Had the big fishing show in Costa Mesa, that was not so big. I was never so prepared and yet the great little show ended up 1/3 the size since I went last time. Very little innovation and the new rods all looked like something that was trying to be eye catching and not well thought out. Id id run into my old boss from Orthodyne, we are all so old now.

I met the man who claims to make rods for River Monsters, Ok I did the same marketing too. I had Casey take my cart around  much easier than last year. People like my cart as much as my art. Should have taken more pictures but nothing inspiring. Wanted to meet the guy from Seeker rods but he did not show.

Almost done with the next rod. I have been posting on other Facebook pages with my wood manifesto!!!

I have been working on completing the 2nd casting rod. This one is made of white ash and is a little heavier than the first on I posted. I have to work in the kitchen instead of the shop because it is too cold still. Almost finished the remodel.

I am back!!! Yes, I was gone for a while. I had some serious work deadlines, the temperature in my shop was 35 degrees and heating was not an option. I was also focused on the holidays though for some reason it was a dull or flat xmas. I also had to take a month off after eye surgery. I was no longer able to do the close work but I am 20/20 again.

My next projects will be a new reel and this; Valesesiana

This ancient Italian system was shown in paintings from 1538. It uses a horse hair line and flies with a forward hackle very similar to Tenkara. However, this system is designed to also catch larger fish than normally fished with in Tenkara and can use three flies at the same time.

This is a painting of Saint San Zeno the Patron Saint of Fisherman from 1538 in Italy showing the same type of rod and fishing as was handed down until now in the families of Italy where it is known. In the close-up of the caught fish one can see the other two flies tied on the same horse hair line.

I started back in the shop this weekend/ I had family in for the 1st time in 6 yrs so I took a break. I am dedicating the right side of the garage and the 2 work benches to rods only. I will finish the bamboo big game rod this week and post it for ya'll. Wow I am getting 330 hits so far.

I am back, gone for a while. I was working on a secret project for my brother who has received his cigar box guitar. There is a strong link between music and fishing, Steve Martin's new album has this great song called "yellow sally" and these instruments like my wood rods are ancestral, beautiful, and have a technology all their own.

This was something I tried for my photo shoot for the rod builders calendar. It is the wood shavings from making a birch and balck walnut rod, the guides, and a fly!