ogilvie

Well,If I can get a few shops in your area off their Butts,they will be available in Calgary and throughout Alberta...in the mean time you can order online ...Nile Creek Fly Shop

It was really fun to have three serious fishers along for 3 days...and good fishers they are. In pictures 3 and 7 you can see Steelhead...if you look very closely at picture 7 there about 12 Steelhead laying under the seam...and yes there were several over 20 lbs. these fish are masters at invisibility.... The areas I wanted to fish are all under Snow this year so there was no access...good for the fish but not the fishers....and thats a good thing. These guys were really great..they were conducting some kind of GAS testing in waders????I wonder what thats all about? I am out again tomorrow on the Gold,after those monsters...we had a bit of rain...thats a good thing.. C

The new Snowbee XSD1112 Cassett reel isn't available for another couple of weeks..their web site will reflect this once in the hands of the dealers. It is however listed and pictured in the 2008 catalogue . It is retailing in Europe for 89 GBP...or approx.$180 CDN... To clarify "any line you may wish to choose" the are Spey lines available that will take up the entire huge capacity . SA's XLT ,now reduced in size was about 145' in length and had a belly of near 100 feet. The Carron 95 has a belly of near 95',Snowbee's 4D has a belly of 84',and so on..........even the smaller 6/7 weight Spey lines in these offerings take up a lot of room.Short head Spey lines such as the Skagit,Elixir, Scandanavian,SA's Short Head,Air Flos, Shooting heads and so on have large diametere bodies but are condensed into 27-36' typically....some a bit longer...running lines used for this type of set-up require little capacity use...Ie: I have a Snowbee Scandanavian Short Head Spey line,full sinking head mounted into a Snowbee XSD 780 Cassett reel system,the line is 194' in length(head length is 44') as are all Snowbee SSHS lines....little backing is required... but I am scrapping the coatings on the line.;I just simply don't have enough large reels to go around...and there are "no" quality drag cassett systems on the market until now. Hardy has just introduced the new Demon reel,cassett system,at $500 it should be good . If you are just getting into Spey casting I would suggest you purchase more than just One line....a quality well designed floating line will be the best investment you can make to reduce your learning curve and reinforce your positive abilities. Shooting head systems like the Elixir,Skagit and Scandi' and great fishing tools and make it possible to be relatively successful quickly. As far as matching rod/reel goes,again I would suggest this size reel with any Two Hander larger than a small 5/6 wt.,unless you are getting into the ever increaseing popularity of 13,14,15' plus 5/6/7 trouters. The advantage of a cassett system is it's obvious ability to give many options in hand! And the key to very successful fishing of all types is ability to suit conditions. I would rather fish with many new Hardy Zane Ti's but out of my leaque and a fairly stupid practice. Once you have nailed down your style then make the big purchase of a great reel to then match your then great rod.

From Val and I ...Happy B'day..

Perhaps I can be of some help with this..In my experience,the reel used for Spey casting ,IMO,should be large enough to not only balance the rod but do the job it is asked to do..thats why they make spey reels. Choosing the right line is always a task for Spey Casters and there are many to chhose from...a longer bellied line takes up a lot of line capacity a short head spey line can fit :just" on a Ross Big Canyon #5. I recommend Switch rod casters use a 9/10 reel with capacities such as a Snowbee XS 910, Spey casters use a larger reel such as the XS1112. Many reel manufacturers produce such size reels but do take into consideration physical weight and capacity. It is better to have extra capacity than to ruin the coatings on fly lines that cost $100 plus . Useing Gel Spun backing offers an element of extra space when needed but rarely is the answer. In an earlier post I mentioned that Snowbee has in 2008 brought out a cassett reel that is the big brother to the award winning XSD780 cassett reel system. This reel has been long awaited for from the Spey World in that it not only has a great drag system,salt water friendly but has 4 extra spools and more if you need them...and retails for less that $200...and more importantly,has plenty of capacity for any line you wish to use.

I can only comment on the issues we have had here in BC either on the Island, or the larger rivers like the Dean and Skeena,and it is not always clear. The best rule I have seen for Jet Boats is "no fishing from the boats!"..On the Stamp and a few others the Jet Boaters have been careless and offer little curtousy...although after 10 years fo butting heads over this issue and being in the front I have to say that for the past year or so a respect ,mutually,has been apparent.It seems to have been a learned thing. Drift boats and personal water craft is another issue that has seemed to cross over into dispute too often. According to the reg's the shore fisher has the priority. With that said,a boat entering into an already occupied section needs to basically ,and should,move on or not impede the shore fishing. Although many of us think the fish are always on the other side anyway! We at times run into this off the beach areas where schools of Pink and Coho Salmon will hold for some reason.. the beach waders go out too far into the salt water and move the fish out even further...then the people casting from boats(Belly,Pontoon,Dingy,35' cabin cruisers and other)into the schools from an anchored position come too cl;ose to the waders and only catch eaash others lines...the fish move off never to be seen again!! After it's all said and done it's discussions like this that actually make a good and positive change and understanding.

Dumbell eyes are part of the fly...sometimes hard to cast but clearly a legal presentation... If i Get time during the Spey week-end I would love to do an Intruder session with tube accessories...IMO this is going to be a serious way to tie flies for years to come... Have to get up at 3am...takeing Rusty and friends out for a few days... C

Thats a very good question ..and One that is very widely discussed...knowing that confidence plays a great part in any fishing outing reflects deeply into this particular ,shall we call it a void??!! The criteria I would use is that of a rod that is light in hand,fast but not too crisp,a good full lower grip ,the rod must have a reserve in depth and power but not overpower the simplest of casts. A good example of this reasoning is the G Loomis Company...about 3-4 years ago they brought out 24 new Spey rod models... Another company "Loop" did have Black(adventurer),Blue,Yellow,Green, Grey and the Goran Anderssen series of rods...they now have gone to a simpler formula to un-confuse the caster...the same can be said for Hardy,TnT,Winston, Lamiglas,and a few others. There are a few of the "all round rods" within that group for sure..Ie: the Hardy Gem(13'),Loop Grey (13') ,TnT's (1208), now we have the Beulah 12'7" , CND Black Spey, Snowbee Tamar, Scott Arc,and a few more. What I think makes a good rod is it's ability to deliver as we speak and not Break;either the bank or during a cast. The lengths are somewhat determined by area but for this thread a 12-13'6" rod is more than enough for Bulkley Steelhead or Bow River Browns. Fortunately,the reels are becoming less of an issue ,considering that we now have some great cartridge reels coming onto the market at reasonable prices. In the past we have had to rely on buying an extra reel spool at about 1/2 the cost of the reel...I have 2 Hardy 10/11 Ultralites, 2 Hardy gems Mk 1,and a new Mark2 with spool, Hardy Swift 1000 with Spool,and of course other big reels. This is a lot of Money to spend on reels but it had to be done...and not all at once... We had to but the Leeda magnum years ago to keep our costs down and that was all that was available...but Snowbee has again, come up with an excellent quality Cartridge reel system for we Spey Casters at less thatn $200 for reel and 3 or 4 extra spools...and if you want more spools they are less than 20 bucks.. Have to go to bed...out the door at 5:30...there are fresh fish coming in. C

One would expect crowding near a city of One Million...especially on a Trout River,that has fish,designed for just that! The same conditions apply to Hog Town...3 million crazies,all fishing the Grand,Credit,Willmot,16Mile,Ganny,Notty,Beaver,Saugeen,and others. wisely,the ministeries of Ontario,New York,Michigan<Illinois,Indianna have invested heavily in stocking the great lakes ...with I might add a world class result. I know,we can't compare Hog Town with Cow Town................really??! I have many times joined in on the Stamp River for Sockeye fishing with gear and occasionally on the fly...being a fly fisher at heart was at first a real problem for me. I didn't like lineing fish so I made my gear lighter and lines too weak...what I ended up doing was hooking more fish but injuring more because of the light set-up. So,what I did was to make a change to hook fewer fish but to do it in a more skilled way,within the parameters of the status quo. I could stand shoulder to shoulder within a group of 30 crazed fishers,hook more fish than the average and disturb the line(fishers) more that the average,,,and lose more fish than the average...still. However, the point is... the experience is what counts...for the fly fisher usually... Just ask a serious Steelheader , Permit Fisher,Musky,other great game fishers,....especially a fly fisher, many days with only the anticipation of an encounter. Can you imagine standing in the rotation at Quarryville New Brunswick,25 strong,like minded fly flingers,all after the same thing,a constant rotation,and you hook the fish??

A great thread for sure.Every community on this planet that has a world class fishery in it's back yard has the same questions..but thats the point! I grew up on the East Coast fishing for Atlantic Salmon ,considered to be a rich man's sport of course.Rich men simply bought beats! A common theme with Atlantic fisheries! However,fishing etiquet and crowding have worked extremely well together,in fact ,once you are positioned within the rotation of Fly Fishers ,they all but disappear and once again the quest is even more intense,and intuitive. I have been blasted by the old farts club for letting people know that we have a world class fishery,for Salmon, off the beaches around Nile Creek/Qualicum Beach. In 1997 we began a program of enhancement so we could once again fly fish for Pink and Coho Salmon ,for all to enjoy. The interpretation of "ALL" seems to have somewhat been slimed down. Many of these old farts still ,and thankfully,continue to be part of the enhancement programs. But,we rarely see them on the beaches anymore,instead,they have found their "SECRET" spots to congregate. We will adapt,and these forums and sites will lead the way to better opportunities for all fishers and not just fly flingers. During the past 5 or 6 years the membership numbers of fly fishing clubs abd such groups have fallen to ,in some minds,alarming numbers. I,for one,think differently;and have voiced this very loudly. We must embrace whats in front of us and really think outside the envelope. AS someone mentioned,Fisheries people must read these sites...well they do to a degree. And these sites are very helpful,but also are not being considered enough yet to make any policy change. At this time, individuals are too ananomous. This will perpetuate a broader and less focused policy approach for the many of us who think differently. Here in BC we are now innundated with with a major attack on our many smaller watersheds with considerations for IPPs(Independent Power Projects)...not only will this increase certain individuals purses via stocks and investments but in context is good for the consumption of Hydro. But to we fish and outdoors type people it is a rape of the wilderness and a killer of watersheds...all the while the government of the day says it is a good and safe thing for we mere mortals to undertake! Public forums like these are helping to a degree but toooo annoymous . Will the fish ever run out?.......not likely...fishers...likely!

Headscan mentioned something that is very important about individual set-ups that match the caster,also that some rods definitely have a wider range of possibility. And that is very very true. For example,the Beulah 11'6" and the 12'7" are more pure design,ment for a much more specific line and casting style . Once found ,this match is effortless and pleasureable. AS is true with the Hardy Angel, Goran Anderssen Loop Grey, Z Axis and a few others. The same is also true for the Line Manufacturers, in fact the first company to really understand that a line can bridge many windows was Rio's Skagit line. Loops efforts in this direction was bang on but not understood well enough so has had difficulty in getting a sustained following. SA,AirFlo, CND,Snowbee and now some others coming on line are making great strides in reaching this market. SA's Short Head Spey became the 2nd line to really make a mark. A good example of a rod that crosses over very effectively and effortlessly is the Tamar....I can work with a 350 Grain Elixir set-up or bridge to a 600 grain CND Skagit set-up (16' type 6) with amazing results and requireing little effort shift. The more I let the rod work the better is performs... the same is true with the YELLOW Loop 14' rod...a great cross over rod. However,for you casters in Alberta ,on the Bow and such rivers ,your crossover isn't quite as drastic as on the West Coast!

Perhaps I can help you a bit with this...the 13' Snowbee is a very powerful rod that is designed for mid-long belly lines but fishes a skagit set-up equally.. I would suggest that you use a CND 600 Grain Skagit head, Snowbee Running line and any of the tips from intermediate to type 6.. I am useing that currently and am amazed at the effortless deliveries achieved. The other set-up or floating line that matches that rod is likely as Colin has is the Hardy Mach 2 or the Snowbee 2D (62' head)...in the floating version or the sink-tip. Ironically ,I worked with a novice caster yesterday that had the Windcutter as well and had just a so so ability and no consistency...once converting his rod with the 2D line he was the last one off the water..... For practiceing and shortening the learning curve I would suggest you get a "ONE" line that works and get it down! C

As you say,generally the shorter heads are commonly used for underhand casting. The windcutters are nice lines but not the best for underhand casting...loop formation is a key factor in the underhand cast with a touch and go rythm. The 13' Snowbee is a major rod and will handle about any line you throw at it...have fun ...Courtney

Ah yeah...very nice........

Unfortunately,we or perhaps I should say I at tumes ry to create a ratio between playing the fish and the amount of strain we can apply witht eh rod. I have broken several rods doing this and had a client do ths to a 10 weight Spey Rod. Of course the fish was over 30 lbs and on a Gravel bar. Many of the larger fish will spend little energy until the can give it a last shot...and we can't respond fast enough.. Single handed rods are nowadays computer tested for their flat spots,weak points and power points...The older fibreglass rods could almost be made to bend in half! New Graphite fly rods are much lighter and I say better designed for the efficient caster and not necesarily for the average fly fisher. With this in mind,thinner walled faster action fly rods are less able to accept off-torqueing! Blue Water rods used for large game fish have typically a high grip of Cork that is designed in. C

I've never met any!!

What the old Brits used to do is have a fighting butt hanging off their waist or inside their waders just for playing fish. The butt end of the rod has a slot in which to slide your fighting butt! Thus , a Switch rod...it seems very natural to fight a fish with two hands!!

AL, Snowbee is bringing out 2 new life vests..one in a fly vest style and the other in the body strap style..won't be available until mid April or so C Finally a fly vest style vest that isn't about your ears all the time!!

Maybe we could get Carlin out to see him swing a few lines??? I hear that there are lots of people on the river these past few days...hope they leave a few fish . On the opther side of that coin the gathering is a great time to see and understand the many intricacies of a Spey Cast, in fact the many Spey Casts. We may have a series of brand new Spey Lines on hand to play with and see how they perform. Looking forward to that week-end C

Useing a sinking polytip on the OptiStream line works really well,especially the 5' versions. If you get desperate ,do the unthinkable and do cut a foot or so off the front taper on the opti Stream line. The front taper is long enough and isn't really designed for delicate presentation anyway. I have fished the Opti-Stream for 4 or 5 years now,especially in Small stream situations for trout and Steelhead ,over the course of time the front taper shortens anyway.That line is sure a lot of fun to work with. C

BTW...this is an ongoing issue on most of the fly fishing web sites..another great way to get down is to use an Ultra FAst sinking Scandanavian Short Head Spey line set-up. Line control is with this much more critical but once mastered you can manipulate your swings at almost any level. Most companies have this system to various specs. The best are the density compensated and well tapered designs.. The best I have ever cast and worked with is Snowbee's ,followed by AirFlo and Loop. There are more of these set-ups coming onto the market and widely used throughout Europe and Scandanavia. Just now making therer way into popular use in these parts. The difference is a sink tip hinges the sinking section to some degree because the floating line provided resistence to sinking. The full sinking heads have no resistence and if designed well the taper acts as a controlling mechanism...by maneuvering your tip,like you guys do with nymphing, you control to swing and depths.. You do lose flies and leaders but you are in the Zone for long periods of thime and in their face!

What line are you useing? If you are useing the Elixir Line they are designed for poly-tips....the Elixir Spey Lines can be cut back to allow for "sink Tips" but on the Bow that shouldn't be necessary. Getting down is a simple thing if you understand the hydrolics and water speed. You might definitely want to have a longer small diameter leader, and a weighted fly. Your line mend will also be a factor to some degree..if you are doing a 90 degree change of direction cast then an upstream mend will get your fly down much more quickly. There are many ways to skin a cat... C

Well Don Grey Bird is very nice to work with and dresses up Spey Flies like no other..difficult to get your hands on though. There are some imports coming in nowadyas. Rhea is nice to work with and Todd has mastered it's use. But there are many other materials available that do the same thing and in some cases better.If you get a chance tie a few intruders with glow in the dark Flashabou there are 4 0r 5 colours. Super natural looking under water and tough as nails...glows perhaps underwater...inexpensive and effective. Ostrich and Peacock work well but can wear poorly. C

Thats a good post Brian...as I mentioned earlier,even the British appreciate the fun and versatility of the Loop Opti Stream series as do I. For years that is the line I used for my casting lessons...I found that the newbie caster could identify the load mentally very quickly and the forward stroke was almost automatic. Likely the first to produce this "mini" single hand short ehad line. C

YET???but SOON! I'm off to the Gold River for a few days...let you know how we do. C