Retired US Marine and law-enforcement particular investigator completes his first customized fishing rod
PARK FALLS, WIS. (January 10, 2025) – James Tannahill was not in place when he retired from a army and law-enforcement profession spanning greater than 30 years.
“Folks don’t notice how far-reaching PTSD is,” the Mont Belvieu, Texas resident says. “The army and law-enforcement communities have the best suicide charges of all occupations, however PTSD can impression virtually anybody and have a wide range of causes.”
Certainly, Tannahill skilled some trauma throughout his service as a US Marine, however it was the final 5 years of his skilled profession working as Particular Investigator for the Texas Division of Household and Protecting Companies that did essentially the most injury. “It took a toll on me,” the previous faculty athlete says. “Except for saving kids, the job was not nice. The trauma piled up closely from the issues I noticed and was pressured to cope with.”
Tannahill sought and obtained care and therapy from the VA a short while after his retirement. “Because of my group on the VA, I’ve achieved a fairly good job enhancing my religious, psychological, and bodily well being,“ he says, including that his docs have gone “above and past” of their dedication to Tannahill’s therapy. “The standard of care I’ve obtained on the Houston VA has been superb.”
Tannahill’s docs beneficial he begin a brand new pastime – one thing he cared about that may assist maintain his consideration and focus . “I already had fishing,” Tannahill stories, “however I noticed a video on customized rod-building and it captivated me.”
Tannahill reached out to Rod Geeks – St. Croix’s rod clean enterprise – and requested in the event that they supplied a army low cost. “To my shock, they wished to listen to extra about my story and thought it could be fascinating for different people who find themselves eager about stepping into rod constructing to comply with my journey as a starting rod builder,” he says. “So, they requested what sorts of rods I wished to construct and graciously despatched me a pair blanks whereas placing me in touch with Invoice Falconer at Anglers Useful resource. Invoice not solely helped me out with the opposite supplies and parts I wanted, but in addition supplied friendship and help in my journey.”
After taking a rod-building class the place he realized some abilities and made some further pals, Tannahill went to work on his first rod, a 7’3” medium energy inshore saltwater spinning mannequin designed for fashionable popping-cork strategies employed alongside the Texas Gulf Coast. “The Rod Geeks XC33 clean that St. Croix despatched me was lovely,” he says. “Their hybrid carbon and glass X-Comp Sequence blanks are designed to be sturdy and light-weight with tons of energy for inshore fishing. And because it comes from St. Croix, you already know you might be beginning your construct with the very best.”
Each pastime takes various levels of capital, and whereas he obtained assist from St. Croix and Anglers Useful resource with the clean and parts, Tannahill ended up buying a Flex Coat Energy Rod Wrapper / Finisher & Information Alignment Instrument. “It was positively an funding, however it’s an amazingly well-designed and constructed instrument that I’d extremely suggest to anybody who desires to get into the pastime.”
“Throughout my rod-building class, I realized that each rod clean has a backbone – one facet that’s really stiffer,” Tannahill says. “Discovering the backbone on the clean is necessary since you need the backbone on high so the rod performs the very best. It appears sophisticated, however it was straightforward. I realized how one can do it at my rod-building class and it seems I’m fairly good at it! I used to be in a position to assist a couple of different individuals within the class learn to do it. One you mark the backbone you might be prepared to start out constructing.”
Tannahill attacked the deal with and reel seat first. “I opted for a conventional full-cork deal with,” he says. “The cork is available in rings that you’ll want to ream out within the heart to put on the clean… foregrip first, then the reel seat, then the primary deal with, then the butt. The rings can get a bit of off heart as you place them on, however it’s no large deal. I simply rotated each 1 / 4 flip so the cork materials stayed pretty centered alongside the clean. Then you definitely glue every thing collectively, clamp it, let all of it dry after which sand all of it down till you might be pleased with the form.”
Then got here the guides.
“I feel determining the information spacing and placement can be one of many extra important challenges for a starting rod builder,” Tannahill says. “However I used to be fortunate and had lots of assist and steering from Aaron and Invoice at Angler’s Useful resource. I went with black stainless-steel guides with SiC (silicon carbide) inserts. As soon as you already know the spacing, you place them and wrap them on the clean with thread. I marked all their places, then positioned and wrapped two at a time. It’s essential make sure that they comply with the backbone – on the backbone facet for casting rods and on the gentle facet reverse the backbone for a spinning rod like I used to be constructing.”
Tannahill says the thread wrapping was positively his favourite a part of your entire course of. “Studying how one can begin and end the wraps is the exhausting half, however my rod-building class gave me the data and confidence I wanted. The remainder of the method is straightforward. I’ve some OCD, so I actually took my time with them. I feel that’s why I prefer it a lot,” he says. “I begin my wraps precisely 1/16 of an inch from the foot of every information so all of them look uniform. I’m actually pleased with how they got here out with the black thread – they give the impression of being nice with the black guides on the white clean – however I’m wanting ahead to working towards and performing some fancier wraps on future builds.”
After thread-wrapping the guides, it’s time to coat the wraps with epoxy. “I used Flex Coat and it was simpler than I assumed,” Tannahill stories. “Make certain to make use of a 50/50 ratio of the epoxy and the hardener. Once more, with my OCD, I made positive I used the identical quantity of epoxy on every information. I do know it was the identical as a result of I weighed it! It got here out nice, and I used to be very pleased with that half.”
After a couple of hours of drying, Tannahill obtained the reward of taking a look at his first accomplished fishing rod. He displays on the expertise and the preliminary hope that this new pastime would not directly assist along with his psychological and emotional therapeutic.
“I initially thought that the rod-building course of itself can be good for me, and at this level I can verify that it has been,” he says. “When I’m constructing – regardless of which a part of the method it’s – I discover myself fully centered and immersed within the course of. This has been unimaginable remedy for my PTSD. Each step is actually an artwork type, and I can see the way it permits individuals’s creativity to run wild. It has given me tangible confidence and likewise one thing to speak about and sit up for. It additionally teaches you to adapt and overcome.”
What Tannahill was not anticipating have been all of the ancillary advantages – therapeutic facets of the pastime outdoors of the bodily rod-building course of.
“I’d suggest rod constructing to anybody with PTSD who additionally has an curiosity in fishing,” he says. I used to be fairly positive it was going to be good for me, however I’m about 150% higher than my wildest expectation. I’ve realized that rod-building is greater than a course of – it’s a complete neighborhood filled with fascinating and inventive individuals, a lot of whom are Veterans like me. I’ve made some actual and significant connections and am grateful for that. I really feel so good that I’m at present exploring getting again into the workforce within the law-enforcement area – a big step for me. And I’m significantly taking a look at making customized rod constructing and rod restore a facet enterprise. I’ve additionally talked to another vets and we’re eager about beginning a rod-building membership. I’m again within the sport.”
Rod constructing has taught James Tannahill that he can proceed to assist and encourage others. “That’s why I’m doing this,” he says. “If an entire layman like me can do that and revel in this a lot… and have success at it… I do know others can too. I wish to present what I study but in addition share how constructing customized fishing rods could be a optimistic and therapeutic expertise. If it helps me, then it might additionally assist different individuals affected by PTSD.”
About Rod GeeksBrought to you by the individuals, experience, and expertise of St. Croix of Park Falls, Inc., Rod Geeks has delivered handcrafted, high-performance fishing rod blanks to customized rod builders since 2014. Backed by practically 75 years of expertise in designing and constructing the very best fishing rods on this planet, we personal and function fashionable, state-of-the-art fishing rod factories in Park Falls, Wisconsin and Fresnillo, Mexico the place we mix the very best uncooked supplies, tools, applied sciences, experience, and skilled craftsmanship to provide 1000’s of uncompromising fishing rods and blanks each week. No matter your subsequent journey or venture, belief Rod Geeks to offer a basis in your ardour and creativity that’s worthy of your skills.
About St. Croix RodHeadquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Greatest Rods on Earth” for 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the one main producer to nonetheless construct rods totally from design by way of manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing services in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With fashionable trademarked sequence corresponding to Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all forms of anglers from all over the world. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers contains St. Croix Rod, St. Croix Fly, SEVIIN Reels, and Rod Geeks.
