A Tough Decision

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I have no desire to host another International Custom Rod Building Exposition. I didn’t intend to stay with it after the record setting 2010 event, but relented and did host the event again in 2011. And then that one proceeded to set new attendance and sales records.…

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Volume 14 #2

Volume 14 #2 issues of RodMaker are arriving in readers’ mailboxes this week. Most will have them within the next 10 to 14 days. Included in this issue: Legacy – The No-Foregip Rod by Rich Forhan Past & Present – Ferrules by C. Boyd Pfeiffer Lana’s 3D Marlin – by Ken & Lana Preston The…

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Expo Origins

Most rod builders recognize the International Custom Rod Building Exposition as the world’s largest custom rod building event. What many don’t know, is where it got its start. While attending Barry Serviente’s 2003 Fly Fishing Show in Charlotte, NC, I approached him about the unused space in the Charlotte Convention Center. Turns out he was…

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Rod Building Demographics part 1

Working with two very different mediums within the same craft gives me somewhat of a unique perspective on rod building demographics. One thing I remain sure of is this – the mainstream rod building craft is not centered around the internet. At least not yet and from my perspective, it won’t be for a long…

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Why Go It Alone?

Because we can… There is only one truly large scale event dedicated solely to custom rod building – the International Custom Rod Building Exposition. Let me qualify that statement a bit – by large scale I’m referring to more than a few dozen or even a few hundred attendees. I’m talking about an event whose…

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New Magazine Writers

Over the past 13 odd years we’ve had the good fortune to have many well known and highly respected rod builders and industry insiders write articles for the magazine.  I’d take a stab at listing some of them here, but it would fill an entire blog entry and I’d almost surely unintentionally leave a few…

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