Personal Background:
Nick Frye grew up in Washington State not too far from the Cascade Mountains. Through countless camping and fishing trips, Nick's dad shared his enthusiasm for the outdoors with his son. They are the father-son team you always see out in their boat, rods in the water at the crack of dawn. "Leave nothing but your footprints” has always been his rule and he has been known to practice catch and release more often than not. You can see Nick's passion for wildlife in the interest he takes in his photography and the countless ‘pets' he's nursed back to health; of course, he is also the first person you call to go hunting with. Whether he is fishing for sockeye or hunting for turkey, just breathing the fresh air in the relaxing beauty of nature makes it one of his favorite pastimes.
His dad taught him how to build rods when he was young and he has honed his skills here at Fetha Styx for the last several years. Using his creativity and perfectionist's eye, the rods that leave his shop look anything but ordinary. His eagerness for a new challenge or adventure is what drives him to succeed.
When Nick isn't working at the Custom Shop he is always busy out fishing, hiking, snowboarding or spending time with family. He and his wife recently built their own ‘tiny house' from scratch and are spending a lot of time with the final touches. He is currently learning to sail and saving for a boat - he hopes to make the sail to Hawaii next year, catching everything from rock fish to shark along the way.
What sparked your interest in building custom fishing rods?
I'm not a suit and tie type of guy, I like to get my hands dirty and produce something tangible. I take a lot of pride in making a fishing rod that fits just perfectly with how a customer likes to fish. It's always been fun for me to use my creative side. Metal sculpting, working with wood, painting, being able to create something just as you see it in your head is exhilarating. I like to think outside the box with creating a functional, yet one-of-a-kind, work of art when building a fishing rod.
When starting a build, the first thing I do is get to know the customer. There are fishermen from all walks of life out there, some who want a loud, colorful rod with snakeskin flex-coated on the grip or something as subtle as an all-blacked-out rod with a hint of their favorite color wrapped at the guides. I am always playing with what the customer would be proud to show off as an expression of their personality. At the same time, I use my fishing and rod building experiences to ensure the rod is put together with care and top-notch parts are used that will be able to handle those picture album-worthy fish.
Dream fishing vacation?
My dream fishing vacation would be to travel to South America and fly fish for monster peacock bass. I think it would be a total rush hooking up with a 30-pound bass on a big mouse pattern fly or streamer in the stunning backdrop of a pristine rainforest.