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You have probably seen or used bamboo fly rods if you know a fly-fisherman or if you are a fly- fisherman. In a throw-back to a simpler time, bamboo fly rods are still just as popular today as they were a hundred years ago. You can find brand new ones online or beautiful antique models on the popular antique show on public television. With all of the new and just as durable materials on the market like fiberglass, graphite, and others, why would someone want one of the simple bamboo fly rods? The answer probably lies somewhere between tradition and quality.

Understanding Fly Fishing

Before you understand fly rods, you will need to have an understanding of fly-fishing. Fly-fishing is done by waving the rod back and forth smoothly through the air and then letting the line out at just the right moment for gravity and force to cast it out into the water at the perfect spot. Bamboo fly rods must be flexible, lightweight, and have a sensitive touch-this is what they make them perfect.

Bamboo rods have been around for almost as long as fishing has been around. If you do an online search you can find not only information about bamboo fly rods, but how to care for them, how to make them, where to buy them, and you can even find antique rods for sale-some that were made before the first World War. The antique rods are not usually for use, but they would be a treasured part of any serious fly-fishermans collection.

How To Find Bamboo Rods

If you want to make your own bamboo fly rods there are several places that you can purchase the different pieces that you will need including the line guides, the pole pieces, the ferrules (the metal caps on the ends of the each pole piece that act as connectors), the cork grips and the reel as well. You should take special care when choosing a finish. The finish on bamboo fly rods should be durable and flexible and should withstand water damage. Once you have the parts, you can find instructions for putting it together in one of the many books or websites available online.

But, if the do-it-yourself route is not your style, you can purchase bamboo fly rods online. There are models that range from a simple pole with a hook on the end for as little as five dollars-and there are deluxe models with all of the bells and whistles that can run several hundred dollars.

Some people might want to take an old rod and refinish it. While this can be a fun and rewarding activity, it may cost more to restore some rods than they are worth especially if they are cracked.

Caring For Your Fly Rod

Caring for bamboo fly rods takes time and precision. If they are not cared for properly they will quickly decay and rot. Clean and dry the wood after each use and use furniture polish occasionally. The ferrules should also be kept free of debris and can be cleaned with denatured alcohol, Vaseline, or lighter fluid. The cork grips can be cleaned with toothpaste and a soft brush or dish soap or a cleaner that has bleach in it. Be careful not to remove any small pieces of cork. As the cork begins to get old it should be replaced.

Packaging comes in all shapes and sizes and can be made to fit your every need. No matter what is that you have to package and mail away or maybe just to give as a gift to your friend, there is a perfect way of packing it.

When looking for quality packaging supplies, you can look no further than your local post office other mail shipping establishment. They offer packing peanuts, bubble wrap, tape, and boxes of all sizes and shapes. If you have a business that you run inside your home and a majority of that business requires shipping products to customers, you may consider purchasing packaging supplies in bulk at wholesale prices. There are many different industrial and retail packaging stores located on the World Wide Web that can offer you a wide variety of shipping supplies like boxes, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and labels.

Now days it is even possible to weigh and ship your packages right from the comfort of your home. If you have a postal scale and a printer, this can be a major time saver for a lot of small home businesses such as an E-bay business or a crafts business. Once you package the item that you want to ship, simply weigh it on the postal scale, and go to www.usps.com to pay for the shipping cost of that item. The label will then be printed through your printer and you can stick it on the box and have it ready for the mailman when he delivers your regular daily mail. The payment for the shipping can be made from your credit card, debit card, or from your www.paypal.com account if you have one.

Packaging and shipping right from home has been a major time saver for a lot of small business owners. They no longer have to waste their time standing in long lines at the post office, but now can be doing business while they ship their merchandise, which in turn makes their business more productive.

As a New England vacation travel writer Ive always considered Connecticut an overlooked state when people choose destinations and attractions for a New England vacation. As youll discover here a Connecticut vacation offers excitement... or peace and quiet, depending on your mood.

Lets take a quick look at seven reasons why you should consider a Connecticut vacation for your next New England trip.

THE MUSEUMS OF CONNECTICUT

With more than 14 diverse theme museums in Connecticut, theres bound to be something to suit your taste. Heres a quick rundown...

Bridgeport is home to The Barnum Museum and Discover Museum, and at Danbury youll find the Military Museum of Southern New England and the Danbury Railway Museum. Keeping with a train theme Thomaston hosts the Railroad Museum of New England and Naugatuck Railroad.

In Bristol you can find The New England Carousel Museum and period time pieces at the American Clock and Watch Museum. Just a little south in Waterbury is Time Expo, and a chance to celebrate the heritage of the Litchfield region at the Mattatuck Museum. At the Connecticut Antique Machinery Museum in Kent experience machinery that once drove commerce in the area.

Windsor Locks is not just home to Bradley International Airport but also to the New England Air Museum and south in East Haven experience another form of transportation at the Shore Line Trolley Museum.

And rounding out our must-see list is Mystics Museum of America and the Sea, and the fabulous Mashantucket Pequot Museum in nearby Mashantucket.

THE CONNECTICUT WINE TRAIL

Wineries in Connecticut? Yes, in fact theres 16 of them scattered throughout the state, and they make a perfect basis for a Connecticut Vacation. The climate in Connecticut is mild compared to the rest of New England and wines produced include: Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, and Riesling. While Connecticut wines have only been produced since 1978, many farms where the grapes are grown are hundreds of years old. The wine tasting room will usually be open but call ahead for a tour time. Youll find these wineries not geared for large bus loads, but on the plus much more intermit than wineries in Northern California.

The wine trail is split into two major regions and its suggested your tour is split up over three to four days. But because the trail takes you near so many other destinations and attractions in Connecticut let yourself be distracted and enjoy the jaunt through scenic and historic New England towns.

FOXWOODS AND MOHEGAN SUN

Combined Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun make the largest casino complex in the world. Foxwoods in owned and run by Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and Mohegan Sun by Mohegan Tribe on lands they own in Uncasville. These are sophisticated high-style experiences with shopping complexes, hotels, high profile entertainment acts, and top-rated restaurants. They are both close to each other and located in the eastern region of Connecticut, and close to museums, scenic drives, and the Connecticut vacation attractions in Mystic.

HISTORIC HOMES OF CONNECTICUT

Perhaps the most famous home to see on your Connecticut vacation is Mark Twains in Hartford, which is now a museum as well full of many artifacts he accumulated in the 17 years he lived there. Also in Hartford is Harriet Beecher Stowe home of Uncle Toms Cabin fame. Another famous womans home is the academy run by Prudence Crandall in Canterbury - its the site of the first academy for black women in New England. Your trip to Connecticut should include the town of Litchfield where you can view museum quality preserved colonial homes, and the Litchfield History Museum and Tapping Reeve House and Law School.

Connecticut includes many historic homes that played an important role in the Underground Railroad and the African-American journey from slavery to freedom.

ESSEX STEAM TRAIN AND THE CONNECTICUT RIVER

The historic 1892 Essex station is your kick-off point for a unique combined 21/2 hour vintage Steam Train and Riverboat Cruise along the Connecticut River. In the summer its cooling, and in the fall stunning with the turning of the leaves. The Connecticut River Museum is also in Essex and vividly brings to life the rivers history as told through paintings, artifacts, and interactive exhibits.

THE TOWN OF MYSTIC

Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium are magnets for visitors to Connecticut. The seaport is billed as The Museum of America and the Sea and depicts an authentic 19th century seafaring village, tall ships to tour, and a Preservation Yard where master shipbuilding skills are still practiced. The Mystic Aquarium includes a delightful array of indoor and outdoor exhibits, including Beluga whales, and a stunning display and model of the Titanic.

THE ANTIQUE RUNS

Connecticut is famous for its concentration of antique shops, and draws thousands of treasure hunters each year who take a Connecticut vacation just to stock up on bargains and specimens to collect and decorate their homes. The village of Woodbury is known as the "Antiques Capital of Connecticut" and has over 45 dealers, but the fact is youre never too far from that special purchase no matter where you are in the state. Just sometimes its nice to take the time to follow your nose along a scenic New England road and see where it takes you... you can bet if its in Connecticut, itll take you close to an antique shop.

Packaging comes in all shapes and sizes and can be made to fit your every need. No matter what is that you have to package and mail away or maybe just to give as a gift to your friend, there is a perfect way of packing it.

When looking for quality packaging supplies, you can look no further than your local post office other mail shipping establishment. They offer packing peanuts, bubble wrap, tape, and boxes of all sizes and shapes. If you have a business that you run inside your home and a majority of that business requires shipping products to customers, you may consider purchasing packaging supplies in bulk at wholesale prices. There are many different industrial and retail packaging stores located on the World Wide Web that can offer you a wide variety of shipping supplies like boxes, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and labels.

Now days it is even possible to weigh and ship your packages right from the comfort of your home. If you have a postal scale and a printer, this can be a major time saver for a lot of small home businesses such as an E-bay business or a crafts business. Once you package the item that you want to ship, simply weigh it on the postal scale, and go to www.usps.com to pay for the shipping cost of that item. The label will then be printed through your printer and you can stick it on the box and have it ready for the mailman when he delivers your regular daily mail. The payment for the shipping can be made from your credit card, debit card, or from your www.paypal.com account if you have one.

Packaging and shipping right from home has been a major time saver for a lot of small business owners. They no longer have to waste their time standing in long lines at the post office, but now can be doing business while they ship their merchandise, which in turn makes their business more productive.