Just put in an order with Brian at ELKHORN FLY RODS for an 8' for 5 wt Bamboo Rod and reel seat with wood insert. Expect to receive the blank and reel seat in a couple weeks, at the outside. Then I can make the decisions on the rest of the components, to include, most likely, a custom grip by Smernsky ?? That is the PROJECT part of it.

The CHALLENGE part of it is to use this rod EXCLUSIVELY during 2009. That will involve well over 100 days of fishing streams and rivers, and a few mountain lakes. The streams range from very small spring creeks to medium size mountain freestone streams. The rivers will include such as the Big Lost, the South Fork of the Snake and the Henry's Fork, the Greys River ( WY ) and a few others in the SE Idaho / SW Montana / Western Wyoming region, and the Selway and Lochsa Rivers at the Idaho Fish In.

The CHALLENGE part of it includes fishing flies from small dries to large weighted stonefly nymphs to medium sized streamers on the variety of water described above, for trout ranging from small brookies to cutts, bows and browns in the 20" plus range, all with a single rod.

I'm really excited about getting started on the build, and looking forward to the challenge.

John