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I have been reading this board for a while now having seen references from Clark's board. I have been fly fishing since I was a kid, fell in love with it on a family vacation to YNP when I was 10. My first rod was a South Bend glass package combo (circa 1968), I still have the reel but the rod??? With little information and local influence, it fell by the wayside until 10-12 years ago when I decided to rekindle the fire. I reentered the fly fishing world with graphite and soon began tying my own flies. I recently got into building my own rods and that lead to bamboo and building my own from a blank. I was astonished at the smoothness of the cane rod that I built and have just began to look into the other forms to enjoy the art even more. I feel like I missed out on a lot of fine fishing with the years I spent bass fishing. I had the Ranger bass boat with all the trimmings and even did a short stint on the local semi-pro tournament circuit. That turned into all work and no fun along with the guilt of missing out on family time. I live in Lawton, OK and do most of my fishing in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge that has a multitude of small lakes full of bass and pan fish. I do get the opportunity to make the trip to eastern Oklahoma to trout fish a couple of times a year as well as trips to Arkansas and Missouri to trout fish. My wife and I usually spend 2-3 weeks in South Fork Colorado each summer so I can fish till I drop. I enjoy reading the posts on this board and the great photography of both the gear and special places to fish. I look forward to learning more. This part of the world is not exactly a fly fishing mecca and I often get the"look" from those around me. It's nice to be among friends. Thanks to Bulldog and his willingness to share his expertise and patients with a lot of "newbie" questions from me, I have a glass rod on the way.

Doug

Tom,
Thanks for the warm welcome. Having someone that understands what the "look" is.........priceless. I fish locally out of a float tube as the moss comes up pretty quick in the spring, making wading almost impossible. I am still trying to unravel the mysteries of fly fishing and why I enjoy it so much. I am prepared to spend the rest of my life trying to figure it out. Is there a Tex, OK, Ark, Kan, Missouri clave anytime soon? With the spring run of white bass (sand bass, sandies, et al) fast approaching, looks like a good time for one.

Doug

Tom,
Sound like a familiar place to me. I used to hunt for many years around Dawt Mill. We hunted between the North Fork and the Bryant River so I know the area and have done a little fishing there too. Sounds not only interesting but enticing as well. Thanks for the heads up.

Doug