As a proud volunteer for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing in Denver, CO, helping our disabled active duty soldiers and veterans has become a big part of my life.  Last year, ProjectHealingWaters.org gave me permission to produce a custom built fly rod to be sold exclusively through FlyFishingCrazy.com.   These rods compliment the great PHW rod sold by Temple Forks Outfitters.

The tittle of this blog states a New and Improved, fly rod from Fly Fishing Crazy, so what’s new and what’s improved?  First, I have introduced 4 separate grades of rods.  The first 3 are available in trout models and All-Purpose models which are designed for fresh or saltwater with all aluminum reel seats, small fighting butt and 2 stripper guides.  The top of the line “Evening Dress Blues” grade is only available in trout models.  It’s just too high class to try and make it saltwater worthy.  These rods are based on custom blanks made exclusively for Fly Fishing Crazy. The Freshwater fly rods are built on unique T.L. Johnson designed and built blanks in line weights 4-6.  The 8’6″ 4 weight rod is a Medium/Fast action incorporating a graphite resin system along with helical reinforcement.  The 9′ 4-6 weight rods are a Fast action blank that incorporates a unique graphite resin system that is a high modulus blend. The unique construction of these rod blank designs make them very light, yet extremely durable. Project Healing Waters fly rods are balanced to achieve low swing weight.  The All-Purpose models are available in 6-8 weight and are built on the same fine blank, but come with saltwater approved reel seats with small fighting butt, a full wells grip and 2 stripper guides.  All-Purpose rods will handle the big freshwater species too, as proven by Matt Smythe, The Fishing Poet, who fished one of my 6wt demo rods for steelhead on the Salmon River in New York state (read his review below).

Starting with the “Enlisted” Grade, you get a quality black anodized aluminum reel seat with walnut insert, a delrin winding check, Olive thread w/ three spiral NCP Olive accent wraps (BDU – Battle Dress Uniform colors), and black guides and tip-top.  The second grade is “NCO” Grade or “NCO” Grade All-Purpose.  This will get you a bright anodized reel seat with walnut insert (pewter anodized seat available for $10 more), delrin winding check, Branch of Service or BDU colors, bright guides and tip-top.  Next is the “Class A” Grade or “Class A” Grade All-Purpose which comes loaded with Nickel Silver reel seat with Premium Gun-Stock Walnut insert, Nickel winding check, Branch of Service colors and bright hardened chrome guides and tip-top.  Finally, the “Evening Dress Blues” Grade is adorned with Gun-Barrel Blued Nickel Silver reel seat, Premium Walnut insert, Blued Nickel winding check, Branch of Service colors and TiCH black snake guides and tip-top.  The hardware is upgraded to provide a higher quality rod for the price.  All rods are built on a matte finish blank and beautifully Hand Inscribed with “Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing”, rod length, line weight and serial number.

Why should you buy a custom U.S. built rod from FlyFishingCrazy.com?

You’re looking for a new fly rod.

Scenario 1: You go to the nearest fly shop and pay $300 – $800 and you get a nice rod.

Scenario 2: You pay $369 – $489 for a Project Healing Waters fly rod… you get free shipping in the U.S., a great custom built rod and 20% + $20 gets donated to Project Healing Waters to help our wounded and disabled vets.

IT’S YOUR CALL!                    and it’s well worth the 4-8 week build time for these custom U.S. made fly rods!

As an on-line fly shop owner, I have some great resources to draw on.  Terry Johnson of T.L. Johnson Rod Company in Wellington, CO is one of this countries best custom boutique fly rod builders.  Terry is producing all of my custom Project Healing Waters fly rods that will be sold exclusively through my website FlyFishingCrazy.com. Terry builds his own blanks here in the U.S. so what better choice for a custom rod to support our troops than one that is 100% U.S. made. Terry has been building rods for over 25 years and has worked for many of the big name companies before starting his own company in 2003. He is, in my honest opinion, one of the finest rod builders in the U.S., if not the world. Terry is a perfectionist and you can see it in his wraps. I chose one of Terry’s more affordable blanks for several reasons. I thought that the matte gray finish of his FX series rods would give a more military look and this rod should, by all comparisons of the “yuppie” brands, sell for $500-$600, but will start at $369 (fully optioned will be $489).

In case you haven’t heard of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, let me begin with their Mission Statement. “Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings.” Founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, DC, with help from local Trout Unlimited (TU) and Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) volunteers, they currently have over 70 programs in cities around the U.S. and Canada.

I volunteer for the Denver, CO program, started by Clyde (Marty) Matinez in 2008. Beginning in January, the 2011 year started off at the Denver Fly Fishing Show where we co-hosted a booth with the Ft. Carson, Colorado Springs chapter. We then followed with fly tying classes at the VA Hospital in Denver. About 8 disabled veterans, mostly from the Vietnam era learned the basics by tying a Black Beauty, Woolly Bugger, Pheasant Tail, Elk Hair Caddis and Adams. Four weeks ago, we began a fly rod building class in the Nursing Home adjacent to the VA. Last week, we began a fly tying class at the VA clinic in Aurora, CO with 6 Vets with disabilities in attendance. As the weather warms, we will be starting casting classes at both the Denver VA and Aurora clinic. Out first, of many, outings will be at the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s Lake Lehow on April 6th. The Vets should have an exciting day as it’s almost impossible to make a half dozen casts without a hookup.  In 2011 we provide 19 fishing trips and have a goal of 30 trips for 2012.  This brings me around to fund raising. Local trips are not a huge deal cost wise, but in order to take some of our soldiers on a trip of a lifetime to Alaska, we need to raise some money. Currently, at the 2012 Denver International Sportsmen’s Expo, we are raffling off 2 fly rods that were donated by Doug Borer Bamboo and custom builder and volunteer Jim Sawyer.

Several great companies in the industry are supporting Project Healing Waters. Temple Forks Outfitters is one of them. They donate $25 for each Project Healing Waters fly rod they sell. TFO has been selling their Project Healing Waters fly rod for several years now and, at $150, it is a great value for the money. But, like any $150 rod, it left the door open for U.S. quality and that is why I am offering my great rod to compliment the one from TFO.

There are many ways to support our troops. I have chosen to share my joy of fly fishing and the peacefulness of a trout stream or lake by volunteering to take a soldier fishing.  Project Healing Waters has taken on this venture on a nationwide scale and has made a difference in the lives of many veterans. Men and women who have a hard time finding a reason to smile will grin from ear to ear when they hook into a fish on a fly rod. I’ve witnessed this first hand. Please help them to regain the peace in their lives that they fought so hard to provide for us.

Buy a Fly Rod… Help the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings. The solitude of a trout stream or the calm waters of a lake have a healing power that can’t be explained, but also, can’t be denied!

Tight Lines———–<*))))><
Larry Snyder
Owner - FlyFishingCrazy.com
Email: larry@flyfishingcrazy.com
Phone: 303-755-2105