Carolina Outdoors: With so many production rods available, why did you decide to start a custom rod building company?
Skeet Bennett: I was not happy with the same ole assembly line type production rods, you know the cookie cutters, and like stated, felt I could improve on the rods. So I decided to start my business more to fill that void, by offering rods tailored to individual needs. Unlike the rods you would buy in a store, my rods have the look and feel each angler wants. Each rod is build to each customers specifications based on communication.
Carolina Outdoors: Are most of your customers tournament bass fisherman?
Skeet Bennett: Yes, most are tournament fisherman, but some are novice anglers. No matter what the level of experience, we can design a rod to make them more successful and improve their fishing experience.
Carolina Outdoors: What's the first step if someone is interested in a custom rod?
Skeet Bennett: Well, the first step is understanding what the customer needs. What I mean by this, is knowing things like how they fish, what species, and what technique they will be using it for, like flipping or topwater. It starts with communication with the fisherman. Its really a mult-step process.
Carolina Outdoors: So the customer really is involved from start to finish?
Skeet Bennett: Yes, that's what's unique about our rods, the customer really is a part of the design process, from the blank to the finish. With the option of choosing thread colors, custom painted blanks, guides, even right down to an inscription like name, message or phrase.
Carolina Outdoors: Tell us about the blanks and guides.
Skeet Bennett: Our blanks are of the highest quality, and some of the lightest, most sensitive on the market. We have standard blank styles that we excel in, like flipping, spinning, Carolina rigging, just about any technique. We offer several choices in guides and each rod is build using our New Guide Concept System.
Carolina Outdoors: Can you explain what the advantages of the New Guide Concept system?
Skeet Bennett: The "New Guide Concept System" emphasizes guide size, number and placement. Even a rod blank manufactured from the lightest and strongest fibers can't deliver optimum performance without the right guides. This system maximizes our rods performance.
Carolina Outdoors: What are some of the advantages?
Skeet Bennett: There is several advantages to the system. It offers greater sensitivity, improved casting distance, which increases casting accuracy. Using smaller, lighter guides creates better balance for less fatigue in a full day of fishing. It also reduces line twist and increases hooking power.
Carolina Outdoors: How does it help hooking power?
Skeet Bennett: Hooking power is affected by the number of guides on the rod. More guides increase power by keeping the line close to the rod. There is less power loss with the new system so your chances of setting the hook and landing the fish are greatly increased. The system also shortens the landing time of a fish up to 35%. As the rod is powered back when fighting the fish, drag resistance from the reel and guides are at a maximum. More guides will maximize the total drag resistance as well as improving the rods action.
Carolina Outdoors: I've had the opportunity to work with you on a couple rod designs, and I must say, I'm really impressed with the results. I am also proud to announce Carolina Outdoors will offer a new line of signature series rods with Skeet's Custom Rods*. Our first collaboration was developing a deep cranking rod. I think one of the keys to making the rod one that all fisherman will find useful, is making the technique less tiring to your hands and arm. In my tournament experience, and alot through my guide service, I hear how most avoid deep cranking because it is too much like hard work. You took some ideas I had, designed one of the best cranking rods I've ever used.
Skeet Bennett: That's the whole concept behind custom rods, building a better product around the customer. With your impute on how important rod position and angle, and the length of the handle, I was able to develop a rod that will improve all deep cranking experiences. And I'm excited to be able to offer it as one of the new signature series rods.
Carolina Outdoors: Its really a neat deal, one that will greatly improve cranking performances. I can't wait to offer the flipping stick in the series. There's allot of flipping rods on the market, but most are either too limber or too heavy. The new design will be sensitive and light, but yet still strong enough to fish the heaviest cover.
