PARK FALLS, Wis. – Walker Nelson is a creative type, expressing his art both graphically and sonically. A musician and an artist living in the Fresno area originally from Texas, Nelson, 41, is also a passionate angler, laser-focused on the challenges and rewards of bass fishing and fly fishing.

“Other than making my own bass jigs and bladed baits – and occasionally incorporating aspects of fishing into my art – I had never really thought about channeling my creativity into building custom fishing rods until my brother died in 2008,” says Nelson. “I started fishing with my dad quite a bit at that time. We fished together when I was younger, but we really reconnected at that point. I think it was just an easy way for us to spend time together and begin to manage our grief. Time is a great healer, but time on the water was an even better therapy.”

Walker noticed that his father was fishing with a lot of unique rods that lacked brand logos and other commercial markings. “Turns out my dad had built a lot of rods throughout his earlier years. I expressed an interest, so he dusted off his old, homemade rod jig and dryer and taught me some of the basics,” Nelson recalls. “I really gravitated towards it – not just the building itself, but also the history, concepts, advancements, and the great conversations I had with the builders who've helped carry this craft forward. Custom rod-building has been an important part of my life ever since.”


Today, Nelson builds 10 to 20 custom rods per year, while also serving his local angling community through rod repair. He works full-time in the printing business and does property maintenance on the weekends, so rod building has become his primary creative outlet as time allows. “I average about one rod a month,” he says. “I overworked myself when I first started the business and I didn’t like that. I need this to remain something that’s fun for me, and I’ve been able to do that by focusing on quality over quantity.”

If Nelson has a specialty, it’s bass rods. He describes his rod-building style as “performance-focused with minimal aesthetics, and meticulous attention to detail.’’

“I’m a minimalistic person, so naturally that comes through in my work,” Nelson says. ‘’Aesthetics are important, so I try to include one or two creative focal points on each build. It’s easy to overkill a concept on custom rods, which I see quite a bit and even drift that way myself sometimes, so I get it. But to be fair, some people love that razzle-dazzle while I lean towards the less-is-more philosophy. It's these subjective differences that make this craft great though. I mean, if we all liked the same things, custom rod building would get boring fast.”

Nelson says his build flow always starts with performance, followed closely by ergonomics. “I choose high-quality rod blanks, then design handles, guide trains, and other componentry so it comes together in a well-balanced rod that feels great to fish with,” he says. “Then I use my skill and art to create something that’s also beautiful… rods that are well proportioned, classy, and striking when viewed as a whole, but full of flawless, subtle details when you look more closely. I choose my components to fit that style and the client’s needs… unless they pick something hideous, then we compromise because there are certain components I refuse to put my name on,” Nelson laughs.

Custom handles – whether made from exotic wood, cork, or carbon – are one of Nelson’s specialties that keep his customers coming back. “Carbon handles are definitely a current trend,” he says. “They transmit energy well, are easy to clean, look great, and generally work well with my style.”

Nelson says the project-planning phase is one of his favorite parts of any build. “I have a questionnaire I’ve developed over the past several years that I’ll send to clients so I can better understand how they’ll fish the rod I’m being asked to build. It covers things like favored techniques, the specific reel and line they plan to fish, preferences on things like split grips versus full grips, tip softness, as well as details on the waters and environments they’re going to be fishing in,” he says. “Or sometimes I’ll just interview my customers on the phone. From there, I’ll start applying their answers – along with their budget – to selecting a specific rod blank, components, and other materials.” A Nelson Custom Rod starts at about $400, and goes up from there, depending on the client’s desires.

Nelson builds rods on a variety of blanks but prefers Rod Geeks Carbon 5 Series blanks for most of his bass-rod builds. “I like their characteristics and the fact that they come from St. Croix Rod, who has been making rods for 75 years now. That’s a lot of time to perfect materials and manufacturing processes, and they own and operate both of their factories with complete control,” he says. “They have consistent, smooth actions and the Carbon 5 blanks, specifically, are very lightweight. I know when I order a C5610MLXF, for example – or any other Rod Geeks blank – that it’s going to have the exact same specifications and performance as the last one I ordered. It’s a good feeling knowing that you are starting a project off with the very best foundation.”

In addition to the 610MLXF, which is an excellent choice for drop-shotting and other finesse bass-fishing presentations, Nelson frequently builds on 70MHF Rod Geeks Carbon 5 and Carbon 4 blanks for 3/8-1/2-ounce jig rods, 711HMF Rod Geeks C5 and C4 blanks for heavy swimbait rods, and others. “Rod Geeks has also recently begun adding new blank series each year, typically the year after St. Croix introduces them on their own rods,” Nelson says. “So far this year it’s the new BASS 3 Series, which are the same blanks St. Croix uses in its Victory Series of bass rods. In addition to its unique, hybrid-carbon-fiber construction, the new BASS 3 Series includes quite a few lengths, powers, and actions that you can’t get in C4 or C5, so I’m looking forward to planning and completing a BASS 3 build in the future.”

Nelson offers the same advice to anyone who’s interested in getting started in custom rod building. “Do it! Everyone should have an artistic or creative outlet,” he says. “But concentrate on simple construction and techniques at first. Master the basics and don’t try to do too much. Use clean wraps that are packed and burnished well. Start simple and build your interests, skills, and own personal style.” He says common mistakes made by inexperienced builders are sloppy threadwork, using too much epoxy, and not cleaning up excess glue properly. “Practice, take your time, and have fun,” he says. “In a short amount of time you’ll be addicted… and building rods you are proud of.”


Nelson says he strongly believes in celebrating the little things... including little bass!

Follow or contact Walker Nelson of Nelson Custom Rods on Facebook and Instagram at @nelsoncustomrods. Please note that nelsoncustomrods.com IS NOT his website.

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About Rod Geeks
Brought to you by the people, expertise, and experience of St. Croix of Park Falls, Inc., Rod Geeks has delivered handcrafted, high-performance fishing rod blanks to custom rod builders since 2014. Backed by nearly 75 years of experience in designing and building the best fishing rods in the world, we own and operate modern, state-of-the-art fishing rod factories in Park Falls, Wisconsin and Fresnillo, Mexico where we combine the best raw materials, equipment, technologies, expertise, and experienced craftsmanship to produce thousands of uncompromising fishing rods and blanks every week. Whatever your next adventure or project, trust Rod Geeks to provide a foundation for your passion and creativity that’s worthy of your talents.