I have to list the following people who have been a world of help to me and to let all know the wealth of knowledge they can give to the rodbuilder new or old...
American Tackle...Joe and Chase
Batson...Karry , Bill and Mick {Utmost}
C.U.I...Terry
Sevier...David {the new owner} This guy is great !!!!
and last but not least Mike Barkley and Tom Kirkham- they always have the time to help the rodbuilders along {old or new} with their never ending bottonless pit of knowledge. It makes no difference if it is your very first wrap or your 1,000th. they are there for you.
THANK YOU ONE AND ALL




Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

yeah they are all definately great! i always bug mike barkley haha

pooooor Mike Barkley. The guy is retired, leave him alone.

You know I was thinking last night... this must be a lifestyle for Tom Kirkman. Web site, magazine, expo, shop, etc... I'm sure many others eat, sleep, and breathe it as well.

Coming from other hobbies though, it's great to have open access to some of the people that are really the leaders/innovators/etc in the field. So many people in other ventures refuse to share information.

From my first post, to my future ones, thanks and maybe one day I'll have you ask me how to do something.... ha ha ha!

Thanks Fred Glad we at Batson could help. Yes Live and Breath it would not know any other way. Tight Wraps :)

I would never be able to pay back a fraction of the help that I got from the people on this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At my first show, I learned more from Billy V. and the rest of the NERBS (and everyone else) than I had learned in the previous 15 or so!!!! Thanks to Tom and everyone else. Being retired, I just have more computer time than most!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Hey Mike...I just sent off a "e" mail to you...please check it out

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

yeah mike sits at his computer all day to answer my questions haha ;)

I am with you Jon, I consider Mike my mentor ! I have learned so much form him (hope he doesn't mind).
Mike and I communicate by e-mail also. I hope to meet Mike and Tom in Feb. along with all the other GREAT rod builders I have met on this Forum.

Jay

There are no secrets in this game - just stuff you don't know yet.

There are so many people who have helped me since I joined this BBS that I can't name them all here. Sponsors/Vendors, and folks like Tom and Mike and Billy and Andy and Robert and Ray and - the list goes on and on. The first show I attended was the last Charlotte show, and that's when I subscribed to the magazine for the first time as well. Last year I had a table. But whether I post to this Board, or just kind of browse through the threads, or just observe at the show or actually go to a seminar, there has never been a time when I haven't learned something, and I've been able to apply most of it to my rod-building efforts almost immediately. A lot of times I pick up something while I'm at my "real" job (on the road) and I can't wait to try it when I get home, so I'll discuss it with Gary (my partner in Calico Creek Rods) and he'll try it during the week. Like so many others, I've learned more in the past couple years than I evedr knew in forty years of building before then.

I think this thread is a good chance thank everyone.

So,

Thanks, everyone.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods