alhuger Posted November 26, 2007 Posted November 26, 2007 All, I dropped by a local flyshop this week to grab some line and I had an exchange with the staff which I found pretty interesting. I asked the folks there if they had witnessed a recent influx in interest about spey rods & lines. The answer was uniformly yes and it was felt that this trend was directly driven by FFC. That I was even standing there was direct proof of this given that I had my first access to lessons on the two hander arranged directly through FFC. Speaking from personal experience, local market influence from a community online forum is quite rare. In fact people spend millions of dollars to create these types of forums in the hope that they will produce just what FFC has - direct, measurable impact on peoples buying habits. What is even more impressive (and perhaps as rare) is that all of this is driven by a community which operates, in the main, with an understated harmony and a very limited amount of rancor (fishhead notwhistanding). -al Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted November 26, 2007 Posted November 26, 2007 While i think FFC has a bit to claim that they did help induce this (in calgary at the least), spey casting in general has had a huge influx in the last couple years, and is getting bigger by the year, more people are going west to catch chromers or salmon generally want to know how to catch it, which in turn leads to them wanting a spey rod, which they want to practice with, so they buy it here and fish the bow... A lot of fly shops know of FFC, but few go on their and follow the trends or posts by any means Quote
maxwell Posted November 26, 2007 Posted November 26, 2007 agreed al...thanks for bringing this up..i think it was a slowly growing sport......troutspey..ffc has had a huge on people wanting too pick it up.....alot of people view the site...posting or not is another story...but we all buy fishinggear and i think alot fo people come here because they feel "the people" (all 1000+ members) will give them good feedback... Quote
alhuger Posted November 26, 2007 Author Posted November 26, 2007 While i think FFC has a bit to claim that they did help induce this (in calgary at the least), spey casting in general has had a huge influx in the last couple years, and is getting bigger by the year, more people are going west to catch chromers or salmon generally want to know how to catch it, which in turn leads to them wanting a spey rod, which they want to practice with, so they buy it here and fish the bow... A lot of fly shops know of FFC, but few go on their and follow the trends or posts by any means You keep company in a fly shop far more than I do given your employ so I'll not argue the fine points with you. However, that FFC has influence would be tough to argue. In fact people who are actively involved in FCC seem to work at a number of local fly shops outside of even yourself. That fact in tandem with amount of custom driven from people who participate here (passively or otherwise) has got to leave an indelible impression. As for the spey, I think it has a wider application than just for sea run and I think we will see it pick up for stillwater (which is why I picked it up) and more and more for river trout fishing. Having said that though, the fly fishing crowd can still be pretty tenacious about holding onto tradition. Think how long it took for spey rods to pick up on the west coast, it's not as if they were unknown there. In fact R Haig-Brown talks about chasing chinook on Vancouver Island's Cambell river with a 15' two hander over 50 years ago. -al -al Quote
SanJuanWorm Posted November 26, 2007 Posted November 26, 2007 Funny how things work eh? I started this forum because all my fishing buddies were getting married and became uninterested in fishing. I've met dozens and dozens of fine folks over the past few years. I don't make any money on this site, its purely entertainment and learning experiences. Now if we could just get those t-shirts on the go. Quote
ladystrange Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Funny how things work eh? I started this forum because all my fishing buddies were getting married and became uninterested in fishing. I've met dozens and dozens of fine folks over the past few years. I don't make any money on this site, its purely entertainment and learning experiences. Now if we could just get those t-shirts on the go. ...so you can make some money j/k the more peopel i talk to about fishing and FFC, the more people i find at least passively stop by to read and learn. it is interesting to find out that there seems to be a direct impact on the spey infussion from the forum Quote
Teck71 Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Personally, I don't find it surprising that spey casting is driven by this site in the Calgary area. With all the information and tips you can easily obtain to get started it takes alot of the strangeness out of it. a lesson is great but eventually the teacher goes home, where with the FFC you just need to login in to get the answer, or better yet get a response of met me at the boat launch. thus making the discision that much easier to start. (I know that it is one of the main reasons I got started this summer). personally I don't see myself starting to spey cast for several years yet, I have always been of the mind "do 1 thing do it well then move on", and that will not be for a while with a regular fly rod. but it is on my to do list. Teck Quote
toolman Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Well, it is no accident that the Spey movement is growing in Calgary. In fact, it has been a determined effort of ours to see that it does. Many of the local fly shops are learning to speak "spey" and there will be a greater selection of inventory coming in the new year too, so the choices are just going to get better for the Spey fisherman. There will be more Spey rods available to see and cast at the Flyfishing Show this year as well. (I'm going to cast everyone of them). In other news, I bought three Loop Spey rods today. An 11'6"- 7 wt. and two 15'- 10 wt's. Should have them by Wednesday. Can't wait to cast them. Quote
alhuger Posted November 27, 2007 Author Posted November 27, 2007 In other news, I bought three Loop Spey rods today. An 11'6"- 7 wt. and two 15'- 10 wt's. Should have them by Wednesday. Can't wait to cast them. Wow, that's commitment. I am mulling over a 10wt spey this winter for my trip to the salt over the summer. -al Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Whats the point of having 2 of the same rod? am i missing something, or what? Quote
SanJuanWorm Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Brent you are missing a lot. More rods = better. I have 2 broken rods right now. Quote
toolman Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 It's possible to have two rods of identical length and weight class, that will have two different actions, line systems and casting properties. One will be lined with a Skagit shooting head and big sink tips, the other with a traditonal long belly line for fishing floaters and light tips at distance. I usually have two Spey rods with me when I fish. Quote
Weedy1 Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Whats the point of having 2 of the same rod? am i missing something, or what? In case you break one and don't have one of your other 27 spey rods handy. Quote
SanJuanWorm Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Its kinda like owning 3 motorcycles and bidding on a 4th. Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 It's possible to have two rods of identical length and weight class, that will have two different actions and casting properties. One will be lined with a Skagit shooting head and big sink tips, the other with a traditonal long belly line for fishing floaters and light tips at distance. ahhhh i see, they're different models.... (and Dave, im working my way there..got a 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-spey..nother 5 on the way, nother 4 being built in the summer probably) Quote
SanJuanWorm Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Wow when I went to University all I could afford was beer. Quote
ladystrange Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 not even cheap women... i have a 5/6, now lined only as a 6. just got my new orvis 5 and new reel - thx brent. and OMG, it casts amazing. makes me look GOOD! i love my new rod, want to go to sleep with it. unfortunately the cold metal case it came in is not so comfy under the pillow. but i do pet it every night before i go to bed. i love my new rod. i think i need another so it isnt lonely Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 I won't lie, as soon as i got you that reel..i've been thinking about getting a couple for myself a few times.. And dave..i've been working my way to getting those rods, hell, i've had the 4 weight since i was like 10, and it still casts like a dream....... Quote
ladystrange Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 i'm still fiddling with the drag system. never had a reel with an actual drag before. but soooo smooooth. i love my new rod. the reel will fit under my pillow. i could sleep with my new reel tonight. Quote
SanJuanWorm Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Ladystrange...............your board name is fitting. Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 should see her in real life Quote
toolman Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Well SJW, I think Ladystrange probably thinks you have an appropriate board name right about now also... Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 hahahahhahahahahahahaahaha bazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing Quote
SanJuanWorm Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Its ok. I make a lot of women angry. Quote
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