... I was watching TV early this a.m.,,, and low and behold there was this show.. something "... on the water"... can't remember the exact name... a cable channel though... this guy was demonstrating to someone all about fishing rods... the host was talking up the rod this guest was holding and all the great features it had and all of the benefits of this type of rod... After comparing it to another rod he went on to say that the feature rod was a custom rod hand made by a local company on the Cape known as "Local Hooker Rods". I said to my son ... "I know who the guy is that owns that company... he's the friend of a friend of mine"... Just wanted you to know that your product was highly spoken of... which I'm sure you are already aware of... but us in-landers, when we see something like that on a cable channel, well ... it' the next best thing to being there!!! Maybe some day I'll get down there and meet you... PS: Just in case, I'm Annie and Kevins long time friend.

~ Ron ~

ACID WRAPS - THE STORY...

2010-02-18T08:06:00.001-05:00

Invented and patented in 1909, 100 years ago, Acid-Wrap rods are now only coming of age!!! An Acid Rod or "Spiral Wrapped Rod" is a conventional or casting rod with guides that start out on top of the blank and then rotate around the rod leaving the final guides and tip under the blank. In a nutshell, this guide placement reduces torque allowing you to fight larger fish on lighter tackle with less fatigue.

Here are several definitions covering variations of the name, taken from the rodbuilding.org glossary: Acid Wrap - "Another term for the spiral wrap. The term originated on the West Coast when one proponent of the wrap "Jim Racela" was said to have been on "acid" when he wrapped his rod in spiral fashion."

Spiral Wrap - "A method for taking the line to the bottom of the rod on conventional casting type rods. Results in a rod which will not twist under load and is inherently stable."

Robert's Wrap - "Another term for the spiral wrap named after rod builder Chuck Roberts, another proponent of spiral wrapping for casting rods."

Under load, conventional "top guide" rods have a natural tendency to twist or torque, trying to turn the tip downward. While few have ever had a rod flip over in their hand during a fight, many HAVE felt the fatigue of a long fight with a large fish due to their "death grip" on their rod. Not many even realize how hard they're squeezing their grip while fighting a "big one". That's just what a big fish does... It tries to rip the rod from your hands!

Those who trade off the line twist associated with spinning reels for their cast-ability and "ease of use" don't feel that twisting that we die hard conventional rod users do. With the tip and guides on the bottom of their blanks, they have a more stable fishing platform.

You'll also notice that a heavy 7' spinning rod often has fewer guides than a conventional rod of the same size. This is because with their guides UNDER the blank, they don't need nearly as many guides to keep the line OFF of the blank. Picture a 7' conventional rod fully loaded. It has to have at LEAST eight guides to keep the line from touching the blank. The same size spinning rod on the other hand, could do the same job with six to seven guides while still evenly distributing the load on the blank. More importantly, guides under the blank can be smaller, lighter and sit closer to the blank as they don't need ring height to keep the line up off the blank. A "guides on top" conventional casting rod needs a taller, usually much heavier "double Foot" guide to keep the line up off the blank when it's loaded.

Fewer guides are better? In most ways, the answer is YES. Fewer guides mean less weight over the length of the blank, especially the tip section. Less weight added to the blank makes a more sensitive, more responsive rod. You still need enough guides under the rod to distribute the load evenly and maximize the blank's available power. On a 7' rod, this can normally be done with one less guide if Spiral Wrapped rather than wrapped "guides on top". Combine that weight savings with the weight saved by not having to use a heavier "Double Foot" and you've saved a considerable amount of weight. Believe it or not, a weight savings of only a couple of grams can make a big difference.

They've been around since the early 1900's; the first patent was issued in 1909!!! Yet not many fishermen have seen, let alone tried an Acid Rod. With companies like LOCAL HOOKER RODS taking advantages of spiral guide placement and developing specific in-shore and off-shore rods, the Acid Rod's popularity and reliability is on the rise.

What does your local Tackle Shop/Rod Builder say? Some will honestly tell you that they haven't heard of it, or don't know much about it. However a VERY common reply from Builders unfamiliar with the Spiral Wrap when asked if they can build it is, "I don't build those because they don't work", or more commonly, "I don't build those because they don't cast as well". This is TRUE if the blank is NOT spined properly and the guides are not put on exactly right! My car doesn't drive very well if the tires are not balanced and aligned well either!!!! I always say; BRAND NEW MICHLIANS DON'T MEAN MUCH IF THEY'RE NOT PUT ON PROPERLY!

And another benefit is they will save you BIG MONEY $$$ "Great rods Bob! I've had a chance to fish this type of rod before & they do just what you say they do. I think you've missed one of the most important benefits from a system like this. Having run my own charter business, I know the most damaging thing to a conventional reel is the torque placed on it by the constant wobble from trying to keep the rod from flipping (especially with a novice angler). Much of the effort from the angler to keep the reel upright is transferred by the reel handle. It's used as a lever to keep the reel on top. All that torque is transferred to the gears and bearings, too. It will eat up a crappy reel in a season. Take away locking gimbal butts and it's even worse. Actually gimbal butts were developed as an answer to this problem. Bottom line, it's more comfortable and natural yes, but it will keep your high end reels from needing as much service and provide many more years of use. The rods practically pay for themselves by protecting your shiny gold reels."

Fresh Water Catch

2009-11-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

Hey Bob, I was really hoping to send you a post about how your rod stood-up to some massive Musky/Pike back here in the fresh-water (The next best thing to salt), but weather conditions have kept things down and time is getting tight to get the boat in moth-balls for the winter. We did manage a couple of decent outings yielding some small to mid-size fish, but nothing close to what we were after. The rod was way-overkill for what we were bringing to the boat, but that rod was a real pleasure to work the large spoons, plugs, and spinnerbaits all day long. The water tends to be clear right up to the height of turn-over and long casts are a must, so the added length came to an advantage. Thanks again for paying attention to the small details that make the difference when building the finest Application-Specific rods available. Vic Weizer