Mud Hole Custom Tackle and its premium brand of rod blanks, MHX, are sponsoring the seven-year Bassmaster Elite Series veteran and becoming the presenting sponsor of the annual Bradley Roy High School Open.
Over the past two years Roy had fished some night tournaments with MHX rods lent to him by a local rod builder. He liked them so much he was planning to purchase some for the 2016 season. He had also seen fellow Elite Series competitor Brandon Lester using the rods over the past two seasons. Like many, he was curious about what exactly a “MB 904 from Mud Hole Custom Tackle” really was.
Roy got more than he bargained for when Lester invited him to a small rod building class in Tennessee this past January. “I was intrigued as we fitted the first reel seat and then hooked after we sat down and put the first guides on,” said Roy. “Brandon made it look so easy and I picked it up quickly in that very first rod building session I’ve been building them back at the house ever since and am up over 20 rods built now.”
Roy’s fishing has already benefited from this new skill set (he’s 5th in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings after two events) but the real winners in this partnership may end up being high school students and coaches. For years Roy has been personally involved with high school teams in Kentucky, spending time teaching them techniques and fishing strategy. He has spoken at the B.A.S.S. High School National Championship multiple times and in 2016 will host the fourth annual Bradley Roy High School Open in Kentucky (October 1st).
Thanks to Mud Hole’s commitment to education Roy will be passing along the skill of rod building to the next generation. He is offering classes to high school coaches and students beginning early this summer in central Kentucky.
“The response to the classes has been solid,” said Bradley. “Teams see this as a way to get a new fishing rod, learn a new skill, and then down the road as a way to raise money selling custom rods.“
Mud Hole has long been known for educating fishermen on the many benefits of custom rod building. The company holds up to 48 rod building classes annually across the country. And this collaboration with Roy is not their first foray into high schools either. Hundreds of classes are taught as part of 4H programs annually as numerous school districts have rod building as part of the school’s curriculum, thanks to Mud Hole’s resources and efforts.
Mud Hole President Tom McNamara was impressed when he learned about Roy’s track record of working with high schoolers. “We love how Bradley is doing his part to give back to high school anglers. We want to help provide the tools those anglers and schools need for education and fund-raising. Learning this new skill will teach them about entrepreneurship, persistence, camaraderie, teamwork, and on and on.”
Mud Hole has created the Bradley Roy Student Rod Building Kits and made them available exclusively by contacting Roy. For more information on the kits or to learn more about scheduling classes high school coaches can reach out to Bradley through his website at www.BradleyRoy.com.
About Mud Hole Custom Tackle
Mud Hole Custom Tackle, Inc. (www.MudHole.com) is the world’s largest supplier of tackle crafting goods – rod building, fly tying and lure building. It has become the “go-to” and trusted supplier of hobbyists, small manufacturers and large OEM’s worldwide by offering superior shopping experience, rapid delivery and stellar customer service.
With more than 45,000 SKU’s representing $15 million of inventory fully stocked onsite in Mud Hole’s 15,000 square-foot office & distribution center, Mud Hole earns the loyalty of fishing enthusiasts and novice rod builders, fly tyers and lure builders alike.
About Bradley Roy
Most widely-known for being the youngest angler to ever qualify for the B.A.S.S.’s highest level (age 18 in 2009) the now 25 year-old Roy has fished the Bassmaster Elite Series for seven years. His annual high school tournament is open to Kentucky anglers and he will again be speaking at the B.A.S.S. High School National Championship held August 1-6 on Kentucky’s Green River. For more information on rod building classes and discounted rod building kits for students and instructors visit www.BradleyRoy.com and click High School Fishing.