Ep. 86: Grant Beck of Waterman’s Collective on Rod Building & Two Waters Tournament

Guest: Grant Beck (Waterman’s Collective) | Host: Luke Dean (Bait Slingers / Artemis Charters)

Grant Beck builds custom rods at Waterman’s Collective and has been producing [FISH]rx-branded and Bait Slingers-branded rods alongside his own lineup. Episode 86 covers the Two Waters mixed-species tournament he’s running, the rod that became famous for the big halibut catch, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a rod building business while staying active in the fishing community.

In This Episode

• Two Waters tournament — Grant’s tournament: first place prize is a Waterman’s Collective x Bait Slingers collaboration rod — Grant built it, Luke wrapped it. A rod that came out of the community partnership rather than a product catalog
• The halibut rod — the rod Grant caught the big halibut on in the viral video is now going to a tournament winner as a prize. One of Grant’s more famous rods because of that video — the fish gave it a reputation the spec sheet never could
• Custom rod building for [FISH]rx and Bait Slingers — Grant has built [FISH]rx-branded rods and Bait Slingers-branded rods. The partnership between a rod builder and bait brands producing something that neither could offer separately
• Tournament prize bait lots — six bait lots as prizes for the Two Waters event, including Sudden Impact and other community brands. The tournament using community-donated gear as prizes rather than cash — a model that keeps costs low and keeps the prizes fishing-relevant
• Running a rod building business — Grant’s experience building rods for the community while staying active as an angler himself. The challenge of packaging and shipping baits and shirts for tournament winners while simultaneously managing rod orders and wrapping new builds

Beyond the Rod & Reel with Waterman’s Collective

The Two Waters format is worth explaining for anyone unfamiliar: it’s a mixed-species tournament that rewards versatility across saltwater and freshwater targets. The name reflects that the competition isn’t about being a specialist — it’s about being a complete angler across California’s diverse fisheries. That format fits the [FISH]rx community philosophy well.

Grant’s rod building operation is one of the less-covered parts of the community ecosystem on the show. Most episodes focus on technique and bait. Grant’s work is the infrastructure layer — the rods that deliver the baits. The [FISH]rx and Bait Slingers branded rods he’s building are community artifacts in the same way the bait colorways are. They come out of relationships, not product development cycles.

Watch the full episode on the Time On The Water YouTube channel. New episodes every Tuesday at 6 PM.