Joe Bricko was barely out of diapers when he first splashed through the Boundary Waters, a wiry kid clutching a beat-up rod, his dad Tom – a tinkerer with 12 patents and a knack for bending wild ideas into gear that worked – right beside him. That raw thrill of outsmarting a fish hooked deep in Joe’s soul, simmering quietly until it erupted 24 years ago on the AIM Pro Walleye Series.
Tournament trails break stock rods and stingy bites test a man’s grit. Joe didn’t just want an edge – he wanted it for every walleye chaser from Minnesota’s lakes to the plains’ ice shacks. That’s when JT Custom Rods sparked in Northfield, a fire still blazing a decade on, fueled by a guy who fishes like it’s his third gig – and it’s not his only one.
“My inspiration came from a lifelong love of fishing, starting at age 4 with Boundary Waters trips alongside my dad. Competitive angling inspired me to start a rod company. I wanted to create a competitive advantage for myself, other tournament anglers, and fishing guides.
“Tournaments drive innovation. They push the need for an extra edge, keeping our rods at the forefront of product advancements and new techniques.
“I love helping others succeed. By developing high-quality rods at competitive prices, I can get them into the hands of everyday anglers, guides, and tournament pros. Teaching and fostering a love for fishing is what drives me.”
Two men hunched over a Northfield basement workbench, past midnight, air thick with sweat and grit. Joe and Tom weren’t tinkering – they were chasing a vision. It sparked with the HotBox, a slick ice-fishing rig that hooked The Next Bite TV crew at a Milwaukee trade show. “Build a rod for it,” they said. No manual – just rolled sleeves and carbon dust. They hammered out the Deadstick (now Walleye Snare) and Alexa (aka Shiverstick), forging JT Custom Rods into a walleye weapon.
“My dad and I have always innovated products to help me catch more fish. In college, we developed the HotBox for ice fishing, which became the first product under JT Outdoor Products. At a Milwaukee Trade Show, NextBite TV expressed interest and asked if I could develop a rod to pair with the HotBox. I didn’t know much about rod-making, but with my dad’s engineering background, we created our first rods.
From a rugged launch, JT charged ahead with unyielding determination – shaped by late nights, toughened hands, and a family’s steadfast spirit. They embraced the chaos with gusto, erecting a shop on their property, launching a Farmington storefront in ’23, and securing a Scheels partnership that’s stocked their rods across Midwest shelves.
Building a custom rod’s no picnic; scaling it to reach the masses? That’s a beast of a different stripe. But the Brickos keep it grounded. They’ve rushed orders for Scheels, their largest retail partner, as an influx of customers flood the store amidst an arctic blast that sends anglers scrambling to Upper Red Lake’s first ice. They’ve even woven a customer’s ashes into a rod – yeah, you saw that on Becoming Wild. JT rises from sleepless hours, weathered hands, and stubborn resolve, by a family juggling two other businesses and still finding joy in the chaos.
“We began in my basement, then built a shop on our property. Two years ago (‘23), we opened a storefront in Farmington. Initially focused on direct-to-consumer sales, we’ve since partnered with Scheels, our largest account, which helps guide product development based on market trends. We collaborate on exclusive color combos and blank designs for their stores.
“We’re proud of our strong relationships with retailers, our flexibility with smaller shops, and our quick order turnaround. Our staff’s ability to build, wrap, and finish rods ensures fast delivery. A recent highlight was incorporating a customer’s ashes into a rod, featured on ‘Becoming Wild’.”
Joe’s quick to dodge the spotlight, tipping his hat to the crew that powers JT. His dad Tom turns sketches into reality, his wife Andrea keeps the operation humming – supply chain, retailer handshakes, all of it.
“My dad, my wife Andrea, and I run the day-to-day operations. My dad, an engineer, brings designs to life. I lead product development, while Andrea manages operations, builds retailer relationships, and oversees the supply chain. We’re supported by an amazing marketer, Matt Bain, and Chris Granrud, a social media influencer instrumental in design and testing.”
Then there’s the field staff: legends like Ted Takasaki and Brett King, guides Chris Granrud and Donnie O’Bert, and teammate Dylan Maki, who clinched the 2024 AIM Team title.
“…Our rods are designed by hall-of-fame anglers, accomplished tournament fishermen, and veteran guides – experts at the top of their craft.
Every rod’s an 18-month odyssey – prototypes tweaked and tested until they’re razor-sharp competing in a $3 billion market. Take the JTX Mag Light: a soft-tipped beast for open water, built to fool cagey walleyes on days when they’d rather sulk than bite. Or the 9’2” JT Snare, dubbed Granrud’s Creek Chub King, that’s built long to keep baits clear of the boat, sensitive enough to detect suspicious bites (you feel them but they don’t feel you!), and strong enough to drive the hook home in the bony mouths of bigger fish.
“A rod is only as good as its designer, and we focus on superior design, engineering, and high-quality components – like our cold-weather guides, blanks, and handles – developed with input from top-tier prostaff. We don’t compare ourselves to others; we emphasize our unique advantages.
“We start with a blank slate, meticulously measuring load curves, guide placement, handle positioning, and balance. Using top-tier Toray carbon fiber, each blank undergoes three load tests before reaching us, resulting in an industry-low defect rate of less than 1%.”
Here’s the kicker: these rods are stitched together by high school kids – mostly girls – in Farmington, MN. With nimble fingers and surgical focus, they wrap guides tight, turning humble beginnings into jobs and delivering tools worthy of your wallet.
2024 was Joe’s season to shine. He and Dylan Maki tore through the AIM circuit – three wins in four scorable events, capped by a Minnesota State Championship on Lake of the Woods. Day one, they hauled in 50.03 pounds – scoping 30”ers with 1/2-oz VMC Moon Eye jigs and 1/8-oz Northland Deep-Vees in 26-28 feet. Day two, fog choked the morning, but they rallied deep – 32 feet – landing a 31”, a 30.75”, a 29.5” for a 106.24-pound total, besting second place by over 3 pounds. The 7’6” JTX Light and a Medium Light prototype were their wands, weaving magic all season for the AIM “Team of the Year” crown with 787.01 out of 800 points.
“For a rare time I’m at a bit of a loss for words on how to accurately put together the proper recap on the Aim Pro Walleye Series season Dylan and I had together. The words rattling around in my head are grateful, fortunate, humbled and flat out blessed. It was truly a dream season that I don’t think would be realistic to believe we could ever top…out of all of our accomplishments together this one is the most special of all.”
Wins on the Mississippi, Leech Lake (a 32” unicorn sealed 43.4 lbs), and a 5th on Mille Lacs proved it: these guys chase big marks with sticks built to land ‘em. Joe still grins about that Leech Lake giant – “a true unicorn fish” in his own words.
“When Dylan safely secured her in the net after a mega battle, it was a feeling and memory we’ll never forget.”
On flat lakes or wind-scoured ice, JT Custom Rods ain’t just gear – it’s lifestyle and lifeline. Joe’s long past that kid splashing the river bottoms, beat-up rod in hand. Now he builds tools for our tales – sticks shaped by calloused hands and a family that lives fishing, rigged to outsmart cagey walleyes. Grab one online, or stop by their Farmington pro shop or your local Scheels.
Water’s waiting – walleyes don’t stand a chance.
