Winkin’ Blinkin’ & Todd from Hawg Quest on Vimeo.

Fun day on the water as Glenn Hall of Hawg Quest joins the Graham family for some true coho slaying in their Alaskan backyard. You have no idea . . . they have some seriously good spots, especially the last one featured in this episode. Glenn’s fishing the Fetha Styx True Hero series in this video.

The Fetha Styx crew is holding down booth #144 at the PNW Sportsmen’s Show in the Portland Expo Center from February 9-13. We have all our lines of rods on display and for sale — from the Homewater series to the CCA series to the True Hero series, they’re all here in Portland with us. Not only do we have our rods, but also we have knowledgeable Fetha Styx representatives (including CEO Bill Boyce) on hand and eager to talk all things fishing and Fetha Styx! Come see the rods that Salmon and Steelhead Journal gave perfect marks here in Portland.

Show Hours
Wednesday: 11 am – 9 pm
Thursday: 11 am – 9 pm
Friday: 11 am – 9 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 8 pm
Sunday: 10 am – 6 pm

Note: Box office closes one hour prior to show closing.

Glenn Hall of Hawg Quest joins us for Friday and Saturday
Between the hours of 11 am and 6 pm on Friday and Saturday, Glenn Hall from Hawg Quest will be in-and-out of the Fetha Styx booth and we invite all fans of the show to stop by, say hello and chat.

For more information and directions, visit the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show website.

As always, stay connected with Fetha Styx through facebook, twitter and our blog.

Check out the latest Fetha Styx offerings at Gander Mountain, Mooresville!

Mooresville, NC
236 Norman Station Blvd.
Mooresville, NC, 28117
(704) 658-0822

Front Door - First thing you see when you enter the store.

In Front of Fishing Department - Main Aisle

Homewater Rack also in aisle in front of fishing.

• We’ll be doing fishing demonstrations in our HUGE tent.
• Bass pros Andy Montgomery and Bink Desaro will be stopping by for fishing demonstrations on Friday and Saturday.
• Pat Patterson host of the Front Stretch will also be there.
• Also, come by and check out Dale Earnhardt JR’s #88 sprint cup car parked right by us Friday and Saturday.
• The UNCC FLW Bass team will be on hand to answer questions and show off our NASCAR rods.  They are one of the top 10 teams in the country on the FLW College Fishing Tour.
• There will be Ranger boats on site to check out.
• Giveaways galore and a chance to win a trip with an FLW/Bassmaster pro.
• We might even go fish a couple ponds so keep a lookout for the Fetha Styx EZ GO carts.
• Lastly, stop by and just say hello!  We’d love to meet you and exchange a tall fishing tale or two.

We will also have demonstration areas on ‘The Midway’ and at the ‘Kids Zone’ with fun fishing games.  Our main demonstration area will be across from the Turn 1 Condominiums / Gate M / Tim Flock Campgrounds.  Check the map below:

The biggest news is that Andy Montgomery has recorded 4 top 10 finishes in the past 2 months on the FLW / Bassmaster tours.  This all happened at the exact same time he switched over to Fetha Styx’s Homewater series, he says the sensitivity of these rods are unmatched for the tours.  Andy and our Homewater series will be on hand at our demonstration tents.  Stop by and get personalized lessons from Andy on rigging and more.

About our NASCAR Bass Rods:

When you are in tight quarters, and need a little more finesse, this rod is our number one choice for jigs and worms.  This extremely versatile rod has tons of power to move fish out from heavy cover, and is very effective in all depths of open-water.

For more information on our NASCAR series of fishing rods go HERE.

We’ll be live tweeting and facebooking the event, so if you can’t make it, make sure to stay tuned to our Social Media pages.

Dear Fetha Styx,

I just wanted to take the time and write you about the great time I had using your fishing rods on my recent trip to Yakutat, AK. Both rods I had were from your “True Hero Series“. The “Blitz Line” had great sensitivity and was able to handle some nice coho. I have never fly-fished before and Bill Boyce was nice enough to let me demo an 8 weight, “The Flashover”. My father-in-law, who is an avid fly-fisherman, was very impressed by the quality and ease of casting of this rod. I also found it very easy to cast and hooked into my first fish on a fly rod. I can say that I am hooked for life and it was probably the most memorable fish I have ever caught. Please enjoy the pictures I have included and know that Fetha Styx helped make this a trip of a lifetime.

Sincerely,
Matt

The 5th and final tournament of the 2010 Washington State Walleye Circuit season was held on Lake Roosevelt on July 24th & 25th. The Washington State Walleye Championship presented by The Spokane Walleye Club is always an exciting event and with a guaranteed prize of $10,000 for first place and a close race for Angler of the Year, this year’s tournament did not disappoint.

Fishing on Lake Roosevelt in July is always exciting but add temps in the mid 90’s, extremely high water levels, excellent fishing, and 71 of the best walleye teams in the state, and you have the makings of one exciting tournament.

Team Fetha Styx had an excellent week of pre-fishing in preparation for this year’s event. During pre-fishing Jeff and Rod caught quality fish up to 24” and put together a run of 6 to 8 different fishing holes that they felt confident in. Their hard work paid off as they found themselves in 7th place after day one with a total of 6 fish for 13.14 lbs. Jeff and Rod were very excited for day two as they not only had a shot at the $10,000 top prize but they also put themselves in a good spot in the Angler of the Year race. Team Fetha Styx had another good day of fishing on day 2, but just needed one more quality bite to equal their weight from the previous day. At the end of the second day, they weighed in six fish for 10.86 lbs. and a two-day total of 24.00 lbs.

Team Fetha Styx finished the championship in 6th place. Rod Hewitt placed 3rd in the Angler of the Year standings, which qualifies Team Fetha Styx for the Cabela’s National Team Walleye Championship in 2011.

Glenn Hall caught this 60lb king salmon a week ago in Kodiak, AK on Fetha Styx new downrigger rod, the FS-DRP 934-2 which is 9ft 3in and rated 8-18lbs. It took him about 20 to 30 minutes to get the beast to the boat, but he said the rod handled the fight perfectly. These new downrigger rods in the CCA series will be available June 10th here next month!

Glenn and the crew were also fishing the True Hero series 8′ 6″ downrigger — enjoy their photo gallery from Alaska!

Jason and Rod, Winners of 2010 Rod Meseberg Spring Walleye Classic

Official Press Release:

Two anglers, two custom made Fetha Styx rods, 12 fish caught!

Redmond, Wash. (June 2, 2010) — Fetha Styx, a Redmond, Wash.-based manufacturer of high performance fishing rods, congratulates anglers Rod Hewitt and Jason Bauer for winning this year’s Rod Meseberg Spring Walleye Classic tournament in the Potholes Reservoir. The event was sponsored by the MarDon Resort in Othello, Wash.

The teammates placed first among 79 competitors, netting 12 fish weighing in at 39.44 pounds over the two days of competition, while battling wind gusts of up to 45 mph. All fish were caught using custom Fetha Styx True Hero Series rods, which honor the work of firefighters and police officers.

Hewitt, a firefighter with Monroe Fire Department, purchased his customized “True Hero” rod from Fetha Styx last year and said, “This is just what I wanted and is the best rod I’ve ever fished with.”

No stranger to competitive fishing, Rod has fished in over 35 Walleye tournaments over the past eight years. This most recent win marks the second time he’s come out ahead with his True Hero rod, having placed 3rd at the Washington State Walleye Championship last July. His experiences were so positive, in fact, that he placed a True Hero rod into his teammate Jason’s hands.

“The rod was so incredible that I ordered another one for Jason. I’ve developed my dream pole and now Jason also feels the difference,” said Hewitt.

What makes the Fetha Styx True Hero rods shine is their sensitivity. Like many fish, the walleye is known for light biting. “With this rod, I can sense even the slightest bites,” said Hewitt, “Despite the tournament’s high wind conditions, the rod’s sensitivity helped Jason and me pull through.”

Not only has his Fetha Styx rod helped him win big, Hewitt is proud knowing that a portion of the proceeds from every rod sold in the True Hero line goes to support the work done by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation or National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (depending on the rod purchased). Every rod from every series the company sells—from True Hero to the recently launched series that contributes to the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)—supports an aligned non-profit organization.

“This just speaks to the quality of the company,” says Rod, “I feel good about what I’m fishing with—for the bites and for the social benefits.”

Jason and Rod shown here with Dan Conrath (middle, Ranger Boat Sponsor).

ABOUT FETHA STYX

Based in Redmond, Wash., Fetha Styx offers a rod for every type of fishing—from salt to fresh water. Every rod the company sells undergoes a rigorous two-tier quality control testing process to ensure product reliability and consistency. Because the people behind Fetha Styx are as passionate about fishing as their customers, they work hard to continually refine their current designs and upcoming rod series to create rods that are a pleasure to fish.

Fetha Styx is a rod company with a social conscience, allowing customers to cast out good intentions and reel in change. Proceeds from every rod sold contribute to environmental and social solutions.

Please visit fethastyx.com for more information.

Information on the organizations mentioned in this release is also available. (NFFF: firehero.org, NLEOMF: nleomf.com, Coastal Conservation Association: ccapnw.org)

A view of the Capitol building.

One of our officers, Jeff Carroll, was able to score us some seats for the ceremony. Generally it is standing room only unless you are “connected”. We were able to sit in the FOP / VIP seats at the rear of the ceremony.

The view from our seats.

The President was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Leann Womack was there to sing a song and a few officers from around the country sang songs during the ceremony.

John looking dapper during the ceremony.

The sun was out and it was a gorgeous day. A little cover would have been nice as most of us did not prepare with sunscreen. We got a bit of sun but enjoyed being outside in the nice weather.

During the ceremony it is tradition that as officer names are read in the roll call that officers present from their state rise in honor and salute. There was a group of Lakewood and Seattle officers sitting together. When it neared time for us to honor our fallen we all stood at the back of the seats to pay tribute.

Here we are in formation...

...and then once they began the Washington State roll call we saluted our fallen brothers and sister.

John and I with a photo op in front of the Capitol after the ceremony.

The Memorial wreath.

As the name of each officer is read off of the roll call of honor a member of their family approaches the wreath and places a red flower in the center star. This wreath is then later taken to the National Law Enforcement Memorial where it is placed in the middle of the site and kept under the watchful eye of two honor guard members all night.

Honor guard members from the State of Washington awaiting the arrival of the wreath at the Memorial.

Present were members from the Washington State Patrol, Seattle PD, Pierce County SO, Tacoma PD, Metro Pierce (Lakewood, etc) and Snohomish County.

Washington State officers were given the honor of forming the reception line for the wreath to arrive at the Memorial.

The Lakewood officers that were present to receive the wreath.

After the wreath ceremony a small group of us went to visit with Congressman Dave Reichert at his office. Dave Reichert is a former Sheriff of the King County Sheriff’s Office. He gave us an opportunity to go to the Senate floor and observe the room where the President gives the State of the Union address. It was pretty cool to be down there. The photo above is our small group just outside of Congressman Reichert’s office, what a view.

This was an amazing trip that will not be forgotten by those that made it. The four of us that rode are certain to return next year and continue to ride in memory of our fallen and all other officers across the United States. We have been told by several Lakewood members that they are looking to join us next year. We are certain to have more than four of us from the state participating in the Police Unity Tour.

Saturday night brought no ceremonial items and Sunday was day of departure back home.

Stay tuned to the blog. Although it will not be as often, it will have updated information on fundraising and group growth leading up to next year’s ride. We thank those that sponsored us to assist in making this happen and to all of our families for allowing us to fly across the country and take part in this phenomenal week of events.

Watch the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund channel on YouTube for further insight into the week’s events.

We also went out that evening and were able to meet with some of the Lakewood officers that traveled to DC for the ceremonies. It was great to see many of them waiting for us at the Memorial when we rode in and equally as great to see more of them that evening.

On 13 May we knew that the big event would be the Candlelight Vigil. During the day we did not do too much. We basically hung around the hotel and got our uniforms ready for the evening. Our main task for the Vigil was to be escort officers for the survivors as they arrived at the Memorial. We had to be at the Memorial at 4:30 to get briefed and ready for buses of survivors to begin arriving around 5. There were numerous officers that were a part of this detail. We formed receiving lines from the curb into the Memorial for seating. We handed each female a rose and escorted them to their seats. It was a special honor and privilege I am certain we will not soon forget.

The reflection pond at the National Law Enforcement Memorial.

The stage and some of the survivors that had arrived early for the ceremony.

This is our side of the receiving line. This was duplicated on the opposite side of the Memorial.

Here are four members of the Lakewood PD on honor guard duty. They are members of the Metro Pierce Honor Guard.

Four member honor guard details were present while the survivors arrived at the Memorial. They rotated in and out about every 15 minutes or so. It was good to see our local guys representing at the Vigil.

This is a sampling of the crowd of survivors at the Vigil.

This is half of the people that were present behind us. In front of us were hundreds off other officers, civilians and survivors.

We were told that once the ceremony started there would be a very large crowd. None of us anticipated seeing this many people present for the ceremony.

A photo of us during the ceremony.

Craig Floyd, CEO and chairman of the NLEOMF (National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund), was the emcee for the evening. Several people gave speeches to include the national president of Concerns Of Police Survivors (Jennifer Thacker) and the US Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr. It was heartwarming to hear AG Holder speak of our officers and the tragedy that occurred in Lakewood. It truly was a national phenomenon that was recognized around the globe. There were numerous fellow officers that we have spoken with during the week that are in the know of our incident.

The Vigil included a blue laser that was illuminated across the Memorial in honor of the Thin Blue Line. It was very impressive to see. It also included the candle lighting ceremony. The first candle was lit on the dais and spread across the crowd. It was amazing to see every candle lit with just a few minutes. There were thousands of people in attendance and this was an amazing feat.

The shield that we wear with pride.

The NLEOMF symbol and the thin blue line.

After the ceremony at the wall.

On 14 May we did not have anything on the agenda. We spent the morning moving from one hotel to another for our final few days. In the afternoon we walked around a bit and visited the Memorial Wall again. We made impressions of our fallen officers that we will be taking home with us. Tomorrow brings the Memorial Service on the Capitol Lawn.