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Hobie Rod Works grew out of a lifetime of fishing, family, and a need to build gear that means something. I grew up near North Sacramento fishing for stocked catfish in a local pond, then worked my way into owning boats, learning new water, and chasing fish all over the West Coast. Saltwater fishing became a passion later in life as my grandfather, the original “Hobie”, got older and ill. I found myself wanting to see the same seas he saw, ride the same kinds of boats he rode, visit the places he had been, and catch the fish he had chased. What started as fishing became a way to stay connected to him, to family, and to the kind of practical competence that gets passed down through generations.
I started building rods in 2026 after taking Captain Tiffany Vague’s rod-building masterclass, bringing together an angler’s perspective with a engineers eye for function, strength, and detail. Before Hobie Rod Works, I spent a decade at Intel Corporation working in technology and hardware-focused engineering, and I now work on a software development and AI team. That background shapes how I approach rod building: as a complete system of blank, components, layout, tackle, terminal rigging, and real-world use. Hobie Rod Works is focused on practical custom rods, thoughtful tackle, and modifications built for actual fishing, from Sierra lakes to Bay Area halibut and rockfish to offshore tuna trips out of Southern California and Baja. I also host Hobie & Friends Fishing Club, a loose crew of family and friends who fish locally for freshwater and seasonally on our saltwater trips. Trip info and reports are available at aaronfishing.com/charters.