Would you like to buy a fly rod that came from a prison? I sure as heck do!

So a few months ago, a guy told me about a way that I could get my hands on some pretty nice fly rods for a fraction of the cost.  Let's just say that got my attention more than 89 cent pancakes at Burger King.  If you think I am lying, here's a link:  http://time.com/money/4574866/burger-king-pancakes-89-cheap-fast-food-deals/  I wouldn't even care how they taste because the sweet flavor of savings is all I need.  But I digress.

So this guy said he can get me discounted fly rods and that they are of almost the same quality as what you could get at a fly shop.  Did you catch that too?  Yeah, the word "almost" engaged that cynical part of my brain that triggers the response "Yep, I knew it had to be too good to be true."  What came next was a twist straight out of an M. Night Shamalamadingdong movie.  The rods start off as blanks and are then assembled by workers that have a little time on their hands.  I bet the facility where the rods are wrapped is nicknamed The Big House.  And while these guys might have got a bad rap, I bet the rods get wrapped just fine.  That's right, these rods are assembled by prison inmates and THAT IS AWESOME!

While I am not in the market for a new rod (oh who am I kidding, I am always in the market for a new rod) I am seriously considering purchasing one of these rods.  Just think about the conversations you could start on the stream.  However, on a serious note, this actually seems like a very cool program.  Inmates get to learn a valuable skill that would benefit them upon their release.  I hope that it aids them in their rehabilitation process and maybe gives them a way to break up the monotany of daily prison life.

In other news, inmates are also cranking out other products as well that might be worth checking out as well.  If nothing else, I hope you find this as interesting as I did and at the very least it will give you something to bring up around your buddies next time you are on the water or at your local fly shop.

Article Link; http://www.aspentimes.com/news/colorado-inmates-learn-craft-of-rod-making-and-fly-tying/

Article Link: http://www.drakemag.com/back-issues/2016/summer/1620-rod-builders-behind-bars.html

Link to actual site: https://www.coloradoci.com/manufacturers/rodshop/index.html?intro