Lucky me, my wife and daughter gave me 3 CD's from Rodmaker, so that I can catch up on new info and techniques. What fun!!

Lucky!!!!

You sure it was not Santa? Happy reading.

Maryann, I am already enjoying them!! Look forward to everything I missed over the past years.

Randy, I'm not sure how much you missed. I'm not as old as you. No doubt I haven't made as many rods. My only leg up around here is that my dad made rods back on the 50's.

I have seen things come and go. I have seen mistaken concepts preached as gossip and fact.

I still come back to what I learned long ago. All blanks are best fished as cane poles and everything we add only robs them of potential. With that in mind, I think the trend towards smaller/lighter guides and less finish is a plus. Personally I violate some of that because I like an extra guide or two but that is because of where I fish, what I catch, and how I do it. I think the trend towards handle materials like carbon is a plus. I mean after all, cork has always been about dampening/absorbing vibrations. I think less is more. I think if you want bling go buy a wannabe sports car/fly rod/bird gun. I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I like to behold a cooler of fine eating and hard fighting fish. My rods are not safe queens. They are not investments. They are merely tools to attempt to become one with God's grand creation and purpose.

If I was a better man I would not need such crutches to reach nirvana.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.