This thread is distinctly an FAOL Bulletin Board kind of thing. Last April, I won the monthly FAOL drawing and was awarded an Elkhorn ES1489-6 two handed rod. After outfitting that rod and learning some basics of spey casting, I put it in the corner until ...... Late last September, I was thinking about what rod to build next, and it occurred to me that Elkhorn also sells bamboo rods and blanks.

Never having cast a bamboo rod, I thought it would be interesting to build one and fish only it for a whole year. I had pretty much decided that the 1489 two hander was not going to be much use for the kind of water I like and the type of fishing I do. So after reading some more about bamboo rods and thinking about it for a few weeks, I talked to Brian at Elkhorn and we worked out a deal where I would trade him even up the complete two handed rod outfit for a bamboo blank, grip and reel seat.

That resulted in the Elkhorn Bamboo Project and Challenge thread that I started in late October on the Rod Building Forum. Follow the link for the Project part of it.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...ad.php?t=24106

Last year I posted a number of threads on this Fishing Reports Forum for the different rivers, streams and lakes I fished - four long running threads and several one time only fishing reports, starting as early as late February and ending just a couple days ago.

I didn't really expect the level of interest in the places I get to fish and hike, the fish I get to catch and the scenery and wildlife that surrounds the whole process, and the feedback and encouragement I received from so many people to continue reporting on my outings.
Admittedly, some days I didn't much feel like sitting down and writing about a day on the water and posting pics, even though the reports and pics are a great way for me to relive my experiences. When I felt like that, usually some comment in a post or a PM came back to me and reminded me that while I can't take this all too seriously, some folks really do appreciate the opportunity, for whatever reasons they have, to go along with me.

So this year I decided to report on the Challenge in a single post, assuming the administrators don't shut it down !! MontanaMoose recently referred to the "Elkhorn Chronicle" in a PM to me. I almost decided to put that title on the thread, but finally settled on something a bit more descriptive.

I'm looking forward to another interesting year in my backyard here in the Intermountain West. I hope all that come along enjoy it as much I plan to. If at any time it seems I'm taking this too seriously, somebody please give me a whack upside the head.

John