Zook Fishing Co. is a family-owned fishing rod company based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, built on a lifelong passion for being on the water and a commitment to producing gear that anglers can depend on. The company was originally founded in 2017 by Brent "Zook" Wyble, who earned a strong reputation along the Gulf Coast for building high-quality custom offshore rods. Many charter captains out of Venice, Louisiana trusted his work, and the Zook name quickly became known for durability, performance, and attention to detail.

In the summer of 2024, Brent made the decision to retire and reached out to Baton Rouge native Brock Miller about taking over the business. At first, the answer was no. Running a custom rod company was not part of the plan. But after mentioning the opportunity to his longtime best friend Mason, the idea started to take shape. Mason was eager to learn the craft, and the two saw an opportunity to keep a respected Louisiana brand alive while building something of their own.

The partnership made sense from the start. Brock would focus on business operations, marketing, and sales, while Mason would learn the trade of custom rod building and handle production. In September of 2024, the two traveled to Saint Augustine, Florida, where Brent had relocated the business, to learn the fundamentals of rod building and how the company had been run. After days of hands-on training, they loaded the entire shop into a U-Haul and brought Zook Fishing Co. back home to Louisiana.

The story between Brock and Mason goes back much further than the business. The two met as freshmen at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, where they quickly bonded over baseball, fishing, and a shared obsession with being on the water. Some of their earliest memories together involve standing in the outfield during batting practice talking about how they wished they were in Grand Isle instead. Not long after, they started making those trips a reality.

With access to Mason’s family camp in Grand Isle, they spent their teenage years running the marsh, chasing redfish, and learning the water the hard way. They would beach the boat on marsh islands, wade through grass and mud, and sight-fish until they couldn’t carry any more. As their confidence grew, so did the distance they were willing to run. What started as inshore trips eventually turned into runs offshore, first to the closest rigs, then farther and farther into the Gulf. Over time they worked their way into bigger boats, targeting snapper, grouper, and cobia, and eventually got their first taste of tuna and swordfishing. From that point on, they were hooked.

That background still drives everything Zook Fishing Co. does today. Every rod is designed with real on-the-water experience behind it. While the company works closely with charter captains, guides, and tournament anglers for feedback, both Brock and Mason are fishermen first. The rods they build are the same ones they use themselves, and that firsthand experience allows them to make changes quickly, refine models, and speak confidently with customers about what works and what doesn’t. When someone asks about a rod, the answer doesn’t come from a catalog — it comes from time spent on the water.

The first year after buying the business was far from easy. There was a steep learning curve, supplier issues, discontinued components, and more than a few mistakes along the way. Some models that had been built the same way for years suddenly had to be redesigned from scratch. Much of that first year was spent rebuilding the foundation, figuring out processes, and getting production back on track.

By 2026, the company has found its stride. The core lineup is established, production is more consistent, and demand continues to grow. Lead times remain strong not because of uncertainty, but because the shop stays busy building rods for anglers across Louisiana and beyond. The support from the local fishing community has played a huge role in that growth, and it is something the company does not take for granted.

Today, Zook Fishing Co. is focused on staying true to its Louisiana roots while continuing to expand. The inshore lineup has grown to match the needs of Gulf Coast anglers, new bass models are being developed with input from experienced fishermen, and the offshore series continues to evolve with constant testing and refinement. Every new model is built with the same goal in mind — make it stronger, make it better, and make it something anglers can trust when the moment matters.

Zook Fishing Co. started as a small custom rod shop, and it still operates with that same mindset. The difference now is a bigger vision, a growing lineup, and a commitment to building the brand the right way — through hard work, time on the water, and the support of the fishing community that made it possible.