After the excitement of the catfish, we tied on frogs and started our way back to the boat ramp … long-casting to every patch of weed, muck, algae, and grass mat we could find. Yep, hungry Summit Lake largemouth bass … and they hammered the frogs too! I think we caught our last bass this evening about 10 feet from the boat ramp before we put the rods down and readied the boat for the pull out and drive back to Omaha. What a fantastic day fishing with my son … I know he’ll remember today forever and I’m just glad I got to be a part of that memory. I wonder, will he remember how many fish we caught? how beautiful the sunset was? or will he remember today because of the “surprise” catfish who thought he was a bass for an afternoon? No matter, I’ll remember the smiles and good time spent with my son fishing … and be thankful that not only did we have a good time, but that we were using custom-tuned fishing rods that can handle whatever happens to be on the end of your next cast! Take a kid fishing and tight lines!  BTW: here’s one of the “pot-bellied” largemouth landed we landed today at Summit lake SRA in Nebraska.  Check our CCR Gallery out and see other pictures taken from today’s fishing trip.

Jaesen Yerger
www.cajuncustomrods.com

Bug Catches Yet Another Lake Standing Bear Bass

In all, we had a blast and caught 8 bass total in the Fremont State Recreation Area, Lake #20 … all bass between 13 and 16 inches. My son ended up catching half of the fish and reeled in all of mine for me … so the trip was a success … he had a blast fishing and “catching” … and I got to spend some “dad-time” with my youngin’ … a win-win for both of us.

Here’s a few pictures of my son and his fish … notice the “Big Smile” of success … can’t beat that and it’s the type of “fishing-smile” that will turn a kid into a fisherman for life.

Feel free to check out our website at: http://www.cajuncustomrods.com/

Take a kid fishing, be safe, and “Tight lines!”

Jaesen V. Yerger
Cajun Custom Rods, Inc.

We headed south to Lake Wehrspan (again in Omaha) and were fishing by 5:45 PM … fished until dark. Threw a grey, pepper-flaked; a baby-bass, a root-beer, and a black 6 inch senko without weight (Texas-rigged) … lots of “looks” and miss strikes, but no takers. Launched a few buzz baits in chartreuse, white-black, white, and green pumpkinseed but again, missed strikes and no fish. Last hour or so, switched between a green and a black scum frog and missed a few strikes. Only a couple of the strikes were legitimate … the rest were swirls, but all the fish seemed to be fighting through the same weeds we were … us to get to the fish and the fish to get to the bait. Lake Wehrspan is thick with milfoil and hydrilla grasses … clogged the trolling motor all evening … the “no-see-um” gnats were out in swarms as well. The highlight of the day was that we got to watch a young boy (maybe ten to twelve years old) land a 3-4 lb largemouth bass (he was fishing a dark-colored sluggo in about 3-4 feet of water). Nice fish and I am certain there wasn’t a bigger smile on the lake that day. The few boats in the vicinity gave the boy some good cheers while he fought the bass to his father’s boat. After a few pictures with the fish, they released the bass unharmed.

My first time out in Omaha fishing (just moved here from Florida about a two weeks ago) … same fishing styles, just different areas and the fish tend to be smaller overall. As I get to know the area and try out all the little “honey hole” fishing spots, I’ll continue to keep y’all posted. If you have any recommendations or favorite spots for bass fishing from a boat (18 foot aluminum Triton), please drop me a line. Who knows? Maybe you’ll put us in the right spot so my sons have the opportunity for that “big-bass-fish-smile?”

In summary, we had a great trip out that day and we can’t wait to get on the water this weekend (though we know there’ll be plenty of pressure on the fish). My 6 year old and I just look forward to hanging out and spending some “dad-time” together and fishing is a perfect fit for the two of us. Feel free to check out our website at: http://www.cajuncustomrods.com/

Tight lines!

Jaesen V. Yerger

Our Super Grade Premium Grade Cork grips are the absolute best cork grips available in the industry … period. Don’t let the soft touch fool you as these super-dense cork grips are tough, durable, and extremely sensitive. On top of that – they look great!

You’ll feel every bite, nibble, chomp, and hit from walleye, bass, perch, catfish, redfish, trout … you name it … using these Super Grade Premium Cork handles. Additionally, hard-rubber composite infused cork is utilized where “normal wear-and-tear” of cork handles regularly occurs … at the cork ends and where the reel seat rests … trust us when we say ” This cork is made to last!”

Keep in mind, all of the Cajun Custom Rod handle systems and grips are treated with U-40 cork preserver and designed to provide you the right leverage with the right feel. Your Cajun Custom Rod Super Grade Premium Cork grips are certain to provide spinning and casting performance you can trust and certain to be the next deadly weapon in your fishing arsenal!

Cajun Custom Rods Premium Split Grip Handle

Cajun Custom Rods Premium Full Grip Handle

You asked for it and you got it!  Premium cork handles are coming soon to Cajun Custom Rods.  We’ve received confirmation that our demo-tested premium cork handles are to arrive any day … and once they do … they’ll be available for your custom fishing rod designs.  Our premium cork is guaranteed to increase your fishing pleasure – these ergonomically designed cork handles are so comfortable you’ll want to keep casting your Cajun Custom Rod long after your limit is filled.  Say goodbye to slippery handles and hello to fishing in comfort.  As soon as we receive these premium cork handles, we’ll update you and let you know when you can include a premium split grip or full grip custom cork handle on your next Cajun Custom Rod!  Stay tuned … and be ready!

We’ve been searching for a cost-effective alternative to our shipping containers and wouldn’t you know it, it landed directly at our feet just a few days ago.  As luck would have it, one of the custom fishing rod rebuilds (yep – like our warranty says: “If it ain’t right, we fix it!”) we ordered required a drop shipment directly from St. Croix and the replacement rod blank arrived in a beautiful “bomb-proof” cardboard tube!  Not just an ordinary tube, but a 3/8 inch thick, 3″ diameter reinforced tube … and we knew that we “had to have them.”  So we made a few phone calls and “Bingo!”  Yep, we called St. Croix and asked who produced that shipping tube and after speaking with their representatives were afforded their point of contact, a gentleman from PTI Industries.  That stated, per a phone conversation this afternoon, we are in the process of updating our shipping containers to carry the same tubes so that we can deliver your Cajun Custom Rods to your doorstep in flawless, pristine condition … the same way your finished rod design leaves our rod bench.  We’ve been seeking a solution for quite some time and literally, “The skies opened up and divine intervention had to be in play as custom fishing rod mailing tubes began to fall like manna from the heavens!”  In all honestly, thanks to the great folks at St. Croix and PTI Industries for their support of Cajun Custom Rods … we are so very pleased to be working with quality folks who care about their customers as much as we care about our customers.  Anyone with half a mind in the business world understands how vital customer service has always been and remains a top priority … it’s just good to know there are a few of us out there who live by the motto: “Actions are greater than words.”

Another fantastic Cajun custom Rod design brought to life!   This 6 foot 6 inch custom fishing rod is designed using a traditional casting grip layout on a St. Croix SC V rod blank (flip green finish) with American Tackle NIRLC guides (solid TITAN titanium). Gudebrod dark forest green and metallic black threads wrap the rod guides and make the open diamond rod wrap. Trust us when we say, “There are none better!”  Check out the pictures in our CCR Photo Gallery.  Here’s a “teaser” below

Cajun Custom Rod: St. Croix (SC V) Rod Blank with American Tackle Guides (TITAN solid titanium)

Jayhawk Boxes, Inc. manufactures Cajun Custom Rod shipping containers; these containers are fabricated and designed especially for shipping our custom rods … so that they arrive unscathed and in one piece to our customers.  Until recently, we’ve never had an incident.  The boxes themselves are telescoping to ensure a “perfect fit” regardless of the custom rod length that is being shipped (and generally speaking, approximately 2/3 of the rod length is double-layered in the corrugated box due to the unique box design).  Additionally, our rods are double wrapped in micro-bubble wrap and placed into a Weezer Rod Sock (500-count polar fleece). Ends of the rod are cushioned with additional micro-bubble wrap and cork handles are shrink-wrapped to further protect the fishing rods while in shipment status.  The bottom-line, we have gone to great lengths to ensure that your Cajun Custom Rod arrives to you, our faithful customers, in the same pristine condition that it leaves our facility.  In fact, the resources expended on each custom fishing rod’s packaging are greater than the expense to ship that same rod via ground delivery.  In our minds, you took your time to build the perfect custom fishing rod and we owe it you to ensure the rod arrives the same way … flawless.

After the breakages were reported, we immediately began “rebuilds” of the two rods … one rod was broken and one rod was “scored” between rod guides.  No matter who’s fault (or possibly no fault at all), like our warranty states ever so clearly, “if it ain’t right, we fix it and make it right so that you are 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed with your Cajun Custom Rod!”

That stated, at Cajun Custom Rods we realize that not unlike you, “we understand that we have options.”  Effective immediately, Cajun Custom Rods has “officially” changed shipping companies from UPS to FEDEX. Our web development team (Anologix, Inc. with Dimension Concepts, Inc.) is in the final stages of updating our website “API” to make the requisite Internet application change.  However, while the developers work their programming magic over the next few days, we’ve already coordinated with FEDEX to ensure we’re able to ship with them ASAP … read as: we’re shipping via FEDEX right now.  As the President and owner of Cajun Custom Rods, I cannot in good faith and trust continue with a company that has such disregard for its customers and product handling – therefore, the change to FEDEX immediately.  We’ve never had this issue with UPS in the past and have been shipping with them for some time now.  That stated, we have also taken a few steps to further “harden” our shipping containers … better safe than sorry.

Our feelings here at Cajun Custom Rods is that if a challenge presents itself and goes without check, then you (or in this case, we … CCR) are a contributor to the UNSAT condition.  Yes, I am that critical of our company … its this feeling and passion that will only make us better and more valuable to our customers as we continue to further establish long-term relationships and good standing with you.  Ultimately, the opportunity cost to our customers (whether in time, heartache, or perception) is not worth the risk.

While the FEDEX application is being added to our website, select the appropriate shipping method using the current distributor.  Cajun Custom Rods will ship your rod via FEDEX via the same mode of delivery that you select, and we’ll cover any price difference during the changeover period. Once the change is finalized, then its business as usual … just better service all-around.  Like my grandfather said, “We all make mistakes at some point, but how you handle that mistake is what counts.”  Well, at CCR, we like to think that any mistake is one too much … so we’ve taken measures we feel necessary to correct the deficiency and put those measures into effect.

If you haven’t read or heard it from me yet, then you need to know this simple truth: Cajun Custom Rods would not exist, we would not be the success that we’ve been to date, and we would not continue to be successful in our endeavors if it were not for the continued, faithful support of YOU, our devoted customers.  Loyalty is easily lost and hard earned, so thank you for your continued trust … we’ll never let you down.

- Jaesen V. Yerger, President, Cajun Custom Rods, Inc.

So why micro guides?  Well here’s a few immediate benefits we’ve discovered here at Cajun Custom Rods through the process:

• Super tough, super durable frames and guide rings. These little guides can handle the meanest of fishing lines … to include casting any braid, mono, or fluorocarbon line that we put through them.  Hell – we’re not exactly sure what American Tackle’s Nanolite material is made of, but it’s tough as a diamond, smooth as glass, and looks great too!
• Increased sensitivity. As your fishing line feeds through the micro guides, we discovered that they reduced obscure rod vibrations (such as after a long, powerful cast or from water current) and helped us hone in on the “good vibrations” we were seeking … the nibble, the bite, the catch … every crook, nook, and cranny we couldn’t see under the water.  In fact, our situational awareness with structure and conditions under the water were so improved that we found we could fish really tricky spots like “in and on” oyster beds, “through the middle” of underwater brush piles, and “straight into the heart” of shoreline vegetation over/under-hang.
• Reduced rod weight. Because micro guides are so small and light, using them reduced the overall rod weights as much as 1/2 ounce in most cases (when compared to traditional guide set ups).  Over the course of a days fishing/casting (and we cast a whole lot) the pounds add up – so much that we discovered we were less fatigued at the days end and our arms remained fresh to fish again the next day … “Yep, go ahead twist our arms to fish some more!”
• Better guide loading. We found that because the micro guides lie down the backbone of your custom fishing rod (or spline) and are significantly smaller than traditional casting guides, you can use more of them to keep your fishing line aligned with the rod and therefore, more guides equals a better distribution of the static and kinetic forces loaded up on your fishing rod … and trust us, micro guides are not afraid of “loading up” as we learned after catching several 30-plus inch redfish from the Jacksonville Intercoastal waterways (BTW: all fish were released alive).
• Enhanced rod balance. Due a lower rod center of gravity afforded by the low profile of the micro guide … the physics of these guides is optimum … like in football, stay low and use leverage to move your opponent … micro guides do just that as they help you catch fish more efficiently.
• Better casting performance. When it comes to casting … well, we have four simple words: “There are none better!”  Smoother, longer, and more accurate casts are a direct result of the reduced friction, line slap, and line wave when your casting your favorite lure of plug.  Same goes for the retrieve when you have a fish on … just in reverse
• Reduced rod and line tangles. We weren’t expecting this, but sure enough … we rarely found ourselves stopping while fishing to untangle the end of our braided line – even when casting into 20 knot headwinds on a few “blustery” days in April 2010.

Straight from American Tackle to Cajun Custom Rods and finally in your hands for design of your next custom fishing rod, we’re carrying three full sets of both full casting and split grip casting micro guide rod sets.  Our micro guide sets are ready for immediate design for all rods 5 feet through 7 feet 6 inches.  Cajun Custom Rods newest micro guide sets are:

NBRLMG / NBMT Micro Guide Set

NBRLMG / NBMT

The American Tackle NBRLMG black Micro Guides and matching NBMT Micro Guide tip offer considerably smaller rod guides than the conventional ones found on today’s casting and spinning rods. With outer ring diameters at only 4 mm, our Micro Guides and frames are cast in solid Atlas 316™ stainless steel. The Ring Lock™ frame increases the contact area around the diameter of the insert and the Nanolite™ ring is 45% stronger (ground round to reduce line wear and increase casting distance). A Pacific Bay “wide-mouth,” double-foot, stainless steel Hook Keeper is color-matched and included with your CCR guide set selection.

NCRLMG / NCMT Micro Guide Set

NCRLMG / NCMT

The American Tackle NCRLMG chrome Micro Guides and matching NCMT Micro Guide tip offer considerably smaller rod guides than the conventional ones found on today’s casting and spinning rods. With outer ring diameters at only 4 mm, our Micro Guides and frames are cast in solid Atlas 316™ stainless steel. The Ring Lock™ frame increases the contact area around the diameter of the insert and the Nanolite™ ring is 45% stronger (ground round to reduce line wear and increase casting distance). A Pacific Bay “wide-mouth,” double-foot, stainless steel Hook Keeper is color-matched and included with your CCR guide set selection.

NIMG / NCMT Micro Guide Set

NIMG / NCMT

The American Tackle NIMG chrome Micro Guides and matching NCMT Micro Guide tip offer considerably smaller rod guides than the conventional ones found on today’s casting and spinning rods. With outer ring diameters at only 4 mm, our Micro Guides and frames are cast in solid TITAN™ titanium and 100% corrosion proof. The solid titanium frame increases the overall stability and strength of the guides and the Nanolite™ ring is 45% stronger reducing line wear and increasing casting distance). A Pacific Bay “wide-mouth,” double-foot, stainless steel Hook Keeper is color-matched and included with your CCR guide set selection. Select the NIMG/NCMT guide set and get these immediate benefits from your next Cajun Custom Rod: cast any braid, mono, or fluorocarbon line, increased sensitivity, reduced rod weight, better guide loading, better balance, a lower rod center of gravity, smoother, longer, and more accurate casts, and reduced rod and line tangles.