Are you in need of the perfect holiday gift? Have you considered buying a new fishing rod for your significant other? Isn't the perfect gift the gift that touches the soul again and again. And wouldn't it be perfect if you could give that gift, then add to it for years? There is nothing quite like the joy of sharing in an other person's passion, and while you may not consider a fishing rod a personal item, they truly are.

The one item every fly fisher needs is a fishing rod, or rods, as the case may be. So how does a fishing rod keep on giving? Let me give you an example. One very smart woman I know bought her husband a fly rod on their wedding day. He was ecstatic! For Christmas that year he got a beautiful wooden rod case. For his birthday a new reel, for Father's Day a lesson, and for the anniversary, a trip to Montana to go fishing,. Heck, I'd marry her too!

Fond memories of the occasion, and of the giver, will reoccur with each easing of the rod from its case. But the other way it can keep on giving is with each successive occasion an accompanying item can be added to the rod. Through the year many other occasions and special holidays will provide the opportunities to add to the ensemble with waders, boots, landing net, fly boxes, or any number of the add ons that are really essential to the well turned out fly fisher.

Now let me offer a few tips to the spouse or significant other who may be engineering these purchases. Think local. Some of the best rods are being made right here in Virginia. Don't think that a name brand is the only way to get a good rod, and remember, the overhead of a big manufacturer may actually run up the price. More correctly the highest priced rods and equipment seem to equate in large part with who spends the most money advertising. Some excellent rods are being made by local rod builders and makers, both cane (bamboo) and graphite. One of the best ways to see, and better yet try these rods, is to attend one of the local fly fishing shows in your area.

There are a few rules of thumb that can be used in identifying what kind of rod a fisherman may need for different uses. Usually smaller rods of 7 1/2', 4 weight, are used on our smaller Virginia Mountain streams, while a longer rod of 8 1/2' to 9' for 5 or 6 weight might be used for shad and bass on the warmwater rivers, and for larger trout streams both in the East and west.

The other option is to purchase a gift certificate that allows the new owner to select for themselves. Or buy one where exchanging is accepted. Choosing a rod is a very personal thing, especially if it is not a first rod. Each of us has a casting style that is ours. For some a fast action, stiffer rod suits their style, for others its a medium or slower action. Purchasing a rod is about as personal as gift giving gets.

I would like to put in a word for cane (bamboo) rods, as my husband makes hand made split cane rods, and I have now become a believer. Having fished some excellent graphite rods for many years before meeting Hank, it became quite a joke each time we would get ready to go fishing. I'd ask for all the details about where we were fishing and the size of the water, would we fish dries or nymphs, because the answers helped me decide which one of my rods I would fish. The 7 1/2, 4 wt. for small streams, the 9' 5 wt. for nymphing, a 6 wt. for bass or drift boating. Once I made the decision, Hank would say, "If you would just use cane you could use one rod for everything." And with that he would pick up his 7 1/2', 5 wt. cane rod and out the door we would go. The end of the story; he made one for me for Christmas two years ago, and the five rods I brought to the marriage just sit in the closet. (Well, actually we use them for teaching in our fly fishing school.)

If you should decide to make a rod the gift that keeps on giving, you will find the list of add ons to be endless. A few suggestions, if I may: A casting lesson, or better yet a guided day on a stream with a guide that is willing to teach fishing , as well as casting. From a good guide you can learn more in a day than in a year of self exploration. Among the smaller necessities are: a pair of forceps for removing barbs before fishing and hooks while fishing, nippers on a zinger, a SAFE WATER bottle so you can drink from the stream, new fly boxes, ( you can never have to many), fly tying equipment, and books on fishing. If you are still not sure what to get, put a catalog out with a note that says, "Circle choices and mail to Santa."