Welcome to Backcountry Sportsmen custom rods!

My name is Mike Kyle. Please allow me to take a moment to tell you a little about myself and the passion
that drives me to build the ultimate fishing rod.
I was born and raised on the East Coast of South Florida. I
have fished since I was old enough to walk, so it is not a surprise
why I love this sport so much. Fishing the beaches for Snook,
and shallow wrecks for Grouper and Snapper, gave me a great start to
my fishing addiction. It quickly transformed into me becoming
a hardcore inshore fisherman that wouldn't blink twice to travel 4
hours in a day to get in on a hot bite.
As a young adult, I found myself working in a tackle store and
quickly picking up on new talents. I learned how to rebuild and fix
all types of reels. I was a quick study, so much so I was one
of the areas top reel mechanics. Not long after that I began
picking up old blanks around the shop and started practicing with
the component building and the thread wrapping.
I had the opportunity to learn under Bill Buckland of the Fisherman
Center and Robert Faulkner, 2 of the top builders in FL in the early
90's. They taught me a great foundation.
Fast forward 20 years
and it brings us to my own shop and new school rod creations.
I feel very fortunate to have a supporting family that allows me to follow my passion and I owe them the world for that.
I fish with more passion and vigor then I ever have before and I transfer that positive energy into the rods I create.
Thanks for stopping by and learning a little about me. I hope to build you something special that helps burn fishing memories that last a lifetime!