speyghillie

I would like to thank 3wt for booking in on the 19th, so just a couple of spots left for the Saturday and one for the Sunday. I will be in touch with everybody as soon as i get back to Sunny Scotland next week, nobody told me it was so damn cold. Just phoned home and its snowing there too. Thanks Gordon.

I knew that customs guys could hear her in my bag.

Just arrived in Calgary last night from Glasgow, opened my suitcase and found a three bottles of Whisky in it ,dont know how they got there but i do know you cant get them in Canada, wondered how my bag was so heavy. Kritofr your bottle has landed. Gordon fae Speyside.

Hi Guys, Made in to Calgary last night, flight late in and then spent a couple of fun hours with customs, Lonefisher i will have plenty of rods at the show as well as a couple of other major Spey companies that are coming on board in the Spring in Canada (there new rods and reels are not out til March) but i will have all the details of the new gear. Hey Mr wetduck, thanks for booking the Sunday session, that just leave's one place for the Sunday looking forward to meeting up again with you and the rest of the guys. Saturday 3 places left Sunday 1 place left. See if you can spot me at the show, and no funny comments about about the guy in the Tartan skirt Gordon.

I would like to thank Knotlikely for booking a day on the River one to one with myself on April the 25th, and Al for booking a day the same week, looking forward to meeting you both and spending the day Speycasting on a one to one basis. Thanks Gordon. P.S Busy trying to get all this Spey stuff jammed into my luggage for my flight to Calgary tomorrow.

Hi Bhurt, No Problem your place is booked for Saturday, thanks for booking the day and look forward to meeting you and the rest of the guys. Maxwell, Got you booked in for the advanced Speycasting on Sunday, will see you at the show, and thanks for booking the day. Saturday 3 places left Sunday 2 places left. I will be at the Calgary Fly fishing show if any of you guys are going please drop by, cant miss me, i will be in full highland dress . , not a pretty sight i know. Thanks Gordon.

Hi Guys, Saturday Speycasting School four places left, thanks Marc and Dean, Sunday Advanced Speycasting school, three places left thanks Silverdoctor, cheeler and Al. Thanks Gordon.

Hi Silverdoctor, Thank you for booking your spot for the Sunday, looking forward to meeting up again after having such a great day the last time we met, i would also like to thank Marc and Dean for booking there places for the Saturday School. Thanks Guys, really looking forward to meeting you all and having a great weekend in Calgary. Thanks Gordon.

Hi Headscan, Yes thats what i get for trying to do things before coffee in the morning, i have made the changes to the post, off for another coffee. Thanks Gordon.

Hi Everyone, I will be running a couple of Speycasting clinic's on the Bow river again this year, the dates for this year are. SATURDAY APRIL THE 19TH, this date will be for those just starting to get into Speycasting and will cover all the basic Speycasts, understanding the mechanic's of Speycasting and the different applications including single-handed Speycasting, this day can speed up your learning curve and hopefully cure any faults in your casting. SUNDAY APRIL THE 20TH, This date is for more experienced Speycasters and will cover River Craft while Speycasting, Distance casting made easy, as well as casting, and fishing Sunk lines and sink tips. Both days are limited to 6 students per day, and at the same cost as last year $120.00 per student. I will be in Calgary for a week so if anybody would like a Private Speycasting day please let me know. I will be advertising the Speycasting weekend at the Fly fishing show at the end of the month where i will have a booth, if you are going to the show please drop by and have a chat, i have been lucky enough to full all the Speycasting Schools so please book early. I have always enjoyed running the Speycasting Schools in Calgary and try to make it a fun day of learning, i would like to thank the Admin guys for letting me post this, and my buddy Toolman for all his help during my stay in Calgary. Thanks Gordon.

Ladystrange i will have a few bottles of Speyside at my stand, so if you get fed up tying Kate Mclaren's , come over for a dram with a drop of the burn or on ice, i think there is alot of blended whisky being exported I will have a bottle or two from Tomatin, its five minutes up the road and my daughter works there and gets a free bottle of 12yr old every month so the hoose is filling up with the stuff. Ladystrange, i will bring over a couple of bottles you ain't never seen ,do the fly tying before coming over for a drink . Gordon. P.S whisky in the Highlands is sometimes better known as " wreck the hoose juice" as sometimes thats the effect it has on some people, i might if i have time tell a funny story or two about whisky drinkers in the Highlands and how they get there whisky free after dark.

Hi Mike, Have a look at this site, its a store five minutes from the River Spey and my house, that way you can get a bottle of Whisky that is not available in Canada or the US, i might be able to carry it over to Calgary for you, but i have three nice bottles for the Fly fishing show that are not available in Canada to take already. www.weespeydram.co.uk/ Gordon.

Hi Headscan, I just use electrical tape, the self amalgamating tape can be good as it does'nt mark the rod, but at times a nightmare to get off, it welds together so well it can take ages to peel off as it comes away in little bits. Gordon.

Hi Guys, I always tape my rods for a couple of reasons, but also check the rod every so often (just look along the see all the guide eyes are in line), if i am taping my rods together at the river it gives me a chance to have a look at the piece of river i am about to fish and i can study any likely looking lies for fish, wading conditions and any dangers on the river, its always worth taking a few moments to study the river before fishing, so this is my taping time,(really less about the rod breaking, more about taking my time before i start fishing). When working as a Ghillie on the Spey my rods stay taped all of the fishing season, i just transport my rods and guests rods with the Vac-rac's on the car from pool to pool or for lunch , the amout of rods i have seen broken by breaking them down and putting them in the back of the car and then putting them together again or breaking them by closing the car door on a tip has had grown men in tears. I have, over the years seen quite a few double-handers come loose just a little and then split at the ferrels and grown men almost in tears, but have never seen this happen with a taped rod, but as i said i transport the rods on the car so don't tape them every time i move from place to place or even week to week.. See you all on the Bow soon, is it still warm and sunny ? Gordon.

Hi ladystrange, Not sure about 2009, but if it goes ahead i will post the detail well in advance, i hope to be spending most of 2008 in Canada, so not even thought about 2009, i have enough trouble trying to remember what i was doing yesterday. Gordon

Just thought as your all getting into the Spey thing in and around Coo Toon, i would post a wee link to a buddies web site, its more of a River Spey thing but have a look, i will be looking out for Speycasters as i fly over the Bow on my flight into Calgary. http://www.speycaster.co.uk/master_1.htm Gordon.

Hi Guys, First of all a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all, i have been working on some detail of the Spey week and thought i would give some more detail, the cost for the week would be around $1800.00 per person, this is without flights which run at around $800.00 direct from Calgary to Glasgow. The price includes airport pick up and return, 5 days fishing on the River Spey (two days and night on your own private part of the river), three days fishing the local town beat, B and B accomodation , and one days tour of the only Malt whisky trail in the world. I can change things around abit if anybody wants more days on a private beat or a day doing some sight seeing, trout fishing ect. Fishing the Spey at that time of year is limited, most beats are booked up year in year out, so i need to book the private beats in the next couple of weeks. If you are interested or have any questions just send me a PM. Thanks Gordon.

Hi Dino, The cost of the Vac-rac's depends on which model, the standard model is around $120.00 to $180.00 for the double pro model, thats a slight increase on last year due to the Canadian dollar being as strong as it is, and the increase on import duty. Gordon.

Hi Maxwell, I hope to have a few sets of the guide model, some one has asked for a set already can you guess who ? , will check how many of those i have ordered and if there is not that many will take one for you, just let me know which one, and i will put it aside for you. www.vac-rac.com Gordon.

Hi Al, I will have Vac-rac's with me at the show, all the different models, got some dapping rods and line in Vernon so will bring them with me to Cow Town. Hope to have a bit of time for Steelheadin too. Gordon.

Hi Al, I'm sure the big rod will be fine for Nymph fishing, remember the big rod can be brilliant fun for Dapping in streams and Lochs/lakes , i alway thought it would be great out of a float tube , boat or just from the shore. Dapping is an old Scottish loch style of fishing with blown braid and allows you just to land a fly on the water nothing else, it really is the closest thing to a live insect landing on the water, you just lift the fly in the air and place it down on the water,and thats where the big rod comes into its own ,kind of like fishing a fly with a sail, a great way to fish when there is a breeze, and to see the fish come flying out of the water to take the fly is great fun, there is a couple of different styles , but in the summer months, its really effective and great fun. I will bring some dapping floss and flies with me next month when i'm at the Calgary show, if i'm not at my stand i will be at Nile Creek stand filling my pockets. Gordon.

Hi Toolman, I.m sure Islandguy i give you the detail about the lines when he stops catching all that Steelhead on the Island, hope he leaves a couple for me , i can tell you Cack Handed is an old Scottish name for using the wrong hand, in fishing that means casting off the wrong shoulder. right hand up casting off the left shoulder, left hand up right shoulder. You sometimes see Golfers putting with there hands the wrong way round, back hand facing forward. Gordon.

Hi Guys , Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Xmas and a happy new year, hopefully i will get the chance to meet up with you in January at the Fly Fishing show or even on the Bow, there is some new Spey toys coming out in the UK in January so will grab some as soon as they come out. Anyway guys have a GREAT XMAS and see you soon. Gordon.

Hey Brownstone, Depending on how long of a holiday you are planning, you could have time in both, worth having a look at flights with easyjet or ryanair, you can sometimes get flights for next to nothing, but i will post the time and total cost in the new year of the River Spey week. Thanks Gordon.

Hi Guys, I will post the detail after the new year, Al ,July is the best time for Sea-trout and Salmon on the Spey, long summer nights when you can fish all through the night, its only dark for a couple of hours in July. Sanjaunworm, getting a bar brawl going here does'nt take much, just tell everybody your English and talk about Culloden that should do it, Islandguy i hope you and your mrs have a great Xmas and will see you in Calgary in Jan if not before then. Thanks Gordon.