Mick McComesky

Same rod as previous photo after being stripped, re-wrapped and finished. In hindsight, I'm not terribly pleased with the diamonds. I dont think the gold strands separating the garnet and black that "run out" looks good. I had laid them down with bands of the other colors for the effect but the more I look at it, the more I don't like it. I also ran finish a bit too far beyond some of the wraps for my liking. Owner is pleased as punch, which I guess is what is important... right?? Ah, to actually build a rod that I don't see at least one thing that I'm displeased with.

Robison-Anton Peacock blue with Sulky copper. Bad pic replacing another.

This is the one that I had to redo after my first attempt went to south after finish.

Experiment using Fuji reel seat and Mona Lisa metal leafing supplies. This was done in multicolor. Camera doesn't pick up the effect very well but it has a nice black hills gold look to it.

This is going to be a little boy's very first rod given to him by his grandpa. I had a ton of fun building it and the look on grandad's face when I handed it to him today reminded me why I love doing this. I put a zebco micro 11 on it for him too. Cobalt, metallic blue, silver and black. Buttcap inlay is a jeans button I found in Michael's over the weekend.

Finally on the way to Myles the Rooeater for some serious sun. One stick has no CP, one has Flex Coat CP, the other has Glass Coat CP. Black thread samples are Gudebrod HT metallic, Nylon, NCP and Silk, Madiera Poly, Madiera Rayon and Sulky Rayon. Finishes on each stick left to right are no finish/CP only, 8 coats permagloss (just above thread level), Flex Coat HB, Flex Coat LB, LS Supreme LB, LS Supreme HB. Soon it will be up to Myles to keep us posted on what's happening. I'm looking forward to the results and am curious to see if what I think will happen, will. Close up is to give a better idea of what each section looks like.

Grip with grooves for back two fingers and thumb ramp. Butt wrap is strips of green pheasant tail. Slowly getting the guides done. Didn't realize I had CP'd only half the guides and I like the non-CP'd look of this thread better so I had to strip them. The butt windings won't match, but there's no way I'm re-doing the feathers.

Split cork with TiCh winding checks and I used a sleeve button from my old dress blues on the butt cap.

Pac Bay Tradition. Garnet with silver and gold inlays. Added a small butt wrap with thunderbird "eagles". Area in split grip has the 5 service mottos spiralling around it. I hope somebody enjoys fishing it as much as I did building it.

This is what happens when you try something with no planning, poor materials, really bad math (maybe one martini too many) and then try to correct it all even when you know it isn't going to work. It started as just the plastic jungle cock, for a snakeskin effect, but I didn't factor in the overlap (DUH) and tried to salvage it by adding a peacock feather, but blew the math on that one too, so I added yet more thread and another JC. I keep it around as a reminder that I am a moron. Don't let this happen to you! Get a plan together, use good stuff and do your math twice. If I accomplish nothing else in life, I can always serve as a bad example!

Fun little project. Still latheless and my drills are shot so the cork was worked by hand.

Yet another one that had to be cut off. Weave was great but the wrapping was horrible.

After about a month, some effects of UV on HT metallic Cobalt Blue.

Still waiting on decals but won't have time to take pics when they get put on. His will have a USMC EGA just above the bottom band of red, along with name and info, and a small Ssgt insignia as a ferrule line up. Hers will have name and info and a small moose track as a ferrule line up. Moose hair with two coats of finish. The chevrons on hers are green bands with green/gold trimar bands. Doesn't show up well in pics though.

His is red, black and HT gold. Hers is green, chestnut and HT gold.