A STROLL WITH SLED: AUGUST

Have you heard the news that Schultz Outfitters is moving?  Sleddy gives some perspective on the move while on a carp walk on the home waters in this latest (maybe last?) episode.



Visit the Schultz Outfitters website, maybe book a trip, and click subscribe to the YouTube channel.

6 GOOD READS

Here's a six-pack of good reads that cover the bases of good folks, good guidance on guides and fly lines, and a couple of stories with some fiberglass mentions and connections.  Click each and enjoy...

COWBOYS & INDIANS ON ARTIST BOB WHITE

EPIC FLY RODS - JOE MAHLER ON GETTING GUIDED

LOST COAST OUTFITTERS - GEORGE REVEL ON FLY LINES

SKWALA LOUNGE - STREAMER JESUS ON STREAMER SIZE

FLYLAB - SUMMER ON THE STILLWATER

GUIDESPLAINED - THIS IS 30

What have you been reading lately online?  Email and let me know.

MB CUSTOM RODS - Ijuin-Rod Sakura Cherry Blossom Build

Marc Beissler of MB Custom Rods and Soulmate Rods continues to impress, not only with his excellent studio images but the care that he gives each custom fly rod build that leaves his shop.  

This Ijuin-Rod Sakura blank build is certainly stunning and worthy of a share here.
 

Marc wrote...  "One last from the past before the new building season starts.  Here we have a Kazutomo Ijuin Sakura cherry blossom in 7' 3-weight configuration.  Shopmade brass hardware, mortised and dyed maple burl insert, brass ferulle rings and a matching Struble Mfg stripping guide.

Everything is as clean and low-key as possible to focus on the blanks abilities.  One of a kind build..."

Visit the MB Custom Rods and Soulmate Rods website to see more of Marc's offerings and builds.  Follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

THE MISSION - Issue 59

Take a few minutes to recharge for the coming week with the latest issue of The Mission and keen eyes will notice an article on St. Helena Island featuring an ECHO Bad Ass Glass getting a workout.  

 CHECK IT.

Several Interesting Opportunities for Consideration

Several weeks ago I gave Shane Gray a call on my way into work.  We had a good talk and during it, he expressed that he was thinking about stepping away from one or several of his brands due to a refocus on Graywolf Rods.  He's been purposely building fewer fly rods than in years past and I completely understand that keeping multiple brands that each involve building fly rods moving forward is an undertaking that could easily become overwhelming.  As he mentions in the quote below, he's a one man show after all.     

So, yesterdays email that Shane was offering Brook & Brown, Steffen Brothers, and Rodmaker 24/7 to new ownership was not a surprise but has left me wondering who out there might have interest in taking each of these businesses on.  Each deserves the right fit and offer something much different than the others.

Shane wrote...  "For more than 26 years, I’ve operated several niche fishing and outdoor brands. As the sole owner of all of them, I personally pack every order, ship every product, manage every website, and handle every part of the business myself. These brands are not being discontinued. They will continue to operate and remain active.
 
As my focus shifts toward knives, packs, jewelry, hats, and select rod builds under the Graywolf name, the workload has simply grown beyond what one man can reasonably manage—especially one who wants to spend more time fishing. For that reason, I’m opening the door for new ownership and new energy. This is an opportunity for someone to take these brands further while they remain fully operational. None of these brands carry any debt."

HERE'S MY TAKE
Each of these brands offer very different opportunities and I'd be surprised if one person or one group could take them all on effectively.  Shane has juggled them all for years but I'm not sure someone else could replicate what he's done and to be truly successful, I'm not sure you'd want to.  The fact that none of these brands are carrying any debt is huge and could make the investment purchase a lot easier.

Steffen Brothers is the brand that I worry about most as it comes with a real heritage and history.  It deserves the most with someone who not only has the vision and energy to continue the legacy of building premium fiberglass and graphite fly rods on Mark Steffen's legendary tapers but to also continue the story.  And, this story can be told with a relatively clean slate in building social media, blog, video, and more.  This might not be a one person undertaking and more likely a small team.  What was started with Mark and continued with Shane, can continue in new ways going forward.  Not only is there a brand to purchase here but also equipment, mandrels, materials, and more.

Rodmaker 24/7 would be a great fit for someone interested in creating a one stop shop for everything someone needs to build a fly rod and creating a marketplace for a builder to sell custom built fly rods, built on Rodmaker 24/7 blanks, at several different price points.  There is also lot of room to grow the brand and following with education and teaching of rod building techniques through social media, video, blog, and maybe even in person classes.  This purchase would likely include quite a bit of inventory and the connections to have blanks rolled both in the U.S.A. and beyond.  Lots of future potential here.

Brook & Brown is the "youngest" of the brands and in my mind has the most flexibility of what it could be in the future.  To date, Shane has offered just a few different fly reels and fiberglass fly rods under this brand and B&B could turn into much more with the right person at the helm.  I'm sure that Shane has a workbook full of ideas that he'd pass along for consideration to further cement the foundation of this brand.

Interested?  Reach out to Shane Gray by email or through the contact page on Graywolf Rods.  

BUFFET SERIES - Finding a Bonefish Paradise

Gilbert Rowley's Buffet Series continues with a trip to the flats pursuing bonefish.  Press PLAY...

Follow Gilbert Rowley on Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

FREDERICK STIVERS - Drawing On Trash

I always seem to have quite a few posts in draft around here and several years ago Frederick Stivers gave me a stellar quote, which you'll find below, but it wasn't until the other day that he sent a stack of images of his sketches on "trash" to go along with it.  He's a favorite follow on Instagram and his drawings and paintings are done in a style all his own.

Take a slow scroll and enjoy each of these pieces of art.  I know I sure have.

Frederick wrote...  "The line between worthless and priceless is razor-thin, relative, and always moving.  This intrigues me.  The practice of drawing on what would otherwise be trash only grew out of drawing with and on whatever was at hand.  I travel(ed) a lot for business and often found myself not scratching the itch to draw because I didn't have my materials with me and frankly didn't want to tote the studio with me twice a week to MSP and IAH.

So I started on boarding passes, annual reports, cocktail napkins, anything.  Eventually, I realized the medium was telling a story as well and drawing on French hot press seemed dull and predictable. 

Now it seems like penance for a wasteful culture.  Some of the drawings aren't meant to last.  They are calisthenics preparing for what is next. If they get a smile or a laugh or a nod that is enough. I can draw better than most folks I suppose because I do all the time."  

Check out Frederick's website for more and follow along on Instagram.