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 a superb place when he retired from a navy and law-enforcement profession spanning greater than 30 years.
“Individuals don’t notice how far-reaching PTSD is,” the Mont Belvieu, Texas resident says. “The navy 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 compelled to cope with.”
Tannahill sought and obtained care and therapy from the VA a short while after his retirement. “Because of my workforce on the VA, I’ve achieved a reasonably good job bettering my religious, psychological, and bodily well being,“ he says, including that his medical doctors 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 medical doctors advisable he begin a brand new interest – one thing he cared about that will assist maintain his consideration and focus . “I already had fishing,” Tannahill reviews, “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 navy low cost. “To my shock, they wished to listen to extra about my story and thought it might be fascinating for different people who find themselves interested by entering 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 additionally supplied friendship and help in my journey.”
After taking a rod-building class the place he discovered some expertise and made some extra pals, Tannahill went to work on his first rod, a 7’3” medium energy inshore saltwater spinning mannequin designed for widespread popping-cork strategies employed alongside the Texas Gulf Coast. “The Rod Geeks XC33 clean that St. Croix despatched me was stunning,” 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 realize you might be beginning your construct with the perfect.”
Each interest 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 Software. “It was undoubtedly an funding, however it’s an amazingly well-designed and constructed device that I’d extremely advocate to anybody who needs to get into the interest.”
“Throughout my rod-building class, I discovered that each rod clean has a backbone – one facet that’s truly stiffer,” Tannahill says. “Discovering the backbone on the clean is essential since you need the backbone on prime so the rod performs the perfect. It appears sophisticated, however it was simple. I discovered learn how to do it at my rod-building class and it seems I’m fairly good at it! I used to be capable of assist a couple of different individuals within the class discover ways to do it. One you mark the backbone you might be prepared to begin constructing.”
Tannahill attacked the deal with and reel seat first. “I opted for a standard full-cork deal with,” he says. “The cork is available in rings that it is advisable ream out within the heart to position 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 huge deal. I simply rotated each 1 / 4 flip so the cork materials stayed pretty centered alongside the clean. Then you definitely glue every part 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 could be one of many extra important challenges for a starting rod builder,” Tannahill says. “However I used to be fortunate and had numerous assist and steerage 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 realize the spacing, you place them and wrap them on the clean with thread. I marked all their areas, then positioned and wrapped two at a time. You must make sure that they comply with the backbone – on the backbone facet for casting rods and on the mushy facet reverse the backbone for a spinning rod like I used to be constructing.”
Tannahill says the thread wrapping was undoubtedly his favourite a part of all the course of. “Studying learn how to 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 simple. 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 trying ahead to training and doing a little 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 reviews. “Be 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 his first accomplished fishing rod. He displays on the expertise and the preliminary hope that this new interest would not directly assist together with his psychological and emotional therapeutic.
“I initially thought that the rod-building course of itself could be good for me, and at this level I can affirm that it has been,” he says. “When I’m constructing – irrespective of which a part of the method it’s – I discover myself fully targeted and immersed within the course of. This has been unbelievable 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 in addition one thing to speak about and look ahead to. It additionally teaches you to adapt and overcome.”
What Tannahill was not anticipating have been all of the ancillary advantages – therapeutic elements of the interest exterior of the bodily rod-building course of.
“I’d advocate 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 discovered that rod-building is greater than a course of – it’s a complete group filled with fascinating and inventive individuals, lots 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 the moment exploring getting again into the workforce within the law-enforcement discipline – a big step for me. And I’m severely making customized rod constructing and rod restore a facet enterprise. I’ve additionally talked to another vets and we’re interested by beginning a rod-building membership. I’m again within the recreation.”
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 a whole layman like me can do that and revel in this a lot… and have success at it… I do know others can too. I need to present what I be taught but additionally share how constructing customized fishing rods is usually a constructive and therapeutic expertise. If it helps me, then it may additionally assist different individuals affected by PTSD.”
About Rod Geeks
Delivered 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 almost 75 years of expertise in designing and constructing the perfect fishing rods on the earth, we personal and function trendy, state-of-the-art fishing rod factories in Park Falls, Wisconsin and Fresnillo, Mexico the place we mix the perfect uncooked supplies, gear, applied sciences, experience, and skilled craftsmanship to supply hundreds of uncompromising fishing rods and blanks each week. No matter your subsequent journey or undertaking, belief Rod Geeks to offer a basis on your ardour and creativity that’s worthy of your skills.
About St. Croix Rod
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Finest 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 manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing services in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With widespread trademarked sequence equivalent to Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all sorts of anglers from world wide. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, St. Croix Fly, SEVIIN Reels, and Rod Geeks.
