Jacob Conti originally from the Kitsap peninsula, I have a long rich family history here in Washington dating back four generations that started in the logging industry. I grew up fishing the piers of Illahee as a kid and fishing became my life, nothing much has changed. I started a small fly-tying business at the age of 14 and sold to a local hardware store for extra fishing money and built my first fly rod in 1996 and found my place in the craftsman world. In 2017, I convinced my wife that I was going to go into business building rods and Conti’s Custom Rods was born. Since I basically spent all my free time either chasing fish or in the mountains hunting, I think she thought this might be a good way to keep me home more weekends. Well, it didn’t quite work out that way, but at least it has become a family affair being out on the water or in the shop building rods.
I will never forget when I started fishing Wicked Lures, I spent the entire day casting in the frigid canyon and we hadn’t seen but one fish all morning, long about the time the temp warmed up a couple degree’s I hooked my first King, then another, then a third and a fourth and finally the guys in the boat said, “Damn Conti, what are you fishing”?! Thanks to my guide and best friend I instantly knew I was never going back to another spinner! There isn’t a day on the water that I don’t swing a Wicked anymore! There is no more questioning whether it’s a strike or not, fish HAMMER them.