I WISH FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE A MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND MAY YOU MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH AND MAY PROSPERITY RETURN FOR EVERYONE IN 2010!

During the past two days I have flown from San Antonio to Denver, on to Omaha (in a full blown blizzard!), spent the night in Charlotte, N.C., then from Charlotte toMinneapolis, to Omaha, to Denver, and back to San Antonio.  If you haven’t ever had an opportunity to fly on one of those beautiful corporate jets we always see at airports, you would be like me and have missed out on luxurious travel and wonderful service.  I had my first flight Monday/Tuesday on a private jet and it was beyond expectations.  I had a long and enjoyable brunch with my son Chad and my two grandsons in Minneapolis which made the holiday season very special.  Last night amid crystal clear skies returning from Denver, and just before beginning our decent while above San Angelo, I looked out the window of the cockpit and could see the entire IH 35 corridor lit up from and including Dallas/Ft. Worth, Killeen, Waco, Austin, and San Antonio in one panoramic view.  Flying at 43,000 feet on a clear night is truly a sight to behold.

Reading my emails this morning, a couple of my customers told of catching very large and numerous Rainbows on the Guadalupe this past weekend.  A few 5 pounder’s and several 4’s.  This may be the trout season everyone has been hoping for the past couple of dry years.  Conditions are near perfect.  The GRTU (Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited), and the State Fisheries (primarily paid for with your trout stamp on your hunting and fishing license) have released some real ‘hogs’ this year and this winter should be a fun time on the river.  As dry as the summer months were, apparently the river sustained a good holdover from last year as well.  If you aren’t ‘geared up’ to take advantage of some of the best trout fishing in the country, guess what?  I got what you need . . . . . . .  I have never been a proponent of the really light fly rods, 4 weight and under, simply because of the stress on the fish when it takes more time to being them to hand.  A five, Six weight should prove effective.  You may want to consider a 5 or 6 with an intermediate sink tip for a more natural nymph presentation.  Got those, too.

I also have many (an understatement for sure) of my books available.  If you can send me a check for $23.50 together with your return address, I will sign and write a brief message in each and still get the book(s) to you by Christmas.  You can also email me first with message and address which will allow me to get the book in the mail before I receive your check.  I have had numerous people tell me they enjoyed my stories and found it to be a humorous and fun read.  Good last minute gift option . . . . .?

I have a good supply of rods and fly reels, fly lines available as well.  I can have an inscription done and epoxied in two days.  If you would like one built for someone, I can provide them with an envelope and a gift card (or sorts), and be happy to get together with them at a later date to custom build their rod.

“CUSTOM RODMAKING and OUTDOOR ADVENTURES” by Dennis Freeman

 

Custom Rodmaking and Outdoor Adventures Book Cover

 

 

After 700 plus hours of my time (I admit to being ‘technically challenged’), I just received word from the printer my new book titled “CUSTOM RODMAKING and OUTDOOR ADVENTURES” is being shipped Wednesday November 18^th with 1,000 copies to be delivered to me on Tuesday November 24^th.  Just in time for a Christmas ‘socking stuffer’.  The typing of my stories (over 50 in all), and of my custom rodmaking technique developed over 20 years of full time rodmaking, is probably the easiest part of assembling a book.  I know one thing, if I ever do this again, I have many lessons I have learned during this journey I will fall back on, but for the moment, it is something I am proud I did it ‘my way’.  The book details building a Freshwater Fly Rod (Sage 590-4 Z Axis); a Saltwater Fly Rod (Sage 1090-4 Xi 2); a St. Croix Casting Rod; and a St. Croix Spinning Rod.  Between chapters I relate outdoor experiences as well as many life lessons learned which, I believe, the reader will find hilarious and informative.  The book is 212 pages in length spiral bound so it lays flat on a table for easy reference when building a rod.  It retails for $23.50 each which includes sales tax and shipping.  The quickest way to get one would be to send a check together with your mailing address, and any personal message you want written on the inside front page.  Thanks.

Rodmaking and Outdoor Adventures Book Back

 

New Sage Xi 3 Fly Fishing Rod

I was, at first, skeptical of Sage’s motives when they recently upgraded their very popular Xi 2 series of fly rods/blanks to a ‘new and improved’ Xi 3 series, suspecting it more of a marketing ploy than a marked improvement in technology.   The new Xi 3 blanks are labeled “Salt H2O Technology” which defines their highest and best use.  In a recent comparison I made between the old Xi 2 and a new Xi 3, custom made 4 piece for an 8 weight, I found the new Xi 3 a bit lighter in the hand, more responsive in the cast, and a tad more horsepower in the butt section.   However, if you own an Xi 2, I wouldn’t rush to a dealer believing your casting will improve dramatically with an Xi 3, but if you are thinking of fly fishing a little lighter for inshore species, you may want to consider the Xi 3 in a 6 weight.  A 6 weight Xi 3 fly rod has plenty of power to land Redfish, Bonefish, Striped Bass and fish similar in weight and fighting ability.

Custom Made Fishing Rods With College Theme.

I just completed an order for five casting rods from a client that played football for Rice University.  His fishing buddies all played football in the old Southwest Conference for Texas Tech, Texas A & M, and the University of Texas.  I used 7 ½ foot one piece St. Croix Blanks, saltwater series, all Fuji Titanium Guides, built the handles using accent pieces of bright red and black cork rings for the Tech guy (‘gun’s up’), salmon colored cork pieces for the Aggie (‘Gig Em’), orangish colored cork accent for the Longhorns (‘Hook Em’), and blue cork accent rings for the Rice Owl (‘Hoot Em’).  Every year during football season I receive orders in school colors.  Decorative wraps and inscriptions to match.  Why not have a little fun and make your rod unique . . . . . .My motto, “Form Follows Function”. Find out more about custom made fishing rods by Dennis Freeman.

Bring A Spare Rod.

Today I received a call from an irate customer saying he was fly fishing in the Bahamas last week, and on the first day of his four day fishing trip, his guide picked up his own (guides) fly rod making a cast just as my guy was casting, breaking the third section of his brand new Sage 790-4 TCX that I recently built when the rods crossed in mid air.   For a guide to do something like that is unforgivable.  He should have been still born!   He said a school of large Bone’s were coming their direction and the guide just got too damn excited.  I can relate.  Several years ago in little more than ankle deep water atop a white sand beach,  an old guide named Nato was wading with me in Chetumal Bay when a large school of 4 and 5 pound Bonefish came right at us.  I had a good fish on making numerous runs into the backing as I hooked him at the very end of a long cast, the remainder of the school swimming along with my fish.  As it got close to hand, old Nato got excited and impatient wanting to release that fish and cast to another.  He thought he would help me land the fish, walking in front of me he tried to lift the Bone towards him by grabbing the tip section of my Xi 2 8 weight.  Pow!  Have you ever tried casting a #4 clouser with only the first 3 sections of a fly rod?  Don’t.  Bring a spare rod.  I had to use someone else’s foreign made piece of junk the rest of the week.