What if Fish Could READ?

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

If they could read, fish would be mightily impressed by some of today’s “glamour” FLY RODS. You know the ones – trendy names, slick advertising, hefty price tags. The “glamour” rod companies want us to believe that their rods are the best. Truth be told, the only thing that impresses fish is presentation.  Fish are impressed by how naturally your fly settles on the water, how delicately your rod mends line for a drag-free-drift, how exacting your cast is delivered to precisely where the fish is feeding, and how sensitively your dexterity is transmitted from rod to line to fly to water to fish.

When I go into a fly shop and pick up one of these pricey rods, I already know that they can cast a nice line. But, for the money, I look deeper. I look at the thread wraps and the finish. More and more, I can find flaws in almost all of them. A thread wrap or two with a slight gap. A finish coat that has a low spot where the epoxy didn’t flow evenly. Nothing critical to the fish-ability of the rod, but… COME ON… $800 plus dollars worth? This is a result of producing thousands of these rods and the company bean counters not wanting to affect profitability by rejecting the minor imperfections. I can almost hear quality control saying “Our name is enough to excuse those small flaws”. Or turning a blind eye…”What flaws?”

That’s why Fly Fishing CRAZY sells FLY RODS that are built for down-to-earth fly fishers who want fine, affordable, honest performance and quality above fancy labels and high budget-advertising. Let me begin with some import rods that will give you performance and value. Many of the Trendy Name companies have a lower end rod model or two that are imports (HINT – Assembled in the U.S.A. does not mean Made in the U.S.A.). Most import rods are made in either China or Korea. Korea seems to be setting the quality standard today for imports. Elkhorn Fly Rods and Reels are made in Korea under tight scrutiny from Elkhorn’s owner.  These rods are not fancy.  They have a clear finish as opposes to colorful paint jobs on high end rods. They don’t have the nickel silver hardware, but the hardware is high quality and very functional. They don’t appear to have any more flaws than the $800 rods and for a savings of about $600, I’m willing to accept a couple of thread and finish flaws. Put them alongside the glamour rods and they won’t catch the eye of the fisherman, but put them in the hand of an experienced fisherman and they will catch those illiterate trout all day, every day, with many years of service. One of my favorite rods is a 9′ 3 weight 4 piece Elkhorn Traveler that I’ve been fishing for eight years.  I’ve landed many trout over 20 inches with that 3 weight, too. For more details, read my blog Elkhorn Product Review or go to my Elkhorn products page.

.If you are looking for Made in the U.S.A., you need to look no further than Graywolf Products, T.L. Johnson and Matt Schliske for Bamboo Fly Rods, T.L. Johnson for graphite rods, and both Graywolf and T.L. Johnson for fiberglass rods.

I’ll start alphabetically with Bamboo: The smallest and most affordable of my bamboo makers is Graywolf Products in Michigan. Shane Gray has been building rods most of his life and offers a lifetime warranty. In addition to bamboo, he also builds fiberglass and graphite rods. The later two are built with quality U.S. made blanks that he purchases, but the bamboo is 100% made by Shane. Shhh… don’t tell anyone, but starting at about $900, these are a steal. Shane told me “I want my customers to feel like they got a great rod without feeling ripped off”. He builds his bamboo blanks using all the traditional tapers, especially Payne and Dickerson. And they ALL come with 2 tips. He will sometimes add a swelled butt to the traditional tapers that give the rods a little more backbone to punch into the wind easier without sacrificing the dry fly finesse of the bamboo. Shane Gray builds some of the nickel silver hardware himself and he turns his own reel seat inserts and cork grips.  His cigar grips are very traditional, but his reverse half wells grips are turned thin at the fore end so you can feel the flex of the rod all the way down into the grip. Shane’s custom bamboo rods are made under the S.A. Gray name. I recently had my custom S.A. Gray 7’6″ 4 weight Payne 100 taper rod along to show the volunteers at the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing class. These experienced fly casters used phrases like “Casts like Silk”, “Smooth as Butter” and “You stole that Rod”.  Pretty high praise I believe.
Next up, is T.L. Johnson Bamboo in Wellington, CO. Terry Johnson has been building rods for over 25 years. I’ve never cast one of his bamboos, but his build quality is flawless and even though his main forte is graphite, he builds a sweet looking “BOO”.
Last and possibly the best bamboo maker around is Matt Schliske in Fort Collins, CO. Matt and 4 friends he refers to as the “Rattlesnake Krew” build some absolute “works of art” in his garage. These rods will make your jaw drop when you lay eyes on them. They are way out of my price league, but after casting a couple at the Fly Fishing Retailers Show last September and literally drooling over them, I can tell you these rods are like Ferrari is to racing.

Up next… Fiberglass: Glass fly rods were almost forgotten in the 70′s and 80′s with the newer, thinner and lighter graphite rods. Today, there is a resurgence in glass rods. New techniques have brought about thinner, stronger and lighter fiberglass blanks. Fiberglass gives you the delicate presentation of bamboo without the price. Shane Gray of Graywolf products buys U.S. made blanks and then, using his lifetime skills as a rod builder, puts some beautiful classic touches in a fine fiberglass rod.
T.L. Johnson Synergy Glass rods are, possibly, the ultimate in fiberglass fly rods.  Terry’s new, 2010, SG rods are designed to be thinner and lighter. He builds his blanks in his own factory using the latest high-tech glass fibers and then adds a thin layer of low modulus graphite in the butt section to make a rod that is gentle to cast, light in hand and very durable. The graphite gives the butt an extra stiffness to cast into the wind, referred to as “Western Thinking” by Joe Cornwall of flyfishohio.com. You don’t need to look any further for a surprisingly sensitive and responsive fly rod.

Finally – Graphite: Terry Johnson makes his own blanks from high modulus graphite using his exclusive uni-directional, carbon helix construction techniques. These rods maintain superior hoop strength and improved response. His exclusive ferruling system reduces section to section flat spots, a lighter swing weight and smoother load transfer. The new 2010 models are thinner, lighter and stronger because of his unique blank construction. Terry then uses superior quality, ultralight components to build his rods lighter and stronger than his competitors. I am using a 2009 model SLX 9′ 5wt extra-fast action demo rod he gave me and I’ll put it up against any of the “yuppie” brands on the market today.  Terry has definitely thrown down the gauntlet to those trendy companies… BUILD IT RIGHT OR GO HOME!

Graphite FLY RODS from ELKHORN, T.L. JOHNSON, STONE CREEK and FISH CREEK.  100% U.S.A. made fiberglass FLY RODS from T.L. JOHNSON.  Bamboo FLY RODS by MATT SCHLISKE, and T.L. JOHNSON. These are names that fish don’t need to READ to get hooked!

Tight Lines———–<*))))><
Larry V Snyder
Owner -Rocky Mountain Web Connection
http://www.flyfishingcrazy.com
email: larry@flyfishingcrazy.com

Book Review: “Threatened Species” by Jeff Vande Zande

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

Jeff Vande Zande writes about the confusion that comes from not having total control of a situation.  He writes of choices, good and bad, making some bad choices and then ultimately doing the right thing.

In “Threatened Species”, a Novella plus 4 short stories, Jeff tells this story of a passionate and confused father, Ed Winters, trying to make the most of two weeks time with his young son, Danny. Ed’s ex-wife is going house hunting in Paris because of a career move by her new husband and will be taking Danny with her.  Ed knows that visiting Danny in Paris will be beyond his means and may not see Danny again until he is a young man and possibly a stranger.  His plan is to spend these last weeks camping and fishing, giving Danny an experience he will remember while they are apart, but the realization, in Ed’s mind, starts him thinking of other choices.

While the story starts a bit slow, the decisions, made by Ed, lead to an unexpected twist, then another and another… The suspense, of what the consequences of Ed’s choices could be, keep building and, to use a fishing cliché, you’re hooked.

Larry Snyder
Fly Fishing Crazy

Premium Fly Rod Blanks made in the U.S.A.

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

Want to have one of the finest fly rods in the World, but it’s price is just a little out of your reach? Build your own!
T. L. Johnson Fly Rods are now available in blanks. The cost is half the finished fly rod price. That’s right… You can buy his ($375 finished) Emerger 2 fly rod blanks for $187.50. Even if you use high end compontents, you can build it for under $300. His SL3-X fly rod blanks sell for $362.50 whereas a finished SL3-X costs $725. Again, finish it yourself for $450 – $500. The SL3 and SL3-P blanks are $342.50 also.  The Legacy Light (LL) blanks are $337.50.  New models for 2011 are is HLX at $247.50 ($495 finished) and the FX, a new entry level rod, at $325 finished and only $162.50 for the blank.  That’s right, a 100% U.S. made rod for $325!
Don’t be fooled by who makes their blanks in the U.S. and who doesn’t. Unlike other manufacturers, Terry Johnson doesn’t put his name on his import line. His Fish Creek fly rods are built overseas to his exacting specifications and are great casting and affordable, but are sold under the Fish Creek brand. If it has the T. L . Johnson name, you know the rods are made entirely in the U.S.A. Terry has his own blank shop in Yuma Arizona where he builds all the blanks for his T. L. Johnson brand. His patented high-modulus graphite, using exclusive carbon helix uni-directional construction techniques, creates a blank with superior hoop strength as well as improved response. His exclusive ferruling system reduces section to section flat spots, swing weight and has a smoother load transfer. T.L. Johnson’s commitment to the highest quality is apparent in his entire collection.

Purchasing a T.L. Johnson rod buys you a certain exclusivity not available with the more popular U.S. brands.
Treat yourself to possibly the BEST rods Made in the U.S.A.
The quality of his rods are putting the fly fishing industry on notice. “Build it right or stay home.”
This is T.L. Johnson country!

Contact me if you have any questions regarding availability.
Tight Lines————-<*))))><
Larry
FlyFishingCrazy.com

T.L. Johnson Rods – A Step Above!… and 100% U.S. made

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

What’s with all the name association in this country?  Today’s society seems to be all about what brand we own.  For years, here in the U.S. at least, car enthusiasts all wanted a BMW for sporty driving or Lexus and Mercedes if you were into luxury, or Toyota and Honda meant reliability.  None of them were U.S. companies.

When it comes to Fly Fishing gearheads, Made in the U.S.A. is the “IN Thing”.  But how many U.S. rod makers can actually say that ALL of their models are made in the U.S.A.?  I know of only one!  My guess is, NONE of the big name manufacturers can say that.  They may be able to say all are “Assembled in the U.S.”, but their low end rods have blanks made overseas.

Enter T. L. Johnson Rod Company.  Every rod… let me repeat that… Every rod that Terry Johnson puts his company name on is made in the U.S.A.  Terry owns his own blank shop where he builds blanks with a unique uni-directional graphite.  His 2010 rods are lighter in hand and stronger in strength.  Greater accuracy and more casting distance with less effort are the result of high-modulus graphite using exclusive carbon helix construction techniques.  Terry’s rods are perfectly balanced for short or long casts.  This unique construction creates rods that maintain superior hoop strength as well as improved response.  His exclusive ferruling system reduces section to section flat spots, swing weight and has a smoother load transfer.  All are backed by T.L. Johnson’s lifetime warranty… and did I mention U.S. made?

Here’s a rundown on his products.  I’ll start with his Glass Rod… the Synergy Glass is a 2 piece rod in 7’0″, 7’6″ and 8’0″ in line weights 4 and 5.  There appears to be a resurgence in fiberglass rods these days.  They are a gentler action than graphite without the softness of bamboo.  Terry’s new, 2010, Synergy Glass SG rods are designed to be thinner and lighter than his 2009 Synergy Glass rods.  Subtle and sweet yet powerful best describes the T.L. Johnson Synergy Glass fly rod.  The latest high-tech glass fibers and low modulus graphite are used to create a rod that is gentle to cast, light in hand and very durable, yet stays within the boundaries of traditional glass rods.  The SG rods are finished in a beautiful olive with matching wraps. The seat is a bright aluminum cap and ring with a cork insert.  The classic components of this gorgeous rod make it a great choice for dry fly, yet the slight bit of graphite used in the butt section gives it enough backbone to toss some nymphs.

Entry level for his graphite rods is the Emerger Series 2.  Fitted with quality components, but kept affordable, this rod is made for anglers who need a rod which meets budget criteria without skimping on quality. ES2 rods come in 4 piece configuration and are Medium-Fast action and a beautiful Cobalt Blue color. The ES2 is a true workhorse rod that won’t break the bank!  I don’t think you can find a finer rod under $400 that is made by a master craftsman from a U.S. made blank.

Terry’s top of  the line Legacy Collection consisting of 3 models; Legacy Light (LL), Legacy All Water (L2X), and Legacy Extreme Line Speed (LX).  All Legacy rods are 4 piece and Colorado Spruce Green.

LL Rods are very Light in weight, line weights offered are 2-5, and a medium action designed for fresh water dry fly fishing.  They come with high-quality components and a Classic Design Nickel Silver uplocking seat with wood insert.  LL rods come in a 7’0′ and 7’9″ 2 weight; 7’6″, 7’9″, 8’3″ and 8’9″ 3 weights; 7’6″, 8’0″, 8’3″, 8’9″ and 9’0″ 4 weights; 8’6″ and 9’0″ 5 weights are a bargain at $675.

L2X rods are a Fast action designed for fresh and salt water.  They come in 9’0″ 4-10 weights and a 12 weight, 9’6″ 5 and 7 weights and a 10’0″ 7 weight.  $685 up to and including 8 weights, $695 for 9 – 10 and $725 for the 12 weight.

Legacy Extreme, LX rods are an extra fast action designed for fresh and salt water. They are handcrafted with Classic Design Nickel uplock reel seat with cocobolo spacer standard.  LX rods are 9’0″ 4 – 10 weights and 9’6″ 6 and 7 weights and are $685 up to and including 8 weights, $695 for 9 – 10 weight rods.

If your looking for sporty performance, drive a T.L. Johnson rod.  If your looking for luxury, drive a T.L. Johnson rod.  And if reliability is of concern, look no further than T.L. Johnson.

Purchasing a T.L. Johnson rod buys you a certain exclusivity not available with the more popular U.S. brands.  Treat yourself to possibly the BEST rods “Made in the U.S.A.”

The quality of his rods are putting the fly fishing industry on notice.  ”Build it right or stay home.”

This is T.L. Johnson country!

P.S.  Until this year, Terry has not sold his blanks.  Now, all of his blanks are available for purchase at 1/2 the finished rod price.

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


South Platte Winter Outing with Trepidations

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

I was watched the snow flurries falling for a couple of minutes, then returned to quickly to the task of gathering all my fishing gear and making sure I had all the layered clothing, gloves and extra pair of socks to be able to withstand the bite of winter on the river.  Bob would be picking me up any minute.

Robert  Province and I met in December at a Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing meeting I had set up through Facebook and a forum on ColoradoFishermen.com.  We both hit it off and are both retired.  At this past weeks Fly Tying class, teaching disabled veterans how to tie some basic flies at the Denver VA hospital, I told Bob I was planning to go down to the South Platte near Deckers, for a couple of hours, the next morning.  He said, “Why don’t I pick you up at 8:15 and we can be on the water by 10.”  I said “I’ll be waiting”.

The Deckers area of the South Platte is in recovery mode since whirling disease and the Hayman fire in 2002 and subsequent snow melt and severe rainstorms.  Most of the deep holes that once held two to five hundred trout per hole were filled in with ash and silt.  The whirling disease, a brain parasite that started in the Division of Wildlife hatcheries, spread through the rainbow trout and brook trout, killing most of those fish in many Colorado Rivers and streams, has been reversed by stocking a new, disease resistant, strain.

I had the garage door open and was laying out my extra clothes on the bed of you pickup when Bob’s F150 pulled in a few minutes early.  I threw my gear in his camper in the back jumped in and we were off.  A quick stop for some coffee and we were heading to the South Platte.  We continued getting to know each other on the drive to Deckers.  We talked about our tours in Vietnam, some of our favorite fishing streams and, of course, how we can help our soldiers through PHWFF.  As we drove through Sedalia, the snow has stopped and the sky is clearing ahead.  Colorado is amazing!  You almost never cancel a fishing trip based on the weather at your house.  Bob remarked “I hope we don’t meet too many people on Nighthawk Hill”, a 15% grade on the dirt road down to the river.

If you’ve never been down Nighthawk, the first time is an experience and only with repeated descents does your panic wane.  You’re driving down a twisty narrow dirt road and at one particular bend to the right, you see the sign that says “15 % Grade” with a huge rock on the right side of the bend.  As you drive around the rock the road almost drops out of site and soon your looking down, what appears to be, a ski slope… nope, it’s the road. The first hundred yards is the worst with a couple of slight bends then it gradually starts to level off over the next mile. It’s not so bad in the summer, but it can get your blood pumping with winter snow packed roads.  Nighthawk Hill, and the road leading to it, is actually maintained as a postal and school bus route.  I’m glad my grandkids don’t have to ride that bus.

We reached the bottom of Nighthawk and see the river.  No ice!  Not even a slush flow!  Bob remarks that they must be letting water out of Cheeseman Reservoir.  As we turn up stream along the river, I’m thinking “this is going be a great day”.  We drive several miles up river to Scraggy View and pulled of into a parking area.  The sky was blue with few wispy clouds and the sun was starting to take the chill out of the canyon.  No need for all the extra clothes I brought, just shirt sleeve, polar vest and a wool cap.  I had never stopped at this section of the river before, so after rigging up the fly rods and putting on waders and vests, Bob suggested we head down stream a couple hundred yards.  He pointed out a hole down below by a bend and suggested I start down there.  I made a couple of casts and my strike indicator hesitated and I lifted my rod and saw the fish roll under the surface.  Missed it!  I continued casting through the hole from side to side and top to bottom to no avail.  Moving down river, I fished through shallow riffles that definitely will hold trout as the springtime warms the water a little more, until I spotted another fisherman a couple hundred yards below.  I worked my way back up to the hole I started at and after a half dozen casts, hooked and landed an eleven inch rainbow on a size 18 buckskin nymph.  As it turned out, this was my only fish of the day.  Bob didn’t fare much better.

We decided to try a spot about 5 miles upstream.  This was my old stomping grounds.  Familiar water had to produce more fish, right?  As I prospected about a mile of once familiar waters that 15 years ago would produce 30 to 50 fish mornings, with deep sorrow, I realized that the river has not recovered much from the 2002 fire and flooding.  All of the, once deep holes, are either just shallow runs or much narrower holes, still filled in with ash and silt.  I met up with Bob at the truck and started preparing for the drive home.  I told Bob that, in my opinion, what the river needs is for the Denver Water Board to open the gates of Cheesman Dam and blow that river out.  A couple of years of that would wash the sediment silt out of the holes, giving them more width and depth again.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying there aren’t fish to be caught in that part of the South Platte.  To the contrary, guides tell me that there is a healthy population returning and some very nice fish over 15 inches.  Using the right flies and tactics, you can have great fishing.  But on that given day, I tried to fish it like I used to in the “Glory Days” and it didn’t work.  I thought I knew that river and what works.  Next time, I’ll adapt!

Bob and I drove home and discussed more trips.  Different waters, different fish, different outcome.  It was a clear warm day and great day to be on the water.

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

Premium Fly Rod Blanks made in the U.S.A.

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

If the price is just a little out of your reach for one of the finest fly rods in the World?  Build your own!
T. L. Johnson Rod Company is now making their fly rods available in blanks.  The cost is half the finished fly rod price.  That’s right… You can buy a T. L. Johnson Emerger 2 fly rod ($375 finished) blank for $187.50.  Even if you use high end components, you can build it for under $300.  The LX, L2X, LL, SL2 and SLP blanks are $342.50 also.  Again, finish it yourself for $450 – $500.
Most U.S. rod manufacturers build most of their blanks in the U.S., but their low end models have blanks that are built overseas and then assembled in the U.S.  Unlike other manufacturers, Terry Johnson doesn’t put his name on his import line.  His Fish Creek fly rods are built overseas to his exacting specifications and are great casting and affordable, but are sold under the Fish Creek brand.  If it has the T. L . Johnson name, you know the rods are made entirely in the U.S.A.  Terry has his own shop where he builds all the blanks for his T. L. Johnson brand.  His patented high-modulus graphite, using exclusive carbon helix uni-directional construction techniques, creates a blank with superior hoop strength as well as improved response.  His exclusive ferruling system reduces section to section flat spots, swing weight and has a smoother load transfer. T.L. Johnson’s commitment to the highest quality is apparent in his entire collection.

Purchasing a T.L. Johnson rod buys you a certain exclusivity not available with the more popular U.S. brands.
Treat yourself to possibly the BEST rods Made in the U.S.A.
The quality of his rods are putting the fly fishing industry on notice. “Build it right or stay home.”
This is T.L. Johnson country!

Contact me if you have any questions regarding availability.

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

Denver Metro – Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

Denver ‘Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing‘ wants to expand what we can offer our Disabled Veterans this coming year.  I’m asking anyone, in the Denver area, who would like to volunteer their services, time, expertise (whatever you’ve got), to meet us at the Rock Bottom Brewery, County Line Rd and I-25, next Tues, December 29th at 6:30 After 3 meetings, we are considering holding a Pro-Am Fly Fishing Competition.  Details are to be worked out, but some things decided are to have a Fly Casting competition and auctions on Friday and Saturday evening in mid June and then the Fishing Competition featuring 10 rafts floating the Colorado River each with a Professional from local Fly Shops and an Amateur fisherman on Sunday.  Media rafts with representation from ESPN and local TV stations covering the event.  There will be auctions with products from Fly Fishing manufacturers all to raise money to send our soldiers on Fly Fishing trips as well as teaching them how to tie flies and fly casting.  This weekend event will culminate in either Vail or Silverthorne, CO.

Let’s brainstorm what we can offer our soldiers and how to best achieve some lofty goals for 2010.  One thing we want to try to implement is rod building.  We just received a donation of about 70 fly rod blanks from Terry Johnson of  T.L. Johnson Rod Co. to start our rod building classes.  We’ll throw some other ideas against the walls and see what sticks.  Let’s show all those guys who have given a part of themselves, so we can enjoy freedom in this great country, that we appreciate them and have their health and well-being in our hearts.

If you want to help out this year, contact me so we can get you involved.

Larry Snyder
FlyFishingCRAZY.com
Phone: 303-755-2105
email: larry@flyfishingcrazy.com

Buy from an OGRE?.. Old Guys Recreational Equipment

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

Hey folks… Check this new site out!  http://ogreonline.ning.com Don’t let the name fool you these guys aren’t over the hill, yet.  All you YUMOGs (Young Upwardly Mobile Outdoor Guys) will enjoy swapping tales with some knowledgeable OGREs.

They are in the process of adding their products but in the meantime, signup and check out their forums and blogs.  One cool product they will be selling is their OGRE hats.  How often have you been fishing, boating, hiking or just about anything outdoors and had a gust of wind blow you favorite hat Off – Off – and Away!  Their hat has a tethered clip (stores in a zippered slot in the back) that, when clipped to your fishing vest, shirt or jacket, will not be floating down stream or off the mountain.

Check out this new site.  I’m sure you’ll find something to sink you teeth into.

Tight Lines———<*))))><
Larry
FlyFishingCRAZY

Fly Tying: The 720 VISE™…a complete TURN AROUND!

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

Vincent Su had a need.  He ties parachute flies down to size 30.  As someone who ties flies professionally and travels the country giving demonstrations, he needed a vise that would make tying some of his specialties easier; parachutes, extended-body and vertical midges to name a few.  The rotating vise has been around for awhile, but what if a vise could rotate on a vertical axis as well as horizontal?

Enter the 720 VISE™.  It is a ground breaking 720-degree true-rotary fly tying vise. Vincent invented and patented his vise and after almost a year of further development, the 720 Vise™ is more refined and more user friendly than ever.  The 720 Vise™ is packed with features that set new standards for the industry.  The vise makes tying parachute and extended-body fly patterns, that require rotation of the bobbin, much easier.  Vincent’s vise works on two axis, one axis along the center of the hook shank, the other axis perpendicular to the hook shank and the two axis cross each other.  It has a multi-part base assembly and a bearing mechanism which will provide a lateral rotation of the jaws.  The vise base can be locked in different positions laterally for using the vise as a regular rotary vise or working on a fly from different directions, such as right handed or left handed.

At $270.00, check out what people are saying about Vincent and his revolutionary vise at http://www.coloradofisherman.com/forum/index.php?topic=49622.msg566326

Oh, BTW… each 720 Vise™ comes with a DVD that shows you the features of the vise and fly tying demos from start to finish.
Come join the new fly tying era.

Tight Lines——–<*))))><
Larry Snyder
Fly Fishing CRAZY

If I should die before I wake… Let me Fly Fish in heaven!

Posted on by Fly Fishing Crazy

I, like many of you, love FLY FISHING and some of my friends and family have called me CRAZY at times.  The feel of fighting a big fish on a FLY ROD and palming the rim of the FLY REEL to add additional, run stopping, pressure to an already smooth drag is exhilarating to say the least.

Think about those memorable fishing trips you’ve taken and then think of the destinations you dream of.  Imagine yourself on the fabled streams of Pennsylvania, New York and New England, then fishing famous Colorado streams like the South Platte River, Colorado and Arkansas Rivers, the Williams Fork, Frying Pan, Roaring Fork and numerous others.  Picture yourself in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park fishing the Yellowstone River, Slough Creek, Fire Hole, Gibbon, Lamar and Lewis.  Then have a blast FLY FISHING for Chinook (King) Salmon in late September and early October on the Pere Marquette River in Michigan.  I could go on and on talking about fishing in other states like northern California, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.  And let’s not forget Alaska. There is no place in the USA that can rival its beauty and fishing.

Pass your passion on to your children and grandchildren.  Teach them to know the joy of “Perpetrating the Fraud” with FLY ROD and REEL and to feel the pulsing, head shaking runs of trout, salmon, bass or even Bluegill on fly tackle.  Think of the joy you will receive when they tie their own handmade flies or build their own rods.

Those are the things that have sustained my passion over the years.  My hope is that you too can find the love for this sport, whether it’s taking up FLY FISHING for the first time yourself, feeding your current CRAZY passion, or even outfitting and teaching a child.  Let this be one of your greatest obsessions.

So, until Heaven calls, let me help you make your FLY FISHING memorable… and CRAZY!

Tight Lines————–<*))))><
Larry Snyder
Fly Fishing CRAZY