Company sells custom-made fishing rods

Robert Scherer began fishing in Cy-Fair as a child, a pastime that would one day inspire him to start his own business in the industry.

"When I was a kid, this country right here was some of the best bass fishing around," he said. "Now it's all residential development, but there were a lot of rice ponds and private lakes."

Scherer owns American Rod Smiths, a Northwest Houston business that builds custom fishing rods for inshore, offshore and freshwater fishing. Customers can buy high-end, mid-range and entry level fishing rods from American Rod Smiths, or they can place a custom order.

The average person who fishes five or six times a year would typically use an entry-level rod, while mid-range rods are for the more serious fisherman, Scherer said. The top of the line product is for someone who wants the best money can buy.

"When you want to get something for someone who's got everything, you can't go wrong with a fishing rod," Scherer said.

Although American Rod Smiths sells their custom fishing rods to several big box stores such as Academy Sports and Outdoors and Bass Pro Shops, along with local mom and pop sporting goods stores, a lot of the business comes from online sales.

"If someone in Michigan calls and wants a specific rod because there isn't a dealer there, they can buy it through us," Scherer said.

Inside the 14,000-square-foot American Rod Smiths facility off Wright Road, employees have come up with several industry changing, innovative designs.

"We'll come up with some creative new structural design, or something that changes the actions and reactions of a fishing rod, while all the competitors can do is change the colors," Scherer said.

Scherer's employees also try to ensure their products and fishing rods are more efficient for fishermen.

"A lot of the large multimillion dollar corporations that sell millions of rods don't care about creativity—they care about numbers," Scherer said. "We're not a numbers person, we're more about perfection."

Scherer and his staff support several local charities and have participated in numerous fundraisers over the years since they opened.

American Rod Smiths also donates fishing rods to local civic organizations and Future Farmers of America groups.

"I enjoy meeting the public that uses our products," Scherer said. "They'll come up to us [at events] and show us pictures of their daughter using one of our pink rods or pictures of them fishing in Alaska over the summer."

Fishing spots

There are several fishing locations within an hour or two drive from Northwest Houston.

• Lake Livingston—located in the East Texas town of Livingston
• Lake Conroe—located in central Montgomery County
• Toledo Bend—located in East Texas near the Louisiana border

American Rod Smiths, 7449 Wright Road, Houston, 713-466-7849, www.americanrodsmiths.com