I’ve been dabbling in background research into the eBay tackle phenomenon, noting that two or three rod companies were well represented, and others fit the traditional auction mode – someone finding some treasure while cleaning out Grandpa’s closet.
One of the companies that caught my eye was the Powell Rod Co, formerly of Chico, California. I owned a couple Powell graphite rods and had met both Walton and Press many years ago on Fall River.
It’s an old story, “old world” craftsman meets well-to-do “SugarDaddy” with a gleam in his eye, the demise of fine rod company follows.
Being neither lawyer nor investigator, I don’t know what the truth is – but an interesting story from the 2001 Chico News & Review outlines the chronology of events from the Powell perspective.
The rods on eBay explained, they’re not the Powell’s that share their lineage with E.C Powell, Walton Powell, and his son Press – they’re the new company, run by the folks that purchased the firm from Charles Schwab.
I’ve worked at a half dozen fly shops in my youth, and ownership by rich patrons always ended badly. They might share some of our passion for the sport, but the tax writeoff is equally compelling.
In Japan, skilled artisans of bygone arts are designated as national treasures, and receive a stipend so that they can teach others. Perhaps that practice would be appropriate in the US as well.
Technorati Tags: Chico News & Review, Walton Powell, Press Powell, Charles Schwab, Powell Rod Company
Rich – I’ve learned a lot reading your entries. I have a rod that a friend who is part-owner of a NC fly shop gave me as a moving-away gift in 1998. It’s in a canvas-covered tube with “Powell” stitched on it, but no label. The marking on the base says “Powell LGA 865-4.”
I know what that means in terms of the specs for the rod and line. But I don’t know what it tells me in terms of when it was produced –before or after the company changed hands.
An older fellow who used to run a drift boat outfit in West Yellowstone MT saw me using it this summer and said he knew the original Powells. He’s convinced this rod was made before the change-over and told me I had something pretty special.
I’d be grateful for anything you could teach me about what I have!
Thanks
David
David
David – I’m glad my posts have been helpfull. I’m always up for talking about Powell rods. I’m pretty sure the rod you are asking about is one made after the company was moved to Rancho Cordova – the LGA tells me that. Is the canvas rod case you have dark blue? And what color is the blank? It is possible that the rod you have was built on a Powell blank from the Chico shop, Schwab took quite a bit of the Powell’s stock with him when went on his own. But it’s difficult to tell that – and to be honest I don’t know a whole about the rods after Press and Walton were forced out. It is a dark blue blank (the Legacy blanks were what the new Powell Co had the most of) it is almost certainly built on orginal Chico blanks and is a very good rod.
Rich — Thanks for the quick reply. The canvas casing covering the pipe is dark blue. And the blank is a dark blue — I guess the “cobalt blue” someone referred to in an earlier posting.
Before going to Montana this summer, I took two days of lessons at an Orvis School. A helpful — and apparently very honest — instructor at the school examined the rod and said, “That’s a better graphite rod than anything Orvis produces.”
So I figured I might have a better rod than I’d known for all those years that I kept it in the closet before using it.
Of course I thanked my friend when he gave me the rod in 1998. But the comments I heard last spring and this summer have made we wonder if he’d given me a more expensive gift than I’d imagined.
David
David – It is indeed a Powell made after the compant was sold. It is, as I said, most likely built on an older Chico blank. And if so then yes – it is an outstanding casting rod. As I’ve said earlier in this thread, those leagacy 4-5 wts are probably my favorite rods to fish for trout with bar none. I’d guess that new that rod sold for around $300 to possibly $400 and now you might be able to get $100 to $150 for it…but I’d keep it and fish with it. It’s nice to hear the Orvis instructor saw the rod for the great casting rod it is. Enjoy it.
Thanks one more time, Rich.
When the Orvis instructor told me what a fine rod this was, and that the Powell family was no longer in the business, another student who overheard the conversation said, “You ought to take that rod home and put away somewhere safe.”
But the instructor thought like you do. He said, “Heck, no. When you’ve got a piece of equipment as fine as this, you don’t put it away. You use it for what it was intended!”
Which is exactly what I did with a wonderful guide from Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone who put my son and me onto two dozen 16-22 inch Rainbows on the Grayling River
in late May.
It was one of the best days of my life!
David
Well said David…This is often an issue I have trouble with. I’ll get a really pristine example of an old Powell rod and be torn between fishing with it and putting it away. But when it comes down to it I am not an investor…I am somewhat of a collector…but first and foremost I am a fisherman. So I fish with all the rods I have. When I end with a duplicate weight and action rod I sell one and get something I don’t have. And I know neither Walton and Press would not want their rods to be stashed away – for me it honors their memory that I continue to have great days like David’s on the water with Powell rods. It reminds me of one of the greatest fly fishing stories I’ve ever read…The Fly Rod by John Gierach. It’s in his book ‘Trout Bum’. I know a lot folks have heard of and read Gierach…heck there is probably a bunch of info about him on this outstanding website. That story is one of his best.
I built a Powell LTT 9’3” 5wt. rod. It was my favorite 5wt rod until it had an unfortunate experience with a tire and the 2 top sections are broken beyond repair. I would like to find a blank to repair it or a rod that I so I could use the top 2 sections. If not do you know of anyone who might have squirreled original Powell blanks in a back room somewhere? Thanks for any assistance you can provide.
Tim – I am assuming by LTT you mean a 4 peice travel rod. The “new” Powell tried to resurect the Light Touch rods after they took over the company and sold them as LTT or Light Touch Tradiotional. I honestly don’t know how many piece rods they were. Either way, Jim Clarkson is the man you want. I mentioned him in an earlier post. His website is http://www.raptorrodworks.com He has a large inventory of old Powell blanks and has quite a few pieces from busted old Powell rods. I’m almost certain he can help you. I do know that he is out of the shop on trade show business until the 21st of Sep or so. But contact him after that.
Rich
Rich,
Thanks for the feedback. The rod I built was an LTT935-3, 9’3″ 3 piece LTT. A beautiful rod!
I will contact Jim Glarkson and see if he has any parts for this rod, thanks.
Rich, great you are helping everyone out on here. I can’t say enough about my old Powell’s I buy them whenever I find a good one….my long reach 5/6 wt is flat out the best rod ever made as far as I am concerned. I wouldn’t mind having a couple more.
Hi all!
This is a great thread indeed. I live in Sweden and Powell rods are not that usual around here.I’m happy to have two of these rods in my possession. Both are custom made here in Sweden on what I think is Chico era blanks.
First one is a great rod, called ”Powell Scandinavia”. Burgundy red blank. Unfortunatly mine is rather sloppy made, but it don’t stop me at all from using it. I’ve been told that they were sold only as blanks and where named exlusively for the Powell dealer here in Sweden at that time, Lennart Bergqvist fly shop. I want to know is if these Scandinavia blanks has a different name in the U.S?
I also have a rod marked Powell LT 8´3”, 4-5 weight. From my view this one is similar looking to those LT’s you see from time to time at Ebay. A truly fine craft, on a dark green blank, and Powell styled aluminium and wooden reel seat. But from what I’ve heard, the guy who built it claims this is a ”Powell Silver Creek” rod. Is this correct? Does anybody know more about the Silver Creek rods?
Please, fill me in on these issues.
Thanks,
Johan
Johan…great to hear from a Swedish Powell lover. As far as your Powell Scandinavia rod – I don’t know anything about that. It sounds like either a Sinature Series or early Legacy blank. I do have a call into a friend who may know something about it. I’ll let you know if I hear anything on that. As far as the LT goes…that is a Light Touch rod. Up until the mid 90’s each one of the Light Touch models had a name. The 8’3″ 4-5 wt was called the “Silver Creek”. In the mid 90’s they changed the labeling to remove the names and just label the model…as on your rod…an LT 83 4-5. Is there a serial number on the rod? That might give a better idea of when exactly it was made.
My Powell Scandinavia is a 9´, 3 weight , slow-medium action rod. I use SA:s non-spook 3 wt. line and it’s a killer combination for dry flying. I would say the Signature Series fits the description well. A friend of mine compared it to almost cane action. I don’t know anything about cane, But I do know I really like the smooth action at shorter distances and the backbone that shows when you hold some line in the air. Here in Sweden, the Powell Scandinavia series are mentioned as one of the legendary rod series among some flyfishermen (who has been around for a while). And that goes for both light trout rods as mine, and the heavier 14-15´ salmon rods.
Thank you for the enlightment on the Silver Creek mystery. Sorry to say there is no serial number on my rod, neither do i have original tubes or socks. Rumours (a swedish source) says that there are at least to versions of Powell Silver Creek rods. Walton Powell built the first one on a green blank, and a later one were built on a blue blank. Does this make any sense?
Cheers
/Johan
Johan…it sort of makes sense. The Silver Creek rods were just one many models in the Light Touch line if rods. These were all always made on a green blank. The Legacy series rods were intially made on a red/brown blank and were later switched to a blue blank. When the Powell company was sold in the late 90s, the new Powell discontinued the Light Touch but continued the legacy production in the blue blank. They eventually tried to bring back the light touch (in a green blank I think) as the light touch traditional. I don’t know much about the newer Powell stuff. I don’t care to. The other item to clarify…Walton Powell never made Light Touch rods. His son Press Powell (the owner/operator of Powell rod co) made most of the popular graphite rods we all know. The signature series, light touch, legacy, west branch were all Press’ rod lines. The only regular graphite rods Walton ever made were “The Walton Powell Rod” rods.
Johan – I spoke with a friend of mine today who worked for the Powells for many years. He says he clearly remembers that the Lennart Bergqvist shop had the sole distribution rights for Powell stock in Sweden. He says I was correct, that the other rod you have has got to be on a Signature Series blank custom built there in Sweden. You said it was a 9 foot 3 wt…had it been made at the Powell shop it would been labeled as a DF90-1L and later (about 1995 or so) as an SS 9034. I hope this helps.
Rich
Thanks Rich for the great info on these rods. A rod with a story makes it more fun to own and fish with. Tell your “Powell friend” that the real Powell rods are still alive and kicking in Sweden.
Best Regards
//Johan
Rich, can you tell me if original Tiborons say made in usa on them.Thanks scott
Scott – Tiburon is a line of rods made when the Powell familly were no longer involved in the company. I have no good info on those rods. Sorry,
Rich
Thank-you for your time.scott
Rich, I ran across this thread while reserching a Powell rod blank that I purchased and built into a very nice rod. However after fishing it with a 6wt line I am not sure it is a 6wt blank. Here are the details, the blank is a beautiful dark brown gloss finish, I did not get a rod tube but there was a sticker on the blank that had the following information, DF90-2L 652-9. Can you help me identify what blank I have, Thanks very much, Dave
Dave, That blank you built with is a Signature Series blank. These were moderate action rods. The DF90-2L means it is a 9ft 5-6 wt blank. The 652-9 is the serial number…the -9 indicating it was made in 1989. As far as the apparent lack of casting performance…I don’t know how many or in what way you spaced your guides…that can impact casting ability and is something both Walton and Press spent some considerable time on when building rods. I would guess that if you fished it with a 5 wt line you would like it better. Again, these moderate action rods could take getting used to if you are used to more modern faster rods. I don’t know what brand/age of line you are casting. Read my post from 17 May 09 for some info on lines that can improve the casting of these older rods…although in your case it might depend on what kind of snake guides you built the rod with. I hope this helps.
Rich
I Too have what i think is an original powell,the sticker on the rod tube says LT9667 and on the rod the serial number is 53463A it was bought from Partridge of Redditch when they were the UK distributer.but any other info would be appreciated
Bryan – Does the rod have markings on it beside the serial number? What color is the blank? How many pieces is the rod? What is the rod tube made from? These are all things I’d need to know to determine if is an original Powell. I don’t know much about Powell distribution in the UK, but I can look into it.
Hi The rod is the green colour with green whippings and yellow tippings,it has the powell famous real fitting with the maple insert,its two piece and the tube is metal with the powell sticker on it,the addressc on the sticker is p.o.box 4000 chico,ca,95927.
cheers
Bry
Came across a Powell Coho 100.Never heard of them and can’t find anything on it. Can you help?hanks….scott
Bryan…based on the rod tube it sounds like an original Powell. I can’t say for sure though. If there is NOTHING on the rod itself besides the serial number I will need to do a little more research. Would it be fair to say the wraps were green tipped with gold? I’m fairly certain this rod is a Light Touch 9 foot 6 inch 6-7wt rod. This would have been called the Long Reach-6 before the naming convention was removed from Light Touch rods in the mid-90’s.
Scott – The Coho name was used on both the Light Touch series (green blank) and the Signature Series (root beer brown blank). Again, before the naming conventions were taken off the Powell rods in the mid 90’s, all the Signature Series rods made for Steelhead/Salmon fishing were called Coho…the 90L was a 9ft 8-9wt rod, the 90H was a 9ft 9-10 wt rod. The Coho 100 was a 10ft, 0in (thus the 100) 9-10wt rod. Those that you are looking at (I saw them as well) are both custom made by Powell. The Coho 100 did not come with a fighting butt standard so that was added (this was a common request) and the 10ft 6in rod was a custom length as well. A serial number ending in -6 indicates they were made in 1986. You can read some of my previous posts regarding the action and best lines to use with the Signature Series rods if you’ve never fished them before…they are great rods and really would do an outstanding job of passing the feel of river bed vs strike so often needed for Steelhead fishing.
Rich,Thanks so much.Really appreciate your time and help.Very impressed at your knowledge and details of Powell rods.My first two fly rods were powell’s and have soft spot for them all.(pre) Thanks again,scott
Hi Rich,the serial number on the rod is A53463.
it has POWELL then underneath ,Made in the USA,then LT9667 9″ 6″ 6-7wt ,which is in white ink.
the whippings are green with yellow tippings,
I know of only two other Powells in the UK which are in near mint condition and belong to a friend of mine who will not send then to me,
At one point in the UK, Powell made rods for Bob church and co which were black blanks ,i had one of these but it came to an unfortunate end with a weighted fly,
thanks again
Bry
Hi everyone, I saw this post doing a little research on my Father’s Powell Rods. He recently passed away, and although I was a huge fan including one story when I broke a tip, not only did he send a new tip, but also repaired the old tip with a note: “you can always use a extra tip just in case the biggest truck fish and you battle again.” I was blown away. Well anyway, this past year I was diagnosed with a terminal brain disease (44 yo) and will be unable to use there rods any more – they have all seen great steelhead landed and will treasure those perfect day. The are on ebay now and they end tomorrow – but if you have a chance take a look. He even had a couple custom made that are “Coho and Coho 100″ 10′ and 10’6” for fishing the eel. Thanks again and tight lines….
Thanks Mike,
mikefell1@gmail.com
Bryan – that is an original Powell you have there…just as I described before, it’s a Light Touch…probably from the 1996 to 1998 time frame. Good rod. And if I was your friend I’d hang on to my original Powell’s too. I don’t know what the rods are that were on the black blank. I’ll see if I can get any info on those. Anyway, enjoy that rod you have.
Rich
I have a Walton Powell Hexagraph 8’6 . I bought htis rod about 8 years ago. It’s a dark green 2 piece. It has never been used. It’s onebeautiful rod.
Can’t believe those two powell coho’s went so cheap.(approx 130.00)Thought they would fetch a nice price! Dan P
Kittie – the hexagraphs are cool. The dark green is one of the early hexagraphs from Walton. They went to the bamboo look finish on those evetually. It should be fished though. Dan…I was suprised the Cohos didn’t go higher as well. By timing is everything with ebay. Someone got a good deal.
I’m going to post this here…it seems that this thread on Mr Barton’s quality site is getting a few search hits. This is for anyone who ends up here wanting to sell a Powell on ebay or craigs list or whatever. First…figure out a price you’d want for the rod. Or ask what the rod may be worth…I’ll give you an honest assesment. Then let us know it is for sale here. This is mainly due to the fact that I am always interested in buying old Powells, so I’m hoping for first shot :). But if you are going to list one, here are some things you must do to ensure you get what the rod is worth and save yourself some time not answering all the questons you will get. 1) Include a couple of quality photos of what is written on the rod and also include this info, including the serial number, in the text of the listing. 2) Include good photos of the rod tube, rod sock, cork grip, and reel seat. This makes a huge difference in the price you can get for the rod – particularly the tube and sock . 3) Learn as much as you can on the history and action of the rod and inlude this info in your auction. Ask me here and I’ll be happy to provide what I can to aid in this. 4) Maximize exposure. Make your auction visible to ebay international, set the auction to run at least 7 days, if not 10, and make sure the words Powell Fly Rod appear in the title. I sold a hexapragh (not an early green one as mentioned above, but a nice rod none the less) and I got a premium price from a buyer in Japan. There is a huge Powell following world wide and particularly in Japan. I’ve bought and sold 30 to 40 Powell rods on ebay. Follow these rules and you should maximize you chances of a good showing.
Where can I get more information on the Walton Powell I have? It only has the sig. and Hex. wih the 8’6 on it. everything is in excellent shape.
Kittie, The Hexagraph rods are graphite solid core rods that have an action like bamboo. They are made of six traingular segments – thus the name. Walton and couple of rod builders in England named Brue and Walker collaborated on the idea. Bruce and Walker were interested in making 2 handed Spey rods and Walton on trout rods. So they struck a deal and worked out the rights as to what sort of rods each could make. They each went their own direction with the idea and Walton really refined the tapers and technology. When he first started producing the rods they were finished in that dark green. I’m guessing the letteing on the rod is hand written, not in any type face, correct? If there is no line weight on it (make sure you check the rod tube closely and inside the cap for any possible info written there) it’s probably a 5-6 wt. That was what most of those early hexagraphs were. I’d guess that rod is from the late 80’s/early 90s and I’d say it was worth any where from $350 to $600. At some point the went to a very nice bamboo look finish on those rods. A man named Harry Briscoe helped further refine the Hexagraph line and Walton later sold the entire line to Mr Briscoe and he is still marketing the rods. Jim Clarkson, who I mentioned in an earlier post, still builds all the Hexagraph rods in his shop in Chico. You can check them out at:
http://www.hexagraph.com
Rich,do you have a addrees for PM;s.Thanks scott
Scott, you or anyone else can email me at gyro@suddenlink.net
Hi
Its me again.i have managed to obtain another,what i think is a genuine Powell,its a two piece 10ft.LT10078 its a green blank with the same tube etc as my 9ft 6in.
could you verify this for me.
Bry
Bryan – if it’s got that same tube with the Chico address label, it’s probably an orginal Powell. What is the serial number on this one?
Bryan – I spoke to a friend the other day and asked about those Bob Church rods and he confirmed they were indeed made by Powell. They were Signature Series blanks finshed with custom cosmetics. They were all 2 piece and all in the heavier range…8′ 6″ to 10′ lengths and 7-8wt, 8-9wt, and 9-10wt rods. Apparently as a business deal, things did not go well for Powell on that one. Anyway, a little more info there.
Hi Rich,The UK Powells also included a rather lovely 9ft 6in #6/7,i had one of these but times were hard and i had to sell it,my latest Powell,the 10 ft #7/8 serial number is A51254 ,should this rod have had i fighting butt as its not there.
cheers
Coho’s arrived,one good,one not so much.PM’d you.scott
I found it interesting to read all the posts on the Powell rods. I got my start in fly fishing at the Chico Shop in 1994. I learned to tie flies there, and eventually tied a number of patterns for Press and Jim. I recall seeing the old guys that used to have coffee there every morning until I moved to Idaho. I owned 6 of the Original fly rods, an EC Powell Bamboo and three of the original Salmon casting rods that the Powell Fly shop sold in the early ’90’s. I have no interest in the newer fly rods, as the knowledge that I have from watching Geno and DJ pick my blanks out, line up the spines and set the eyes, to the girls that worked in the back wrapping them. My name is inscribed on all of them, as well as 2 having custom Koa wood seats from wood I brought home from Hawaii when I lived there in the service. My first rod was the 9’6″ 7-8wt “Summer Run” that I bought to fish for Steelhead. I then acquired a 4-5wt SS, a LT9656 5-6wt Light touch we built for Feather River Steelies, a 9-10 Coho, a 12-13 Legacy for Stripers and offshore. I had a beutiful little SS 3-4wt, but had to give it back when I got a divorce in ’95. The days at the shop with Ken Watters, Larry Blunt (Owner today), Tim Fox, Keith Skirrow and others were dsome good times. Good times fishing as well. For those that someday get the chance to cast and own one of the original Powell Rods, surely will not be disappointed… Tight Lines, Mark
🙂
Hi K Barton?,
You know from time to time I look around at all of the different web forums and peek to see what’s happening in the virtual community because there’s a lot of brave dudes behind their computers, and I must say that when I came across this older thread I had to chime in briefly because I always like to see the Powell name in lights, good or bad. And I see it’s still tagged onto from time to time. That’s how infrequent I get on these things.
You know you claim you know nothing but you put out a title that asked me to stand up, so here I am, HI.
Now, to set just a piece of the record straight this wasn’t a story of a “Superior Craftsman meets Sugar Daddy as you claim. Additionally, you say you don’t know anything about the people that were involved, nor do you know anything at all about events that transpired about the Powell rod Co, so I’ll leave you with this. And if you have any more comments or questions, you can call me directly, but I’ll not get into a pissing match on here, but please call me if you genuinely care to STAND UP YOURSELF and discuss anything with the REAL POWELL ROD COMPANY OWNER, here’s the Toll Free #—1-888-635-9763.
My job first and foremost is to build a company that represents fishing, period, and not just fly fishing. Additionally, we are building more and more products every year which include fly rods, reels and casting and spinning rods just like the Powell’s wanted it, because they wanted to be a FISHING ROD COMPANY that covered every aspect of fishing rods.
Just to cover several points because again, if you knew what chain of events that led up to outside folks getting involved in the company and what happened after that, then you wouldn’t be throwing grenades because the facts are so over whelming. In fact, if you could be unbiased when presented the facts you would say, Oh My God, I didn’t know that, wow that makes sense.
1. Press Powell was a good man, and may he rest in peace. He and I spoke right before he passed and he told me, he liked the direction the company was headed, no matter what any of you say.
2. There was no sugar daddy eyeballing or eager to get involved, they were begged to get in because the doors were closing. (I bet the Sugar Daddy is a better Fly fisherman and Fly caster then ¾ of Fly Fisherman out there in the world) I’ve seen it. For those of you that thought this was a tax write off, you know nothing about what you say in that context.
3. The family NEVER EVER made their own blanks other than Bamboo. They assembled blanks made by other various other companies, which was a huuuuge problem for repeatability and dependability when you are trying to run a manufacturing company.
4. There’s been one sided bogus articles written from several buffoons.
5. The family reputation as a Whole Sale Business to Dealers was terrible, to put it mildly before outside people got involved.
2009——–Now the company has control of its own manufacturing. I got the original Bamboo blank
Making Equipment back to the Family. We are growing every year and making the name reputable in the Fishing Rod world and it’s taken a lot of hard work. We will continue to up hold the name as one of the great ones in the history of Rod Building and now, Rod Manufacturing, combined with First Class Service.
If this sets off a firestorm or if it doesn’t I could care less. I’m sick and tired of Buffoons out there like you throwing grenades or making inferences about something you know nothing about. My job here in this post is to be sure that a few snippets of the truth are out there, so folks can always refer to it, period. Which some folks will gravitate towards and hard line grenade throwers will never want to hear.
Keith Bryan
Powell Rods
Thanks for working yourself into a rage over nothing. My post pointed out the Chico newspaper article – and while I may have added some “general” color about the nature of rich fellows and their patronizing of artists and craftsmen – I made no claim to knowledge of detail in the transition of the Powell Rod Company.
“Old World craftsman meets Sugardaddy” is a reoccuring issue in this business. Leonard, Winston, Thomas & Thomas, Orvis – all of the legendary cane makers of the past have transitioned from craftsman-owned to sugardaddy-owned, perhaps some for the better.
The Powell story is one of many – and while the principles might know the details – as mentioned above – I do not.
With 36 models of spinning and casting rods, and only 16 fly rods (eight in graphite, 8 in bamboo) – it’s certain you’re not the Powell company of old. Congratulations.
Mr Bryan, if I may, I’d like to address a couple of points here. Let me begin by saying I am someone who DID know the people we are talking about here. Here is the problem with your post. If you are getting so upset that, as the owner of a professional rod company, you are bothering to read internet blogs and post sour grapes posts ranting against “misinformation” then there must be something to the stories. Otherwise why would a upwardly moblie executive like you lower yourself to respond to such tripe? Here is my take: yes the Powells were not the most skilled businesmen. They may have gone “begging” as you say. I don’t know what the exact conditions of the books were (for either Press or Walt) at the time, but neither do you. The Powells thought they had a chance to increase their piece of the pie and make more money and, as any of us would, they took it. What they were not looking to do was sell the family name and business. They did not realize what they were giving away, and that is their fault. But the Sugar Daddy took it. You and I both know he didn’t have to. The fact remains that he did. And I don’t give a good god damn what kind of fisherman he is…based on his actions I can tell what kind of man he is. Josef Stalin could have been the best fly fisherman in the world at the time. Does that somehow excuse what he was? I am not trying to equate what the Schwabs did to the Powells with what Stalin did to the people of the USSR, just making a point about the paucity of your argument. You try to portray the fact that they didn’t make their own blanks into some sort of major weakness. I don’t recall ever hearing, at that time, anything but glowing praise for their rods. So what does it matter where the blanks came from? Do us and yourself a favor and stop cruising the internet looking for people bad mouthing your company. You think the CEO of Best Buy does this kind of thing? Do you think he finds bloggers and accuses them of hiding behind their computers? Concentrate on being a professional rod maker. Make and market the best rods you can and ignore the lunatic fringe. If you keep this sort of thing up people will figure where there is smoke there is fire and you’ll keep the rumor mill churning. There are a number of reasons why I will never own one of your rods. Posts like this is one of them.
Rich Morrison
gyro@suddenlink.net