javelina and quail

chicken fucking pot pie

I did this for anita

comfort food

damn it was tasty

just be like johnnytoogood

don't you know he never shirks

and yer coming along...

new river's wrocking

new river just above the confluence w/ the agua fria

which is also wrocking today...

rio agua fria

PELIGRO!

under the camelback bridge 

cold and windy

I want to build an ark

if I could do just one near perfect thing I'd be happy...

the backyard is all standing water

I think I'm going to go check out the mighty agua fria

to see if it's rolling

it's not 

yet

chicken cacciatore

dinner tonight

this was great

I need to control that flash

better lighting maybe

I'm used to shooting flies

the arsenal

the first string or starting five...

from top to bottom (right to left below)

7'2" 5wt - phy driggs river special (first bamboo rod I built)

7'6" 4wt - cattanach sir d - schliske  (first owned)

7'0" fe thomas 7032 (second build and remains current favorite)

6'8" 2wt - degere ice cream parlor hole special (latest finished rod)

6'0" 1 wt - degere flea

the easy way

the weather left me an open window before the sky split open

so this rod took a first dip

mildrum stripper

beer braised short ribs

holy smokes were these ever delicious!

three hours later - plated

dining room table

as usual the dining room table is a cluttered mess

no wonder my wife hates me (not really)

it's a wonder she allows this...

so we eat dinner at the kitchen bar

an appetizer...

ummm...ribs

hanging on by a thread

over the years I've become more and more fond of wrapping

perhaps becasue it means the rod is nearly done?

here we've decided to change things up a bit

red wraps w/ black tipping

a classic nod to brother shay

also mixed things up a bit w/ grip and reel seat

grip is preformed 6" superfine 

reel seat is custon built mesquite w/ black aluminum hardware

just made it by the skin of my teeth

time to order some more silk

as I've yet to wrap the ferrules

which still need bluing

rod is 6'8" 3wt F.E. Thomas taper

and we're itching to fish it

oh yeah babe!

we'll be there

state of the craftsmanshit address twenty ten edition

ferrule stations being cut

exciting eh?  for me yeah

ooh ooh ooh sexy two weight in drying cabinet

you want this 

you really really want this

too bad I ain't selling

(pics added)

at least that's what's on today's docket

immediately following a breakfast beer

one of the great thing (the ONLY great thing?) about being a rod maker

on to the state of the craftsmanshit...

while I feel as though I've achieved my goal for the first part of the az rodwork season

it has been a struggle

I do have two brand spanking new smallstream rods

gin clear and skinny 6'0" 1 wt degere taper

too little water 6'8" 2wt degere taper  (second dipping this afternoon)

I've an additional 1wt blank awaiting ferrules and fixtures 

and a beastly 9'0" 7wt in the same boat

I cannot see finishing the beast unless I've a trip to steelhead or bonefish country in the works

even then I'll need a graphite (read plastic) backup

as I also cannot see casting that damn thing all the livelong day

I've neglected fly tying to my great regret

I need to rectify that and hope to tie a half dozen winged wets this afternoon/evening

hey the life of a rod maker is a busy one

LMFAO

also find myself lamenting the loss of the last real flyshop in the country's 

sixth (!) largest city

arizona flyfishing has announced that they're closing shop shortly

while my visits were few and far between I'll miss it dearly

the thought of visiting the big box corporate outlets for their shittily supplied materials

just turns my fucking stomach

I urge my dear reader(s) to support their local independent flyshops and custom rod makers

all the while flipping a bird at the corporate bigwigs

who continue to brainwash us 

that lighter and faster and cheaper (or more expensive) is the new cutting extreme edge of the market

you know who they are

I'd like to see them take it in the ass just like the rest of us have

new fishing fag bag

I had a cabela's giftcard so I picked up this fag bag

>50% off large carry capacity w/ detachable chest pack

not a very big fan of chest pack

 but this one seems rather unobtrusive and wears low and out of the way

very nicely padded in the lumbar region

I'm guessing I'll sweat like a stuck pig under that thing

and that it'll weigh a ton

ju-ju

luoro faia reel seat insert on the lathe

this piece has ju-ju - spanish cedar from the payne rod shoppe

this will go on a payne taper sometime this year 

loaded up and resupplied

happy new year