SURF OBX ROD SERIES
The OBX series of surf rods have been developed over the past 10 years by me and some of my avid surf fishing buddies. This type of fishing is one of my favorites. I surf fish from the coast of Maine, the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and all the way down the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico. The blanks chosen and components used on these rods are of the highest quality available on today's market. These rods will hold up to the tough elements of a 3-5 day surf fishing trip, camping on the beach with little fresh water, and the constant 15 to 20 mph wind and sand storms of the southeast coast of Texas, as well as the cold wet beaches of the Outer Banks. Below are some of our special purpose rods.
The Shrimp Rod
This spinning rod is just the ticket for finesse fishing live bait or popping corks. Big speckled trout, red fish, stripers, bonefish and permit all respond to the proper presentation of live bait. Shrimp, alewives, pilchards, and live crabs all require a rod capable of throwing bait accurately and delicately without compromising distance.
The Shrimp Rod is built on a 7-1/2-foot graphite blank. We use high performance, high frame match guides and it is finished to handle the tough conditions of saltwater angling. The extra length and match grade guides perform flawlessly for throwing delicate live baits. Plus, it still has the backbone and strength to fight big tough fish. This rod never ceases to amaze us with its versatility; it will throw a jig or metal like you can not imagine. This is just what you need when blues, stripers, little tuny and Spanish mackerel are out of range for ordinary rods.
The Shrimp Rod has already proven itself along the Texas Gulf Coast and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You've got to try it to believe it!
The Poppin' Cork Rod
This is a bait casting rod designed specifically for throwing a popping cork and shrimp or artificials such as Mirrolures® and Zara Spooks®. This rod has lots of backbone and is no sissy.
The Poppin' Cork Rod from OB Custom Rods features the revolutionary "acid wrap" or "spiral wrap" that has become the darling of the professional bass circuit. When battling big fish this unique guide placement ensures that the line never contacts the blank and increases casting distance.
The Poppin' Cork rod is made from a 7-foot graphite blank and has a special trigger handle. The high frame match guides that spiral around the blank will enable you to cast accurately and with more distance than your ordinary rods.
Whether you are poppin' a shrimp and cork along the Texas coast or walking a Zara in the mangroves of South Florida, this rod can handle the fish and the job!
"Da Heaver"
Cape Point, South Beach, Oregon Inlet, Assateague, Chincoteague, Cape Charles and Ocracoke all mean big fish to the priests of the high surf, specifically, fishing for red drum with "eight n' bait". For the uninitiated, "eight n' bait" means an eight ounce sinker with six to eight ounces of bait. This requires a rod unequaled in strength and dependability. The only other rods that require this type strength are offshore rods for tuna and billfish.
When the big red drum cruise the rips, more often than not, they are just out of reach of folks with ordinary rods. You need a rod born and reared in high surf country, made by surf fishermen who know what you require.
"Da Heaver" by OB Custom Rods is an 11-foot graphite casting rod designed to toss "eight n' bait' and not kill you in the process. This rod is not for everyone, only those brave enough to tackle big fish in big surf in all kinds of weather. Due to the popularity of this rod, there is a waiting list. Call or contact us to see if you qualify!
OB's Personal Surf Rod
OB fishes the high surf of Hatteras Island, Ocracoke and Portsmouth Islands. He prefers spinning tackle because he is getting too old to toss eight n' bait. So, he and his buddies have designed a rod that anyone can use and catch fish with in the high surf. This rod has also seen service on the piers of south Alabama and the Florida panhandle. Jack Crevalle, king mackerel, and red drum have all fallen victim to its power.
OB's Surf Rod is built on a 10-˝ foot graphite blank with high performance, high frame match guides. It has a rubberized cork wrapped handle and fixed reel seat. Upon special request we can build this rod in casting configuration with or without a reel seat for clamp-on reels such as Penn Squidder and Newell. This rod is as versatile as they come in a high surf rod. It will easily handle six n' bait, plus a wide range of lure weights. We can throw from 2 ounces up to 8 ounces. This rod will make you look like you know what you're doing even if you don't! You will be asked, "where did you get that?"
OB's Flounder, Spot, Sea Mullet and Foolin' Around Rod
This rod is a one-handed spinning or casting rod, which ever you prefer. It is designed to offer you a light, medium action rod for flounder, spot, whiting, specks, pompano and other such tasty fish. We have even "snuck" it out on the pier for Spanish mackerel when folks weren't watching.
OB's FSS&FAR Rod is built on a 7-foot blank that will handle up to 1-1/2 ounces quite nicely. It is a lighter rod than OB's Shrimp Rod.
Sometimes in the evenings after everyone has settled down, we take this rod and a hand full of jigs or bait and just poke along the surf line. We have also used this rod on yellowtail snapper and bonefish. It is amazing what we catch and the fun we have doing it with this rod. It will match up with your favorite freshwater spinning or bait casting reel.
While the above rods are my favorites, we stock standard handcrafted models covering the various fishing circumstances. This allows you to look, touch and feel the various components. However, your needs may be unique so we encourage you to customize your rod options by changing the color, lengths, butts, and other hardware and wrapping specifications to meet your exact requirements. All rods can be customized with your name or boat name. Our goal is to give you exactly what you want with no compromises!