on the bench

next up and next out...

I had to go back and check my self-imposed rules to see if I forbid using profanity 

I did not, so I can add this...

I sent these pics to the rod recipient

his reply was "oh, fuck yes"

to which I said "I think you just named this rod"

gone fishing

closed the shoppe yesterday for a day on the stream

hears a who stream

stealth

the approach

the lie

bingo

wild brown in autumn colors

a lovely day on the water

chalkdust torture

actually it's glue and 'boo dust

and it not only collects on your tongue

but in your nose and ears too

and this is a first look at david's rod

shameless plugs

ready to ship

after a slight delay this one is out the door today

wish you were here II

bridge over the gunnison

"how do I look?"

the ghost again

fresh from the toolbox

wish you were here

royal coachman

winston 6032

why the hell am I working on this dainty blonde when I have paying jobs on the bench?

maybe because I may never be able to make myself another rod?

or is it in the spirit of the season?

halloween y'know.

I started this thing months and months ago. 

about the same time as the dbb.

the rod is cursed. no doubt about it.

are these guys' rods really worth the $$$?

you betcha, I just won't be buying one.

we leave you today with this shot

posted for my buddy mike up in congress

busy

things are cracking at ye olde rod shoppe that wrocks

one rod's ready to ship

another is ready for cork grip

and another awaiting glue

and a blonde rod split and anticipating nodework

block house

cold beer and ammo

au sable river

mother nature's cooler

dbb again

sweet!

photo credit and fine work courtesy of s. r.

widow

tools of the trade

froe

my planes

shay's planes

in case you've forgotten...

we're the rod shoppe that WROCKS!

oh yeah, WE LIKE IT LOUD!

one rod dipped another glued.  what to do?

the ghost

the ghost is a 7'-0" for a 4wt

dickerson 7012 taper

photo courtesy of grassart studio

more to follow...

this rod is ready to be dipped.

on the bench

craftsmanship is just a fancy word for what happens when labor meets love.

wherein we establish the rules

first church of the dry fly

laying down the law.

I hate rules.  they constrain me.  or us.

"rules?  we don't need no stinking rules."

yeah, but I do.  here.  to keep me from putting my foot in my mouth on a regular basis.  we can call them behavioral expectations.

I will not cross post from any other blog or website.  unless of course I find it unavoidable.

I will not speak ill of anyone regardless of how much their idiocy bugs me.  at least until I do so.

I will leave the internet fly fishing boards alone.

I will only show fishing pics of fish caught on dry flies w/ bamboo flyrods.  especially mine.

I will support and encourage all my bamboo brethren because they know the deal.

I will try not to talk about sex drugs or rock and roll or salmon snagging.

that's about it for now.  I'm sure I'll come up with a few more before it's all said and done.

brandon's catskill fairy

I wish I had taken some pics of the finished rod.

grip - bellinger reel seat w/ maple insert.  surprise!

catskill fairy stripper 

components for the catskill fairy

CHUECO!

just because

7'0" 3wt - f.e. thomas taper

the dirty blonde bitch redux

big cigar grip w/ bellinger up locking reelseat - maple insert.   literary heads up - take note of the book on the table.

sloppy wraps 

my tech team advised me to remove this pic as it doesn't "reflect" well on me or the craft.  since I am a "warts and all" kinda guy it stays.  why?  because truth be told they all look like this at some point before they're tidied and polished up.   rest assured the wraps are purty on this rod and as the owner mentions, it's a fun rod.  I can't think of a better endorsement.

agate stripper

blood on the forms

flies art and visecraft

fly stuck in weed  (dr. ej on the crayons)

it's tough getting a good picture of a fly.  it's tough tying a fly worthy of being photographed.  sometimes things come together.  I still struggle getting pics of flies...

native troots?

o. newberrii

o. chrystogaster

o. aguabonita

 inspiration for rod model names...there should be a hucho (taimen pussy) pictured as well.  alas.

agua fria alchemy

COLD BEER AND AMMO

I'm fixing to re-activate this blog to feature rods as they come out of the shop.

the agua fria river is a dry river bed.  it is very wide, though I have never seen it run bank to bank.  the river when it bothers to rear its head and roar can be a force to be reckoned with.  years ago the agua fria washed out the bridge on I-17 which is pretty incredible when you sit down and think about it.