I have been following Andy Matthew's growing steelhead lure venture, The Steelhead Solution -(360)533-1449, for quite ahwile and with much interest. Not only for his good products, but for the human interest story within his posts and my conversations with him directly. He is a good young man that has grown up in a seemingly challenging environment that turns out so many misguided youth from towns such as Aberdeen, WA. With his positive enthusiam for a worthwhile endeavor, along with determined ambition, perhaps someday he will help erase the poor image that grunge recording star Kurt Cobain put on that town. I'm rooting for you Andy! You are going to make it successfully somewhere, be it Steelhead Solution or another endeavor. -- I recently got my first order from The Steelhead Solution. A dozen jigs and a variety of 50 rags. The jigs are obviously of very good quality materials and workmanship. And they just look "fish on"! I'll go one further for his steelhead rags- they are the best looking I've seen. Period! They are the right size and balance of both symetrics and colors. Most I've seen marketed are either too big or sloppy or both. I know that there are other manufacturers of quality jigs and rags, but I don't think they match the value pricing.- Your biggest challenge in the near and distant future Andy is going to be keeping the individual quality of your products high when your volume of sales inevitalbly become higher. Don't ever compromise that quality and you will be successful. Your profit potential will depend on developing larger scale manufacturing capabilities while keeping costs reasonable. Maybe you can grab some of those young town slackers and take them out on the river and into fish. That may get them away from negative things as well as develope potential employees. And never hesitate to seek the advice of good business manufacturers and salesmen about your venture. Good luck Andy. - Steve Hanson (The Reel Truth) - P.S. (edit) Please see my addendum below.

[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 05-02-2000).]

Steve,
Thank you very much for the compliments. I am having so much fun doing this. I am having the time of my life. I hope my products work for you, they do for me so there shouldn't be any problem. Hope you can reccomend me to others. Thanks for the advertising.

Thanks,
Andy Matthews http://The_Steelhead_Solution.homestead.com

Reel truth.. what do you know about ABERDEEN?
probably nothing except what you read or dont read so dont be knocking the town or the youth in it not all of them are Kurt cobains! There are alot of kids like Andy around here though ive never met Andy i hear of his products and since i fish all the time im sure here real soon i will meet him on the river.

Steely Slamer,
Steve wasn't saying anything bad about Aberdeen, he had asked about Aberdeen and I had told him about the recent murder of Darrin Towel. And then I told him about some other weird stuff that happened as of recent. There is no way so much crap should happen in the little town of Aberdeen. Steve, is very supportive of the sport and to my business, just don't want any enimies. I hope to meet you on the river too.

Thanks,
Andy

Steely Slammer- I reread my post and I can understand your reaction to "in a seemingly challenging environment that turns out so many misguided youth"; particularly since it was specifically pointed at Aberdeen. For not appropriately mentioning that there are also many good youth, like Andy, that come from good parents in that area, please pardon me- you are right to point that out. But I stand by my statement that most of these kids do grow up in challenging situations in Aberdeen, as they do in many areas of the NW. Thus Andy is an inspiration and I hope he becomes a positive influence on as many youth as possible; and that was the heart of my message.- Also, I think I could have come up with a better example of an "Aberdeen take" than Kurt Cobain. While some of the things he publicly agonized over about growing up in Aberdeen had some credence, I think his deamons were likely intrinsic & would have surfaced from most environments he could have come from (seems he couldn't even handle them with financial security on the banks of Lake Washington- wonder if he went fishing there; I doubt it). Anyway, back to other fishing subjects. - Steve



[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 05-02-2000).]

andy, i will be sent over an order tommorrow for some of your jigs and rags.
i will let you know what numbers and quanities. i will send you a cashier check in the old us mail, good luck getting there in a day or 2.

thanks
elmtree,(woody)

left my order sheet on the dreesor again andy. will try again tommorrow.

elmtree

[This message has been edited by elmtree (edited 05-03-2000).]

My orders leaving today Andy, thanks for all the info on you're products diffently quality stuff,the problems happening in Aberdeen and the Harbor to our youths are going on all over this fine country having raised 3 teens my self my son graduates this year ( last one at home ) positive enviroments are the key and it sounds like Andy you are creating you're own and making things happen for you hang in there great job ...take Care Mike

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Tight Lines
FISH ON ------<*)>><
Men are like fish we get into trouble when we open our mouths to much!!

Thank you everyone!
I really apreciate all of these compliments, hopefully this will help me get started. YOu guys could have done your orders via email, it's just quicker and saves ya the .33 cents for a stamp. I will start on your orders as soon as I hear what you guys want.

Thanks,
Andy Matthews

Hey, Don't knock aberdeen or Kurt Cobain, [Bleeeeep!] Kurt help put that town on the map as far as another timber town in a painful transition. There are allot of young people in the harbor trying to make a differnce. One is Kevin Hodge of Peninsula drifters and GFX plastics, he makes great products as well.
Also remember husky great and Pittsburgh Steeler Mark Bruner is from there as well.
As a former Rock-n-Roller I hope many more kurt Cobains can rise out of Aberdeen.

Hey Superfly- Interesting! We have 2 things (that I know of) in common. I used to be a hard rocker many years ago (and it seems just like only a few years ago ). Played lead guitar & bass (& a little keyboard) with a rockband; around the NW. Great memories/babes. Maybe fishin' N jammin' are more common than one would think. A good friend of mine, Chris Sessions, guides SW WA & AK/Kenai & he played drums in a good rock band thru the 70's. Jennie Logsdon Martin of "Ifish" (fishin'crazy girl) is a concert pianist that has played in WA D.C. for president Reagan, and can play anything, including rock. Mike Wasch, co-host of "Fishermen's Heaven" TV show, is a rock guitarist; and has talked to our Jennie about jammin'. Maybe we could form a 'nook/steelie fishers rock band. Could come up with some interesting names?: "Smashing Bassholes"- "Superfly is Phat" or "RT is Fat(not)"- "Let Me Get This Straight", nah- "Hookset" or Hooksetters, nah- "WARTS"- "Friggin' Lost It"- "CATCH"- "MINE"S HUGH", fish of course- "Rock N Row" or Rock N Roe, no- "Notes N Boats", ugh!- "UGH"- "The Anadromous Solution", sorry Andy- "Five On & Four Landed", if 4 married & 1 not or whatever the numbers- "Matter Of Presentation", yeah, that's it! M.O.P.- Other ideas? -- No dis but, if he had gotten high on hooksets instead of horse' there would have been less pain for Cobain- and maybe still be on the water. - Steve

[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 05-04-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 05-04-2000).]

I really miss playing with other musicians.. I think this is a great idea! Let's rock and ROLL!!!!!
I think it would be absolutely wild to go out someplace bumper boated like Wind river on a nice day....in a 22 foot sled, bring a generator, my keyboard, some drums.. a couple guitars and just have at it! We'd also have to have some lines out just to keep up the mania!!!
If that is too far out we could settle on a backyard bbq of rockers on the river.... (hey.. another band name). But who around here settles?
Is the boat idea too far out? NO!!!! I gotta do it! Life is short!!! Anyone game?

Jen

Hey Jen, could have the 5 of us play at the big Ifish party right out in your huge back property on the river for a start. Driftfish during breaks. Then on to Portland & Seattle waterfront outdoor concerts! Troll during breaks. My fingers have slowed so I get bass guitar (& occasional switch w/ guitarist). Let's see; you live in Tillamook, I live west of Portland in Cedar Mill, Super lives in Oly., I think Mike lives near Everett?, and Chris lives right in the middle of us in SW Wash. Gee, wonder where we could practice? Retro/modern rock combo; with a Kenai King graphic on Chris' big drum. Cool!- Steve

Won't be long till we can practice over the net.... argh..... doesn't sound good. I need the reel thing!
Rain or shine, I'm out in the bubble tomorrow. I have to get another Springer... My mouth is watering.


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Jennie the crazy fishin musician