June 26, 2013 12:00 am
Carl Francis "Kerry" Burkheimer III smiles at the finished product of a fly rod built in his downtown Washougal shop. The company assembles and ships close to 1,500 rods a year to fishermen all over the world.
A C.F. Burkheimer fly rod designer glues pieces of wood together to make a handle.
Rob Allen sands a C.F. Burkheimer fly rod to give it a smooth surface.
Ryan Lee shapes the handle of a C.F. Burkheimer fly rod.
No employment, married and needing money to feed his first child, Kerry Burkheimer designed his first fly rod at his home along the Washougal River.
“This all started on a dinning room table,” said the 65-year-old lifelong fishing enthusiast. “I put two kits together with the money my dad loaned me, took them to a shop in Battle Ground and they sold within one week. The guy at the shop told me to build him two more rods, and so I did.”
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