By Matthew More
I am a Marine Corps veteran whose journey ultimately brought me back to the quiet place where some of my most meaningful memories were made—my grandfather’s workshop. Long before the uniform, long before the deployments and the weight that came afterward, I was just a kid standing beside a man he admired deeply, watching him shape fishing rods with steady hands, soft patience, and an unspoken kind of wisdom.
After leaving the service, I found myself searching for something solid to hold on to. The world felt different—louder in some ways, emptier in others. It was the memory of those moments with my grandfather, the smell of sawdust and varnish, and the gentle rhythm of building something from nothing, that pulled me back. Returning to rod building wasn’t just a hobby; it was a way of reconnecting with the man who taught me about craftsmanship, character, and the importance of taking pride in every small detail.
That connection is what led me to create Hellbender Outfitters Custom Rods. Every rod I build carries my grandfather’s influence—the patience he modeled, the care he insisted on and the belief that good work should mean something. For me, each rod is a quiet tribute to the man who shaped me, to the lessons that stayed long after childhood, and to the peace I found in carrying that legacy forward.