4 June 2025

For Travis Brisson, rod building didn’t begin as a business plan. It started on the coast of North Carolina, chasing red drum with a few good friends and a deep love for the outdoors. Today, he’s the man behind Camel City Custom Rods, a custom brand that reflects both the spirit of his hometown and a deep respect for the sport that brought him here.

From Farm Ponds to the Outer Banks

Travis was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and grew up in Rockingham County – a quiet farming community where tobacco and dairy farms stitched the landscape. He spent his youth fishing farm ponds with his grandfather, catching bass and crappie, and laying the early foundations of his lifelong love for fishing.

It wasn’t until his late 20s and early 30s that Travis found saltwater. A spontaneous trip to Hatteras with his girlfriend’s brother turned into a defining moment. “After a couple of trips, I was hooked,” he says. New friendships were formed, one of which led him to try his hand at building a fishing rod in 2018. “At first, I was just tinkering,” Travis recalls. But what started as a hobby quickly escalated – first a few rods for himself, then for friends, and soon enough, Camel City Custom Rods was born.

A Hatteras Addiction

Hatteras Island, with its wild, shifting beaches and nighttime drum runs, quickly became a second home. What started as the occasional trip has evolved into a full-on seasonal migration – Travis and his wife now keep a camper in a year-round campground just five minutes from Ramp 44, one of the island’s most iconic drum spots.

“There’s no other fishery in the world like Hatteras,” Travis explains. “You see the same faces every year, and even if you show up solo, you’re never really alone.” Peak times can see over a hundred anglers lining the beach, casting into the surf from sunset to sunrise. It’s an endurance game – cat and mouse with big fish under the moonlight. “You sleep when you can,” he laughs. “But odds are better at night.”

Crafting for Performance, and for Passion

Back in Winston-Salem – nicknamed “Camel City” thanks to its ties to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco – Travis works out of a remodeled spare room. Minimalist by nature and a veteran machinist of 22 years at John Deere, he brings a Kaizen-inspired mindset to rod building: clean, lean, and focused on continuous improvement.

His workspace is efficient – a 12-foot bench spans one wall, and every tool, thread, and blank has a purpose. “I’d rather have a few good things than a lot of okay things,” he says. Travis is particularly picky about tolerances, but his favorite part of building? Decorative wraps. “I’m not an artist by nature,” he admits, “but designing chevrons and diamonds, playing with colors – that’s where I’ve found a creative outlet I never expected.”

While Travis enjoys the artistic aspect, the function always comes first. “It’s a tool,” he says. “It should fish well – and look good doing it.” His favorite moments come when he sees a rod he built in action, especially in a photo sent by a happy customer. “That’s the payoff. That’s the joy.”

Camel City Custom Rods: Built with Intention

The name Camel City Custom Rods is a nod to Travis’s roots. In high school, he worked the same tobacco farms that gave Winston-Salem its nickname. When it came time to brand his builds, the name just felt right. With the help of a graphic designer, he built out a logo and launched social media accounts, followed by a website.

Instagram and Facebook have been powerful word-of-mouth channels, helping grow the brand steadily. “I like it when people ask questions,” he says. “It opens the door to talk about what makes a custom rod different.”

Advice for New Builders

For those just starting, Travis has clear advice: get hands-on. “Go to a trade show like ICRBE or the Pacific show out west,” he says. “There’s no substitute for feeling the blanks, handling the components, and talking directly to builders and reps. Attend seminars. Ask questions. Take your time.”

And remember, it doesn’t have to be about making a living. For Travis, rod building funds his fishing habit – and adds a new layer of satisfaction to every trip. “I do it because I enjoy it,” he says. “It helps pay for the adventures.”

Looking Ahead

As Camel City Custom Rods continues to grow, Travis stays rooted in what started it all – the joy of fishing, the satisfaction of building something with his own hands, and the camaraderie found along the beaches of Hatteras. Whether in his minimalist workshop or casting into the surf, he’s part of a larger story – one where passion, craftsmanship, and the chase all come together.

F: https://www.facebook.com/CamelCityCustomRods
I:  https://www.instagram.com/camel_city_custom_rods/
W: https://camelcitycustomrods.com/

Photos: Travis Brisson