Lake Fork, Conejos area, Colorado

Gnome's Travelling Rod Show

Jeff Hatton is an old acquaintance, a friend, a gentleman that influenced me greatly when I was making bamboo fly rods. In 2009, I learned about tenkara and about that time, I moved into a home that did not have a room for my rod making so I closed shop. I had a rod that I was working on that wasn't finished. I made it in the style of exposed mortised handle (no cork) with wood pieces in between the bamboo strips. A very precise style of bamboo rod construction solely made in the style of Jeff Hatton. I sent the rod to him and it was returned with a beautiful case and gorgeous furnishing's. Jeff appreciated that I had made this rod in his honor...

Jeff, aka, "the gnome" is a fly fishing historian. He has written a couple of books on fly fishing and also has a collection of historical fly rods that rivals any in existence. 

I urge you to locate and view the collection if you are in Colorado.

Go Fund Me: Jeff Hatton's Traveling Rod Show

Classic Fly Rod Forum: Jeff Hatton Traveling Collection
Classic Fly Rod Forum: Inner View with the Gnome

2015 Tenkara USA Summit

The hall where the Summit was presented is an excellent venue

A few snaps before the summit begins

Tables all around for individual presentations, demonstrations and private instruction

Daniel Galhardo presenting Yoshikazu Fujioka

Fujioka-san read in English and presented a great kebari slide show as a visual

Explaining Japanese hooks

Go Ishii gave a great presentation

Daniel Galhardo, Yoshikazu Fujioka and Go Ishii

I am grateful Daniel brought Fujioka-san to the Summit. I've known him for 18 years at the time.

Chit chatting after so many years of knowing each other through e-mail

Adam and Fujioka-san

On the way to get tacos and tequilla

Daniel and I have Fujioka-san's kebari tatoo

Daniel Galhardo

Yoshikazu Fujioka

Daniel Galhardo giving a casting presentation

Gathering for a casting demonstration

Lenticular cloud over the Rocky Mountains. It was windy on this day.

Awesome vendors at the summit

Fujioka-san giving a more personal tying demonstration

Fly tying gathering on Saturday night

Graham Moran

Adam Klagsbrun's cabin porch

1st and 2nd prizes for the fly tying contest

A beautiful box of kebari from different districts in Japan

Adam Klagsbrun driving

Adam Klagsbrun

Adam Klagsbrun 

Adam Klagsbrun

Adam Trahan and Adam Klagsbrun

Go Ishii and Adam Trahan

Go Ishii

Mike Willis and Adam Trahan

Steve Conrad took me fishing in many cool places

He is a super angler, I dig fishing with him

We caught fish where ever we went

This was a long hike fishing a stream on the way to Steve's home in Nederland

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park