Hall of Fame

June 12, 1987  -  August 25, 2025

“Jesse’s extraordinary life began June 12th, 1987. It was clear from the beginning he was a force to contend with, with a creative and adventurous spirit and more energy than anyone knew what to do with. He grew up in Calgary in the community of Haysboro, attending Haysboro elementary, Woodman Jr. High and Wisewood High School. In High school he was gifted with many friends, sharing good times and endless kilometres on their longboards. While school was never Jesse’s favorite, he persevered and after some time off travelling in South East Asia, he went on to graduate from the ETOL program (Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership) at Mount Royal University. He balanced work while in university, bartending, learning about gear at MEC, and guiding summer trips for the University of Calgary. In 2017, Jesse married Michelle, on their then home, Vancouver Island. Shortly after, they moved to Okotoks, Alberta to pursue an opportunity of a lifetime of becoming the new owners of Geartrade. It wasn't long after their move that Jesse became the world's greatest Dad to Heyden, and a couple years later, Lily. In his words: he "loved them more than anything in this world." Aside from being a Dad, Jesse's passions in life were fishing, backpacking, music, art, and helping others access the outdoors. He spent as much time as he possibly could on the river or on the trail, and mastering the art of rod building. Jesse would also spend countless hours helping fellow outdoor enthusiasts find the perfect gear to achieve their adventure goals. His life was unfairly short, but it was truly full. May we all find Jesse's spirit amongst the trails.”

My growing interest in rod building is truly owed to Jesse. Owning several rods he built for me over the years, I can truly say he put on a masterclass of attention to detail. Going out of his way to teach his trade was what set Jesse apart from the rest. Not only was he a master rod builder, but more especially a great friend.

I want to extend my sincerest condolences to Jesse’s family and hope to carry on some of his work in rod building from the example he set for me.

Check out some of his past work at the link below: