Stumbled upon the brand Wicked Fly Rod & Reel Co. over the weekend when a teaser video for a new three-weight model popped up in my YouTube feed (courtesy of Midcurrent).
They’ve been around since 2017, so I’m just slow on the uptake I suppose. That said, I really dig that minimalist logo.
Based out of Arizona, Wicked produces two series of graphite rods, the “Flex” and “Origin”, as well as an “Artisan” series bamboo rod, all with handsome graphics and a reel seat with windows to highlight the rod blank.
They have also developed a proprietary rod taper – named after the company founder’s grandfather, H.B. Hardwicke – that according to a 2023 profile in Fly Fisherman magazine has enough backbone and recovers quickly enough to be a true fast-action rod, but is still able to delicately drop a fly with incredible precision at 60+ feet.
I certainly appreciate the idea of the “small fish” trying to make waves in the larger fishing industry. Nothing but respect for the hustle. I hope Tom and crew had a great ICAST show, and if you’d like to learn more check out their website or Instagram.