There is so much anticipation when building your first few rods, you are getting close and just want to get it done. One of the challenges of the hobby is slowing down, rushing to the finish line usually brings some serious sadness. Be meticulous on your nodes, do only a few strips at a time and take a break, slow down when final planing, stay away from caffeine when gluing and binding. Straight is straight. Have a good nights sleep before final ferrule fitting and understand less is more.

Yes, sometimes you will have to remake a strip, a section or a ferrule. The answer is yes you do have to it, accept the heartache and go back and do it. We have all done it, it is the price of admission.

Go forth and conquer but slowly, Grasshopper, slowly..........

Back in 1995 we met in Ted's kitchen and had some killer Ciapinna, the best I'd ever had, okay, the first too. We didn't know if anyone would come to a bamboo gathering but we were bent on making it happen. We've lost a few builders along the way but the ninth gathering is in the books. The events are kind of like children, they grow, develop unique personalities and mature. They have their ups and downs but you are always proud of them and you love them all the same, it's just the way it is.

I'm not sure what happened in 2011 but we have a little more spring in our step this morning and we are really proud of this one, kind of like the big goal in the big game.

For all of those that attended, take a bow, you deserve it, you made the event great, you made everyone around you better and that's the mark of a great player, a great team. We all succeeded together. Thank you.

Mark your calender for 2013 and if you missed this one, don't make it two in a row.

Carl and I just went to Detroit to see our friends at the Midwest Fly Show. It was great to see attendance up and the mood upbeat in Michigan, a state hard hit with the new economic reality. Spent some time with Sam Lucina, a net builder with great passion and the folks at Willow reels, very unique styling and bamboo friendly. Of course our bamboo buddy Ron was there and his energy is always infectious. We feel so at home in the land of the pick-up and camo clothing. We even found some 22 cal. short cartridges on the ground outside. The land of the free! We love Michigan and our long time friends. No trip to Detroit is complete without a few memories of Bill Waara Sr., a gnome, a rodbuilder and a one of a kind.

I just viewed a feature film on the making of Steinway Piano L1037. Made in the New York area using the same techniques they used 100 years ago. Made by hand by everyday people with hand tools primarily, the film showed how everyday people can make an incredible instrument. Each piano was a unique instrument with it's own character and feel. Steinway had no interest in having every piano sound and feel identical. They felt it was impossible to hand make the instrument without each one being unique. At no time did I see a computer or CAD design or CNC equipment. Hand tools in the hands of a craftsman was evident at every step, truly incredible.

I could not help but relate it to our craft where each maker has his or her unique style that delivers subtle variances in feel and performance which is terrific. Not everyone wants the rod to perform in a rigid "clone like" style. It was great to see hand made craftmanship still able to compete and perform in the marketplace and at 100,000 dollars for a concert piano it makes the bamboo rod appear sound value as a unique hand made instrument.

It's free and it's fantastic.

I am generally not a big fan of online magazines. I grew up perusing the same Fly Fishing magazines over and over, dreaming about someday owning the tackle and visiting famous destinations like the Henry's Fork. I still have many of those old magazines in my collection.

"Catch" magazine is a free online magazine with fantastic content and photogaphy. It's time for me to embrace this new electronic media but I promise never to lose my addiction to hard copy magazines.

Visit their website and have a look.

The singular enjoyment that is derived from an activity quickly becomes a passion. It is important to accept that many of us have different passions. For some it is sports, either viewing or participating. For others, it is the Arts, music, visual art or literature. Travelling can be a passion or one's love of animals and pets. For us it is most likely fly fishing and rodbuilding that keeps us busy in our free time. This is our shared passion.

The Gathering is really nothing more than a giant party for people with the same unique passion. It is not a fishing show or a tackle swap or a guided fishing trip. There are no big booths, just a few things for sale and no big lecture hall, just a barn with a few tables and chairs. It is the simplicity and free flow of ideas that make these weekends unique.

No one appears too busy to come, they simply make time. When asked to present they are willing and come prepared expecting no more than a keen audience. Can it get any better than that?

See you in May!

Some of you may remember the joke about the young sheep and the old sheep overlooking a flock from the hillside and the prospect of the young one charging down the hill to meet a lady and the old sheep replied that he would walk down and meet all the ladies, well I cleaned it up a bit but the point is well taken, no need to rush to get the job done.

Every year the new Fly Fishing buying guide comes out with lighter, faster, stronger and better tackle to trick a trout or a Marlin or whatever you are after. In the end it's the same fish in the same water eating the same diet of food. It's easy to get romanced in to thinking this tackle will make you a better fisherman when us old dogs know it simply isn't true. More tools and fancier tools won't make you a better cane rod builder either. I find that I have a few tools that are perfect for the task and many "must have" tools that I own should be better labelled as "must sell" as they simply collect dust. Buy good proven tools from reputable people. Do your homework and get one tool to do a job, master it and look after it. It's easy to have tool envy, but a new tool comes with no guarantee. Less is more, quality is the key and treat it with respect.