Bloggin' Time Or Something From Ground Control...........

Sometimes it seems that even during the winter months a fly fishing fanatic can be busy enough that sometimes it is hard to keep caught up.  For instance, check out this Blogger.

Anyhow, a few things have been going on to keep me more than busy it seems.  Time to catch up my blog readers with a few updates.

Let's begin with the announcement that I have started a new Facebook Group over on, of course, Facebook.   It is called Budget Minded Fly Fishing Gear.  

Being a Senior Citizen on a restricted budget really causes me to have to shop very closely and thoroughly when determining rather I can afford to add a piece of gear to my current fly fishing world.  There are many fly fishers out there just like me.  So, I decided to put up a page for Group input and feedback on those fly fishing related items that will help us all when looking for just the right piece of gear at the right price,  Anyway, we are off to a good start on the Group with about (40) participants already.  If you are interested please feel free to take a look at the link to the page and join in on the fun and sharing of real and practical information that any budget minded angler could use.  Your participation is appreciated.

Like most other fly fishers, winter is also a time for staying pretty close to the fly tying vise and I am no different than anyone else.  Here is picture I took just this morning of a hodgepodge of flies I have cranked out over the last 2 or 3 days.  This is just a sampling of the flies I have been adding to my boxes for Spring season.

To finish up with this update, Colorado has had some unusually warm days for a short stretch of time.  With that the ice has melted off some of the ponds.  However, I suspect we will have more cold and ice and snow before too long.  Spring is coming and I am going to be ready.  I have not yet received my custom Blue Halo Fiberglass rod from Average Joe's Fishn Poles.  However, Phillip, has it near ready and sent a photo yesterday.  I wanted to share it with you.

I am stoked to get this in my hands so I can begin my end of the job as a rod tester..............

My Custom Built "Blue Halo" From The Beginning

I wanted to share with my readers how things were coming along on my custom built Blue Halo fiberglass rod.

 If you are a regular reader of my blog then, as you recall, I have been blessed to asked to be a Field Tester for Average Joe's Fishn Poles.  Phillip Butterfield does some beautiful work on custom built rods and I have been eyeballing them a lot over the past year or so.  I was ecstatic to have Phillip offer me this opportunity to be a Field Tester.  I am ready, willing, and able to put this custom built sweetheart to the test this year on The Big Thompson River and my favorite ponds near home.

Phillip sent along some pictures for me to get the idea of what the rod's appearance and quality are.  I would like to share those pictures with you here.

It is a 8' Three Piece 5 Wt.

Yup, that would be me...................

Three Piece All Maple handle group

This is a note attached from Phillip:

" Thought I would give you a little look see as to the rod that you will be getting: The first thing that you'll notice different is the three piece maple handle group; next is the lack of an agate stripping guide (trust me those are purely for decoration and they don't come on the $299.95 factory model) Next you will notice that the mid section and the tip have matched guides. That is about all of the differences between my build and a factory build.  Oh I have also wrapped the furrel the full length to provide additional support, that too is different from the factory model."

Headed to Colorado..................................

Those are sweet words to my ears.  Anticipating getting out and putting a line on this and beginning my evaluation.  I am sure you will hear more from me about Average Joe's Fishn Poles. 

 Stay tuned...............................................