Local Hooker Rods

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Local Hooker Rods owner Bob Jenkins did not name his company after lascivious ladies, but rather after nautical New Englanders. On his website, he says Cape Cod's historic fishermen were called hookers. Jenkins' site goes on to explain his custom approach to rod building. The company offers saltwater and freshwater rods for various fishing styles. The Florida series includes a 7foot graphite spinner for redfish and trout that Sport Fishing's editor-in-chief Doug Olander describes as light and sensitive with noticeably thin grips. To make those grips, Local Hooker wraps the blank with cork tape, then covers it with X block and shrink-wraps that to the cork. Rods are hand-built using precise guide-placement methods and testing. Double guide feet are under-wrapped, and the rods are coated with UV-filtering, slow-dry epoxy. Reel seats are filled with epoxy to ensure stability. The red/trout rod handles 6- to 12 pound-test and 1/4- to 1/2 ounce lures and costs $175. Call 508-548-1213, or visit www.localhookerrods.com.