I have met a number of high profile rod builders over the years and sadly many of them are not too approachable and I get it, they get cornered at events by people they have never met, it must be annoying to a degree, well, sort of, I don't think of myself as annoying.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending some time with noted Western builder, D.W Whitehead, he is one of the good guys. We talked about rod makers, design philosophy, he offered some suggestions and took an interest is what I was doing and was generous with his time and knowledge. I know I was not the only guy he spoke to but I felt he was genuine and still had a real passion for anything bamboo. I am sure this has contributed to his own success but we can all take a page from Daryl when it comes time to helping new builders and aspiring builders too. Take an interest, share your knowledge and really listen to all the guys that are just starting on their own rod building journey. Be supportive, be enthusiastic.
Is it just me or is pipe smoke one of the greatest smelling things on Earth?