Remember Him?

He has a new gig all about making rod blanks for the builders among us.

North Fork Composites is Gary Loomis' latest project, devoted to producing the highest-quality, American-made rod blanks for the custom-rod builder and OEM markets. All of the blanks bearing the North Fork name are designed and manufactured at North Fork's own facility in Woodland, Washington. And while North Fork is a group effort, we think it makes sense to introduce some of the core people involved:

First and foremost, there is Gary. Do we really need to say more about the man who was a key player in bringing graphite to the fishing world over 35 years ago? Well, perhaps we should say that Gary and the *North Fork* of the Lewis go waaay back.

Second is Gary’s son, Brad. You won’t hear much from Brad directly—he is happy to let his work with composites speak on his behalf. We can tell you, though, that many people think Brad is the finest machinist in the Loomis family. That's high praise indeed.

And third is Jon Bial, who serves as the General Manager (and general counsel). If you call North Fork, you are likely to get Jon. An angler, outdoors guy, and lover of fine, handmade rods, Jon finds his “down-time” is best served by hiking into the backcountry in search of untouched trout, or perhaps launching a whitewater raft off a 10-foot drop.