On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 02:43:58 GMT, "Mark E. Wallace"
wrote:

My father is retiring soon and moving from Houston to Durango. He
doesn't fish right now but has expressed an interest in taking some
lessons up there after the move.

As a retirement gift, our family is considering getting him a custom
built fly rod. Unfortunately, we know very little about the area and the
tackle requirements.

What sort of specs should I have in mind for a good quality beginner's
rod for that area?

Thanks,

Mark

Let him take the lessons first. He might not like it, or he might really take a
shine to it, and in either case, there's a pretty good chance that whatever
y'all pick out, while special as a gift, won't be the rod he would have picked
for himself. If you really want to get him a FFing-related gift, get him some
_serious_ lessons with a shorenuf real instructor. If you feel a rod is a must,
too, might I suggest y'all get him something like a Temple Fork in 4 or 5 wt.
Just a decent rod, well under $200USD, with a great warranty to boot. That way,
no huge outlay for what might not be his thing.

HTH,
R