Forecast: rod building components by Batson

2000: Batson Enterprises, home of Forecast, is founded
Sequim, USA: Batson headquarters in Washington State
5,000: ALPS and Forecast items in the Batson catalogue

The story of the brand

From a Maui workshop to Forecast components

The story of Forecast starts with Bob Batson. He built his first rods in his living room on Maui. In 1982 he opened Phantom Custom Rods, and his rods made a name across Hawaii. He later left the islands and ran a major rod component company for ten years.

In 2000, Bob and Connie Batson founded Batson Enterprises in Sequim, Washington. Their first employees were their son Bill and their nephew Karry. The company relies on a network of manufacturing partners around the world. Forecast became its component brand, next to ALPS components and Rainshadow blanks.

Bill Batson now runs the company, which is still family owned. In May 2022, his father joined the Hall of Legacy Legends of the Custom Rod Builders Guild. Forecast still designs guides, reel seats, grips and trim parts for spinning, casting and fly fishing.

Key dates

1982 Bob Batson opens the Phantom Custom Rods shop in Hawaii
2000 Batson Enterprises, home of Forecast, founded in Sequim
2022 Bob Batson joins the rod builders' Hall of Legacy Legends

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything about the brand

Which company owns the Forecast brand?

Forecast is a brand of Batson Enterprises, an American company founded in 2000 by Bob Batson. Its headquarters are in Sequim, Washington. Batson also distributes Rainshadow blanks and ALPS components.

The company is still family owned. Bill Batson, the founder's son, runs it today.

Which rod building components does Forecast design?

Forecast designs rod guides, tip tops and reel seats. The brand also makes cork, EVA and carbon grips, as well as fighting butts. Small parts complete the range: butt caps, hook keepers and winding checks. Batson groups some of these parts into Forecast handle kits.

What kinds of fishing does Forecast design its components for?

Forecast tip tops are made for spinning and casting, in fresh and salt water. The brand also designs reel seats for fly rods, such as its aluminium models with two locking nuts. Its catalogue even includes a tip top for ice fishing rods.

Forecast, the component brand of Batson

Forecast is the rod building component brand of Batson Enterprises. This American family company is based in Sequim, in Washington State. Batson also distributes Rainshadow blanks and ALPS components from there. Forecast covers the parts that go around the blank: guides, tip tops, reel seats, grips and trim.

The brand designs its tip tops for spinning and casting, in fresh and salt water. Its catalogue also lists reel seats for fly rods. There is even a tip top made for ice fishing rods. Each part keeps a simple job and a standard size, for new builds as well as repairs.

Materials and design of Forecast parts

Forecast works with stainless steel, aluminium, cork, EVA and carbon. Each family of parts answers one clear step in building a rod. The joint ALPS and Forecast catalogue holds about 5,000 items at Batson.

Rod guides with a stainless steel frame and an aluminium oxide ring.
Tip tops with a 304 stainless frame and aluminium oxide or zirconia rings.
Aluminium reel seats held by two locking nuts.
Cork, EVA and carbon grips, plus fighting butts.
Butt caps, hook keepers and winding checks.

The parts are made to fit together. Some split reel seats take Forecast cork, EVA or carbon split grips. Batson also sells handle kits that bring together grips, a reel seat, a butt cap and a winding check.

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Forecast guides Forecast tip top guides

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Forecast: rod guides, reel seats and grips for rod building

From a Maui workshop to Forecast components

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