RODMAKERS- Newsletter May 1, 2005

I have been ‘angling’ a lot recently, not necessarily fishing, but angling for an affordable, all inclusive Bonefish, Permit, and Tarpon trip in the Caribbean for customers and friends sometime late this fall or in the early winter months.  My thought being a trip first timers would not feel intimated by the difficulties of arranging such a trip, prohibitive costs, and I will attempt to arrange for boat partners already experienced to some degree as fishing partners, which would allow for good camaraderie during four days of guided fishing.  I would like to arrange 3 groups of up to six fishers each group to be picked up at the Cancun airport, driven directly to the lodge, fish 4 days guided, and returned to the airport by lodge transportation.  The next group would arrive when the first group departs for another 6 day, five night jaunt to the southern reaches of the Yucatan and same for the 3^rd group.  Thus far, the lodge I have cast my bait to currently is under some kind of contractual arrangement with booking agents, but I can feel the nibble!  I hope in the next week or two to finalize costs, announce dates, answer questions, and begin placing names on a list.  I fully expect this trip to be at or near wholesale, not retail and I know from experience, the lodge is great and the fishing wonderful, however the fly has just been cast, it has been seen, and I hope,  is about to be taken.  

 

The only actual fishing I have recently experienced occurred two weeks ago aboard the ‘Team Navy’ boat with my two sons in pursuit of ‘big game’ in the Gulf Stream, but not without some difficulty . . . . . We loaded up at dark thirty in the morning with 3,800 pounds = of fuel, 500 pounds of ice, and 50 pounds of chum, food and adult beverage anticipating a long day in deep waters.  The ocean was as flat as a parking lot with the sun coming up out of the water in a bright orange color while we were ‘cruising’ at 45 MPH when we heard the dreaded sound of a lower unit blowing out on one of the engines.   The center engine was out of commission and try as we might to get the boat on plane with the remaining two engines, couldn’t be done!  We had to limp about 12 miles back to the marina and change boats to the Parker ‘Liberty Call’ boat – refuel that boat and transfer our gear.  It was after 12 noon before we began trolling over some rocks about 30 miles offshore just as one of the Port Aransas party boats pulled anchor and returned to Port A.  Immediately my son Ryan hooked and landed a 45 pound Wahoo, my other son Chad connected on a nice Black fin Tuna and I made several casts to schooling Bonita off the bow with a 7 weight fly rod, but the ‘big guns’, the 10 and 13 weight fly rods didn’t get rigged as the teaser rods were never deployed.  We later pulled some fish off the bottom using weighted bait and chum but only caught some Yellowtail and Vermillion Snapper and a few Triggerfish (if you have never eaten Trigger’s, you should make the effort at cleaning them – they are wonderful on the table!).  Since the Parker didn’t have the range of the ‘Team Navy’ 38’ Fountain we didn’t move around much and actually only spent about 5 hours of fishing.  Ah, well – maybe in the next 10 years or so we will once again have a flat ocean, cloudless, warm day when the fish are active, the equipment performs flawlessly, and my sons are my fishing companions . . . . . .

 

New ‘stuff’ in the shop:  Re-supplied with Rodmakers Hats; Scott Sanchez’s new Saltwater Fly Tying book each signed by Scott (some of you may remember him when he was at the Austin Angler); and the ‘Cajun Anchor’ in 3 foot and 4 foot lengths for flats boats and kayakers – cool and functional!

 

An Austin customer of mine recently fished with Capt. Chuck Naiser together with his friend new to saltwater fly fishing, had a great day in the back lakes, telling me when Chuck pulled into the first lake they immediately saw 7 groups of tailing red fish and it took an hour and a half before they had time to rig a second rod – always rig your rods with a fly before boarding the boat as this happens often.  Chuck, or any other guide for that matter, knows where the fish are and often times pull up into the middle if the pack.

 

I have been building a considerable number of rods recently – mostly fly rods and generally Sage saltwater series in the Xi 2 - 6, 7, and 8 weights.  Some of my customers are preparing for the arrival of Tarpon with big guns and 10 weight Xi 2’s for the Jacks, Jetties, and Surf.  I have a good inventory of blanks and finished rods should you find time for yourself this spring and need to ‘gear up’!

 

As always, I am appreciative of my customer’s loyalty and dedication.

 

Dennis O. Freeman
rodmaker@rod-makers.com
13457 Blanco Road
San Antonio, TX 78216
210-479-3477