CUSTOM RODMAKING AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. By Dennis O. Freeman.

ND 2009 1st edition. 8vo ring-bound paperback (154 x 229mm). Pp212. Colour and b/w photographs, foreword by Marty Mailin. Inscribed by the author.

This is really two books in one. Dennis Freeman is a, now retired, rod-builder of many years standing who devoted much of his spare time to passing on his skills and experience to others. Part I of the book is a detailed manual of bamboo rod building, chapters including: Selecting a rod blank - fresh water, saltwater, bait casting, spinning; Selecting reel seats, assembly, fighting butts, getting organised before glue (all repeated for each of the previously mentioned types of rod); Locating the spine or backbone of the rod; Shaping and sanding the handles (all repeated for each of the previously mentioned types of rod); Guide spacing, guide selection, and thread selection; Rod guide alignment; Making it pretty, thread wraps and winding check; Adding 'pizazz', thread accents, Flex Coat Rod Finish; Doing cross wraps, decorative rod wrapping; Colour photos of finished rods; Stuff you need, nice to have, and want to have, fly lines; Fly lines; Fly reels, fly fishing 'blue water'; where should I go, when to go, why should I go. Part II gives an account of Freeman's life and career, mostly his career and sporting activities. Besides angling, Freeman, an ex-solider, also did a fair bit of shooting, including wildfowl, wild ducks and geese, and wolves.