PARK FALLS, WIS. (February 20, 2025) – Custom fishing rod builders may come from diverse backgrounds, but they share two key traits: creativity and a deep passion for fishing.
A Lifelong Passion for Fishing
Ben Lepien grew up immersed in the fishing world. “My grandfather owned a bait shop in Merton, Wisconsin, so I’ve been fishing as long as I can remember,” the 31-year-old says. “I went a lot with my dad and cousin who exposed me to bass fishing. After starting with panfish, I remember how exciting it was to catch bigger fish on a variety of lures. As I got older, I branched out into walleye fishing, which is kind of where I’m still at today. I enjoy fishing for all species, but love targeting walleyes with different techniques.”
From Welding to Custom Rod Building
A skilled welder and fabricator by trade, Lepien’s journey into rod building happened quickly. “A couple years back I saw a popup ad on Facebook for a rod-building kit,” he recalls. “It piqued my interest, and I went down the rabbit hole, consuming as much content about rod-building as I could. I spent about three weeks researching before I built my first rod. I didn’t take any classes, just trial-by-fire watching YouTube videos and scrolling through rod-building forums online.”
He initially crafted rods for himself, friends, and family. “We went up north on a fishing trip and everyone fished them and loved them,” he says. “It was a test, I guess. I got some feedback, made some improvements, and built more rods.”
Crafting High-Performance Custom Fishing Rods
Lepien customizes each rod based on the angler’s needs, selecting blanks that optimize performance. “I use BASS 3, CARBON 2, CARBON 4, and CARBON 5 blanks from Rod Geeks, because I know I’m starting each build with the best possible performance and quality,” he explains. “I have fished with St. Croix rods my entire life and am very familiar with their materials, lengths, powers, and actions. I know which blanks and materials work best for any given technique or presentation. I also like the fact that they are an American, family-owned company from right here in Wisconsin.”
To maintain the integrity of each rod’s action, Lepien prioritizes lightweight components. “I always use the smallest and lightest guides I can in order to take weight off the blanks and keep the actions pure. I also strive for ergonomic grips and reel seats so the rod feels good in my customers’ hands. It has to feel and perform as good as it looks.”
Beyond the functional aspects, Lepien offers full customization. “Customers can choose their colors, handle styles, or materials,” he says. “I love the design process—talking with my customers to find out what they like, then designing the aesthetics of the rod to make it their own is my favorite part.”
Merging Creativity with Precision
Lepien credits his welding background for his rod-building skills. “I’ve always been a creative person, so there’s that aspect, but I also think the steady hands you need as a skilled welder pay similar dividends when performing the detail work that’s necessary to craft a high-level custom rod.”
Currently, Lepien builds rods in the evenings and on weekends while growing Wilson Rods LLC. “I’m fortunate to have a nice backlog of business through word-of-mouth at this point, but I’d like to take things to the next level and see what happens,” he says. “It’s definitely something that I’m hoping I can grow.”
Connect with Wilson Rods
Contact Ben Lepien and Wilson Rods through his Facebook page, Wilson Rods LLC, or email him at wilsonrodswi@gmail.com.
Meet Rod Geeks at the 2025 International Custom Rod Building Exposition
The 2025 International Custom Rod Building Exposition takes place February 22-23 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at the MC Benton Convention Center. Rod Geeks, the exclusive distributor of St. Croix rod blanks, invites attendees to Booth #98 to meet Rod Geeks and St. Croix team members, explore rod-building materials, and learn firsthand about St. Croix blank designs and technologies.
Wilson Rods: Custom and Stock Options
A little over a year into his rod-building journey, Lepien’s craftsmanship gained traction beyond friends and family. “Being located here in Wisconsin, I am building a lot of panfish, bass, walleye, and musky rods,” he says.
Lepien established Wilson Rods LLC at the end of 2024 and launched a Facebook page to showcase his work and stay connected with customers. “I enjoy building custom rods to customer specifications, but I have also developed a standard line of handmade rods I call the Carbon Series that I keep in stock. I noticed early on in speaking with customers that they don’t always know exactly what they want. My Carbon Series rods are all built for this purpose on premium St. Croix blanks from Rod Geeks. They are available in both casting and spinning in several lengths, powers, and actions. These are high-performance, well-balanced rods that fish extremely well while showcasing custom craftsmanship not found in most production rods.”
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. The St. Croix Family of Brands includes St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
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