Bow Spay Advice

[knowles74]

Hey guys,

 

New to the site and already looking for help

 

I'm just getting into the spay thing and looking for some ideas on which rods to use on the Bow? Also where to get stuff?

 

thx stevey

[cheeler]

A few different setups are used, depending on what you're fishing (search this forum for setups because there's too many to remember). 12-13.5 foot rods in 5-8 weight are popular. There is an article in the latest Canadian Fly Fisher about spey rodding in Alberta, and is a good read. For shops try Fishtales down south.

[Harps]

Send a PM to Islandguy on this site.

 

Amazing service from his shop!!

http://www.ogilvieoutfitting.com/

 

I'm sure he'll respond to the post himself.

 

Cheers,

[headscan]

Talk to either Courtney as Harps said or Brian Niska at Whistler Fly Fishing. I told Brian where I wanted to fish, for what, my skill level, and so on and he set me up with what I feel is my ideal rod and line combinations (Loop Goran Andersson 9126 with a Skagit line for sink tips and Scandi line for floating work).

 

Having said that though, have you cast a two-handed rod yet? If not, you may want to see if speyghillie has any space in his clinic or look into the clinic Brian is offering in May. Both will likely have a variety of setups you can test to see what you prefer, plus you'll be learning from some great two-handed casters.

[ogilvie]

Hey guys,

 

New to the site and already looking for help

 

I'm just getting into the spay thing and looking for some ideas on which rods to use on the Bow? Also where to get stuff?

 

thx stevey

Hi Steve;

Having just fished the Bow this past week-end for the first time, in water conditions that I figure are about normal for much of the year I can suggest that you look at a rod from 11'6" to 13' as a Spey rod or a Switch Rod about 10'6". The need for a major rod on the Bow is a nono;although if you already have One then use it. Several of the people casting rods this past Saturday really liked the 11'6" Beulah and the 12' Snowbee Torridge( in the $500 range). An aggressive line set-up like the Beulah Elixir Spey or Switch line and a Skagit set-up from either CND,Rio,SA, or Air Flo and of a good Shooting head from Snowbee or Loop matched up with the Snowbee running line works ideally! Considering that you are a new caster the need to keep it simply isn't too obvious from this info',however,it really is simple. The costs for new gear isn't that much more than that of Single Handed gear. The major issues usually come around the reels. Snowbee is now produceing an XSD1112 Die Cast Cassett Spey that will answer the call for the many lines we tend to use without having to have a lot of reels. This reel has 4 Cassetts and more are available if needed for about $15@...how many lines does a guy actually need? Well................!

This reel does Retail for $180 ..members of this site all get a 10% discount. The reels are available in about 3 weeks....

If you choose a Switch rod then the need for a smaller reel will be apparent in the 9/10 size;large arbour...like the Snowbee XS910,although more expensive at about $350.00.

PS My home Waters are on Vancouver Island and typically much faster,deeper and more difficult to fish because of the access and always being surrounded by trees or canyons.

Send yuor questions this way and have fun

Courtney

[knowles74]

Thanks. Guess I have some learning to do.

 

Took some of the advice and stopped into fishtales to look. They had some of those cassette reels that island guy mentioned . Seems like they

have lots of spay stuff compared to when I last went in which is good as Id rather not send money to BC.

 

Sounds like alot of guys like the TFO deer river rod.

 

l picked up the magazine with the article to. Will read it after my shift tonight.

 

tx

stevey

[ogilvie]

Thanks. Guess I have some learning to do.

 

Took some of the advice and stopped into fishtales to look. They had some of those cassette reels that island guy mentioned . Seems like they

have lots of spay stuff compared to when I last went in which is good as Id rather not send money to BC.

 

Sounds like alot of guys like the TFO deer river rod.

 

l picked up the magazine with the article to. Will read it after my shift tonight.

 

tx

stevey

Steve, I don't know what reel you looked at but the Snowbee Cassett reels are not yet released ,anywhere! There are many reels on the market that are very good but no Cassett reels yet. Most cassett reels have a crappy drag system primarily used for Trout. However, with the surge in Spey interest there is a huge demand for a quality drag system in a cassett reel...rather than carry numerous reels at a very hefty price! If we can get some of the shops in Calgary to get off their butts and carry Snowbee products you wouldn't have to buy in BC.

C

[maxwell]

hey dude sage. g-loomis, loop, scierra are all some other companies i would recommend for a lightweight spey in teh 6-8wt range 11-13feet like other mentioned.....

[knowles74]

think it was a scierra reel - more trout sized but the same idea. Really liked the danielson reels though!

 

Want to buy an eight weight rod so I can throw big stuff - just need to decide which one. Are all good for skagit?

[headscan]

The Danielsson reels are nice - sealed drag, no cork. You may also want to look at Nautilus and Loop reels since they're the same concept. Every reel I fish is a Nautilus for that exact reason.

 

I think some rods lend themselves better to Skagit than others. My understanding is that they tend to be rods that have a fuller flex. My Skagit setup is a 12'6" 9 weight Loop that flexes right down to the cork. Takes almost no effort to shoot line with a big streamer on the end. CND makes a couple of specific Skagit rods, though I've never cast them so I couldn't tell you what they're like. Then again nobody in Calgary carries them

[ogilvie]

It is commonly believed that the more moderate rods like the Skagit Lines a bit better. Although the more fast rods work extremely well with these lines and casting style. That Grey Loop is and exceptional Underhand rod and crosses over really well to the Skagit. The first time I ever cast a skagit line was useing a converted 11' 6" Sage Centre Pin rod,very soft ,similar to the original Lamiglas Trout Two Handers. Yet,to cast the Skagit Set-up on a 13' Hardy Angel is unbelievable!

However,most of the Modern Two Handers are good for Skagit style. My go to rod for that style and basically for traditional is the Snowbee 12'6" Tamar...considered to be a moderate fast rod,very tough and light in hand...another good rod that is in my arsenal is the 12'7" Beulah...both 7/8 weights and both able to land 30 lb chinook yet very light feeling! There are many others on the market...similar to these....the Thomas and Thomas 1208 ,Scott has One as does Sage, Loomis and of course CND. We carry CND in our little store so if anyone needs some CND product please let me know.

And for lines I think as time goes on you will find the Beulah Elixir lines will become as popular as the Skagit systems yet thes lines are more stealth ,especially on the Bow...very very smooth..nice tapers and presentation are sweet...IMHO

C

The Danielsson Reels are very good...