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CHEYENNE – Rodney Eshleman joined the local chapter of Project Healing Waters because he wanted to help other military veterans.
His membership also gave him the chance to learn to build a fly-fishing rod.
Eshleman not only built one, but he excelled at it. His creation won third place in a national competition.
His fishing rod was one of more than 200 entries in the 2014 Project Healing Water’s Fly Fishing Rod Building Contest.
The fly rod was only the second one he had ever built. But its detailed craftsmanship won out over most others, some entries submitted by those with years of experience.
Dale Blakely of Cheyenne was one of the organization’s volunteers who taught Eshleman and other members how to make a fly rod. He taught them in classes that the local Healing Waters chapter sponsored.
Blakely called Eshleman to tell him he had won the third-place award.
“I was excited,” Eshleman said. “I couldn’t believe that the judges picked me.”
Eshleman, 52, is working on his third fly rod at his Cheyenne home that he shares with his wife, Tina, and their children.
The family kitchen is his workshop, where he has set up a wooden cradle to make fly rods. The cradle or wrapper area has a place to keep the vibrant green silk thread he uses.
The local chapter of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. started two years ago.
It is open to all military people – both veterans and active duty – who want to learn how to fly fish or practice
their skills.
All equipment is provided at no cost to members. The group schedules fishing trips, which are also free for members, Blakely said.
The chapter will sponsor fishing trips this summer to King’s, Shriner’s and Cook’s Lake, as well as the lake at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
Members also plan to travel to lakes at Saratoga, Dubois and in Colorado, Blakely said.
“We take the vets fishing,” Blakely said.
The organization uses volunteers who did not serve in the military, like Ron Escobedo of Cheyenne. He is skilled at making fly rods and said teaching members is his way of showing appreciation to veterans.
Judges in the national competition used a 10-point scale and rated entries for neatness, functionality, creativity and other categories.
Eshleman’s winning fishing rod shows a painstaking attention to detail. He hand-wrapped tiny threads around the graphite rod, and made sure they looked uniform.
He added two peacock feather inlays and painted the fly rod with a smooth epoxy finish.
He also added the Marine Corps emblem to the fly rod – he served from 1984-88 – plus his own family emblem of a Lazy E.
The winning fly rod took him a couple of weeks to make.
“You have to go slow and be patient,” he said.
Eshleman found out about Healing Waters by chance one day when he walked into a sports store in Cheyenne.
Blakely and other members were at a table filled with information about Healing Waters. Eshleman spotted the table near the front door and asked Blakely about the program.
He decided to join to help others. He said he wanted them to know the peaceful relaxation that comes with fly fishing.
“You can listen and enjoy the birds and the scenery,” he said of going fishing.
He also likes the fellowship with other members.
“All the guys are pretty cool,” he said. “There’s something about vets. They understand each other.”
Eshleman grew up in the area and ranched with his family at a place near Carpenter east of Cheyenne. His late father taught him to hunt and fish when he was a kid.
He loves being outdoors. Even his job with Aztec Construction keeps him outside much of the time.
Blakely said he was overjoyed when he learned about Eshleman’s recent national win.
“I was like a proud papa, so proud I was busting my buttons,” he said.
Duane Cook, project lead for the Platte Rivers chapter, said 32 local veterans built fly rods this year, and 10 were submitted to the national contest.
“His craftsmanship is stunning,” Cook said.
The organization gives its members a sense of purpose, Cook said.
“You get on the water with a fly rod in your hand and you don’t have to think of anything except watching the fly. That takes all your attention.”
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