Ashlin Fishing started in a garage in 2021 — not as a business plan, but because I couldn't find anyone who had the aptitude to service reels the way I wanted them serviced. I was doing high-stakes wading trips, running technical setups, and I needed gear I could trust completely. So I started doing the work myself.

I blueprint reels, I don't just service them

There's a difference between a reel that works and a reel that's dialed in. Blueprinting is the process of getting to the second one — evaluating every tolerance, calibrating every component, working from the inside out until the whole thing runs the way it's supposed to. When it's done right, you stop thinking about the reel and start thinking about the fish.

That's the goal.

No shortcuts, no gimmicks

A lot of shops lean on ultrasonic baths, fast turn-around, and marketing tricks — things that look impressive but don't actually change how the reel performs. I hand-clean, measure, fill in the gaps, and only recommend components I'd run myself on a trip that matters.

If a reel comes in beyond saving, I'll tell you straight and save you the money. That's not a policy — it's just how I'd want to be treated.

You'll know exactly what I did and why

Every reel gets a full evaluation before and after it's on the bench. I’m not here to rush jobs out the door, I'm here to send your reels back in better shape than you knew they could be in. Precision work takes time. Hurried work shows.

If I wouldn't put my name on it, it doesn't leave the shop.