Rituals?........hmmm, that's a new one. Isn't funny how we take to certain things? I would guess that if it makes one feel better to go thru some sort of ritual to achieve total satisfaction, then so be it. Like a ball player doing his little thing each time he stands at home plate preparing to swing at a pitch. I certainly have to agree with JC on the mud thing though. I personally cast each rod that I build, not to catch a fish per say, but to see the results of my recent project. I have learned many things over the years by doing this and was surprised at some of the results that I wasn't expecting. For my own personal rods though, I never give up on any of them. To me they are a labour of love and deserve the chance to catch fish. Funny......they usually do over time.
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David Parker
Guild Certified Professional Rod Builder