speyghillie

Well, just loads of Snow here, well for us its loads of snow and -10 at night so the fishing this week is no go, but its all good the Spey opens in 5 days , so its a BBQ woth about 40 other crazies, will be good to get some time on the Spey with fresh fishing running.

Hi Guys, All seems quiet , anybody out swinging flies on the Spey rod ? , or is the weather freezzzzzzin. Gordo.

Hi Headscan, There will be some products from Scierra and a few other companies available in Canada and the US in the next couple of months, i dont have all the detail right now, but will post when i know where and when. Gordo.

Hey Max, i kid you not.. www.tackletour.com/reviewicast07rodspg11.html Toolman, So, what you're saying is that a Scott thought of it first, but you have'nt tried casting one yet, right...hahaha. These new Zpey rods are different than the Opti Zpey that Whistler refers too. I think it is kind of silly to dismiss the entire Zpey line up of more than 30 new single hand, switch and double hand rods as duds, especailly when nobody here has even casted any of these new sticks... I will get a few casts with your one when i get over, i see all the single handers have a normal handle, cigar, half and full wells, Its true a Scotsman never invented Underhand, Skagit, Snap T Snap Z, perry poke, dump cast ect. But you have to agree a Scotsman invented the Rodoe cast. Gordo.

This rod or the concept of the shotgun handle is not new, it has been kicked around for a while, a well know company was involved in the concept but pulled out, so z Spey went it alone and added a normal handle to the list,... thats got to tell you something Part of the problem was that it make you turn your bottom hand wrist while casting, just the nature of the shape of the handle,........ just as they brought out the rod, a company brought out the carrot fibre rod, lighter than Graphite and twice as strong , and its been kicking around in the UK for a few years and still to make an impact, but i think it stands a better chance. If you want one to try, i would take up Brian's offer of 40% off. There new reels look really nice, but i dont have the spec or price on them. Gordo.

Hey Max, Not so.. these reels and loads of other stuff will be available in Canada in March, lots of quality Spey Stuff too, will post the details later in March.. but real quality stuff. Gordo.

Hi Guys, As Max has said it is a great Magazine, and i will find the URL's for it, there are some great reads in it but for me the advertising is becoming the biggest thing, it has more ads than ever and its expensive as hell to place an ad in it. Silverdoctor , if you are looking for a Hardy reel, let me knnow , Pounds Sterling here, we don't do the eruo's .....yet ....like i said i have a company that wants me to help promote there stuff in Canada and i might be able to help you out with a Hardy's (was casting a rod or two for my Instructors course today with one of the Hardy bosses). Here is one deal for you guys that are looking for a Salmon reel, i can get Scierra XDP reels in the UK in all sizes reduced to $220.00 from $350.00. brand new, thats a saving on a nice reel of $130.00 Gordon.

Hi Headscan, Like you i dont read to much into it, like you say they missed out on some real quality rods, as far as the advertising.. if that was the case, Hardy's would have come out on top as they spend way more in the mag than anyone. When i looked at the list, i was also thinking about number of sales through the stores, the other thing i noticed is the HM3 from Scierra, a rod that casts a nice floating line, and in at number 7..... and now no longer made. I do know the guys that do the tests on the rods, all try the rods at different places and mark down there findings with out speaking to each other, and they are highly respected casting Instructors with something like 60yrs Speycasting experience between them, I would'nt dismiss there findings as they look at loads of different points on the rod, but like everybody else... they might not be my favorite.. Look at the difference in Price.. Gordo.

All Prices are in Pounds, i am not in Euromoneyland, i haven't read the report yet so not sure about the lines used.What works for those casters may not apply in different fishing situations, Cheerler that is so true, and what they like to cast.. you or I may not, its just there finding with the rods they tested. RusteHookz, not sure of the lines tested, but a Traditional rod will cast all three lines.. if it can lift and cast a long belly... it can cast Skagit and Scandi easy. Göran Andersson describes his Signature Series of rods as having a deep flex action bending all the way to the butt...... thats as Traditional an action as it gets. I think Cheerler hit the nail on the head, and i would think all the rods rested would be on a 9/10 wt and for Salmon. nae TROOT fishin. Gordo.

Trout and Salmon (the UK's oldest and most poular) Magazine has just published there top Double-Handed rods for 2008, there are some rods that are not taken into account, Clan rods, Bruce and Walker ect ...as they don't suppy mass produced rods to the stores and do hand built rods to order. Here's the list, there is some debate.. as always, the rods where tested with different lines by three Independent Qualified Casting Instructors . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Placing Rod >>>>>>>>>>>>Price £ > Points 1. G- Loomis RR GLS Stinger £799.oo>>> 39 2. Sage Z-Axis £710.00>>>>>>>>>>>> 37 3. Vision GTfour Catapult £349 >>>>>>>>35 4. Guideline LPXe £375 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>34,5 5. Sharpes The Gordon II £284>>>>>>>>> 32 6. Hardy Demon £449 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>31,5 7. Scierra HM3 £339 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>30 8. Daiwa Singature £425 >>>>>>>>>>>.>>>30 9. CND Salmon specialist £650 >>>>>>>>>>>29 10. Loop Opti £595 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>28 11. Lennox Salmon 750 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>28 12. Airflo Airlite 289 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>27

Fat Boy is back. Well i guess i will jump back in, i still think the way forward is to say of you work or support a company in anyway, but i guess its ok here, so i will just have to understand that (Gordie soon to be selling for 6 companies in Canada, so look out. for loads of ads) I have a company really interested in doing some Spey stuff in Calgary... and they are going to pay my flights, look what happens when you spit the dummy out now and again... free flights and car hire. Good suff. Gordo.

Well look at that, i leave for 5 mins and you guys are planning buying a rod that never sold the first time around, a piece of tat that was a good idea but should have stayed just that, when casting you will find your wrist turning because of the shape. Never sold first time around.. they might do better with the reels. Think you guys do this so i have to jump in after jumping out. Gordo.

Hi guys I really like what Toolman and Max have done for the Spey world in Calgary, they are both great guys and Spey has come along way in Calgary with there help..... it really is great fun and i know everybody will learn alot from them in the Spey world, why would'nt you they both understand Spey casting and for the Bow, i wouldn't know better guys for Speycasting, they really know there river. But for me ..... this is where i jump off....... the Spey casting forum has become all about promoting one company and its not for me. Have fun . Gordo.

LOOP LOOP. has anybody mentioned LOOP. Gordo.

Hi Guys, There really is not that much difference between 13ft and 14ft rod as far as landing big fish is concerned, the real difference is how you play the TRY and control the fish. A 14ft Double -handed rod with some back bone will out perform a 13ft noodle when landing fish. Gordo.

Hi Guys, Its all true the £ is worthless, i did hear today that there will be some Hardy reels sent to Canada direct at UK prices, i have never seen the Canadian Dollar so strong against the pound, so if you ever wanted a Hardy's now is the time.... i may be over to beg on the Streets of Downtown Calgary... when it gets abit warmer and i fix the hole in the rowing boat. Gordo.

Hi Lethfisher, Sounds like you guys had a great day, you hands ideally should be straight down from your shoulders, and no farther apart. You do get a 4in screw in Extension for fly rods, not sure if the thread will all be the same. Being 9ft the rod will be limited , but you can still have some fun with it. Gordo.

Hey Dude, The broonies i see in some of the pictures have that big ferox head, we only get a few on the Spey with a heid like that, Brownie's here are really Territorial where as Salmon are quite happy to shoal together until near spawning time. When i fish Salmon i can hook and land a fish and ten mins get another hook up from the same spot, we never get that with big browns, if you hook a big brown in one pool on the Spey... you wont hook another one and as well move to the next pool if fishing for big browns. The fly i was thinking of is something like a big bunny leach. Will get back in the Spring we can get out for a days fishing and try different techniques, see how it works. Cheers Gordo.

Hi Max, Looking at some of the big browns posted on the site, they look like Ferox, that gives me an idea for a fly to swing when i get back, an old pattern desgined for ferox fishin behind a boat, kinda like bucktailing , but would like to swing one a cross da Bow. Will look for the pattern. Big Brownies are territorial here and dont like other wee browns in there space.... mmmmm, i guess its the same on the Bow ? Gordo.

Park at your own risk the sign says, do you think the guy was happy with the car he bought at the Scottish auction

A few more in the cold.

Thought i would post some pictures of Loch Leven as i am there attending some Fly casting Instructor Clinic's for the next 2 months. The little Island in the distance is where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner... wonder if she fished Dry Fly in the Summer evenings. The Scottish Champions list includes PD Malloch, who made some great reels in Perth a hundred years ago, and they still work great today.

Well it had to happen... we got Calgary weather here after all the nice weather, the fishing is done.. the cold came and buggered everything up -12 o go away and let me get ......oot of the hoose, happy Hogmanay. Gordo in freezen cold Scotland.

Well its almost that time of year, Hope all of you Calgary Speycasters have a great Xmas and a really good (Hogmanay) New Year. slainte Gordon.

Thanks for the Info Monger, Will speak to the guys in the new year. Gordo.