An informative post, I was unaware of this until I saw it here:

[www.gazette.com]


And their website

[www.coloradoci.com]

notice THE COMPANY THEY ADVERTISE ____ batons

Bill - willierods.com

80-100 hours to build a rod? YIKES! Maybe they are splitting bamboo or maybe they are milking the clock.

At 20 cents an hour (might be lower, just seems about right) I'd be milking the clock too

It sure beats "Bank Robbery 101" or "The ins & outs of Home Break-Ins" classes.

I'm certainly NOT soft on crime but I would rather see programs like this and hope
those making use of them would continue what they learned and not find themselves
steeling my car or busting into my house after they do finally get out.

Bill B.,

Yeah I noticed the Co. and good on them!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Here is my take on it, although they may be only making .60 cents an hour, who cares. They have broken broken the law and are serving the sentence to which they were given. If they make large amounts of money on the rods they are selling, good. One would tend to believe that this money would be going back to the prison system, aleviating some of the burden that Joe Public has to incur to rehabilitate them. As Raymond has stated hopefully they will return to society and be able to pass along the craft to others and continue to do good things. Many have heard the saying that a tiger never changes the color of it's stripes and while this might be true in some cases it is not always the case. Personally, I hope that they would get out and become productive members of society that try to prevent others from wandering down a misguided path.

Tom Kaufmann

went to the website and have actually pretty good prices for their work. Butt wrap weaves at no extra charge, feather inlays $7. If the quality is good then they are actually a "steal".

I wonder if they have access to the internet fishing rod forums.

In a former life, I have designed and built prison industry buildings and am pretty familiar with some of the prison industries. It is not a place you want to be!! That said, teaching a convict a skill and a trade gives them something to do besides crime when they get out and can help them in many ways. They must earn the right to get in the industry situation. All in all and on the whole it is a good deal for all. BTW as far as I know the money can only be spent at the prison commissary.

80-100 hours on a rod with a color change weave is actually pretty fast!!!

Ahhhh........I don't know. I might have trouble fishing with a rod that might have been made by a sexual predator and rapist. Lots of time for thought while fishing. Just sayin.

How do they do thread work with out a razor blade or exacto knife?

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

YOu might have a problem using a rod made by a convicted offender, but no problem fishing one built by little boys and girls.

I wonder who made those $12.95 Shimano IM6 rods I saw at a Big Box Store last Sunday???? And how much they were paid??