Favorite fly shop?

[DanJ]

Might be a better topic in the dead of winter - fly tying season - but let's talk about your favorite fly shops.

For me it's Claude Campbell's in Old Montreal in the 70s and 80s. Dingy and full of the smell of mothballs, he kept all his good feathers and stuff in cardboard boxes behind the till. The only material he sold in plastic bags was his abundant supply of seal fur, in an unending range of colors. This was before Metz and Hoffman and if you wanted to pick out a cape he would bring out a big carton and let you sift through them. He had good stuff mixed in with his cheap necks, rewarding a diligent search, and I loved his selection of badgers. (For a good grizzly, though, I had to go to Boite a Mouche in the East End.)

His best quality jungle cock - and it was unbelievably good stuff, intact nails and all - he sold for $40 each (I still have a couple) and his cheap J.C. necks were $20. In those days the best tying silk was Pearsall's Gossamer and he had loads.

Claude had a slight speech impediment and would say "F-f-f-f-feathers." He knew everything there was to be known about fly tying and there was a gen-u-wine professional fly tier working in a little room just off the shop. I think his name might have been Max but really, I don't remember. He taught me to save the underfur from a piece of bear hide to use as dubbing.

At a time when I was just learning to tie flies and it was hard to find material (Gulline & Gulline had closed and Bass Pro and Wholesale Sports were decades in the future) it was a little piece of Heaven. Hooks, tools, fly boxes, good rods - he had everything, and to get to them you walked up rickety wooden stairs and you walked across creaky wooden floors. I spent as much money there as I could afford, building a substantial supply of material to the point where I could at one point boast that I had at least one of Everything (things are different now). And it all had that lingering smell of mothballs.

Such ambience, such atmosphere. He was a contact with what I consider the Golden Age of fly fishing.

[Kingfisher]

Wow, that sounds like quite a store. I'm not sure if I would like the mothball smell. But I suppose you always knew where you were.

For me it's hands down Fishtales in Calgary. The people are always friendly and helpful. The store is small but carries most everything you need. The owners Dave and Nancy seem like they are there more times than not.

I would concider myself a pretty good fly tier and the staff there have helped me on several occasions with a pattern that I was looking for or maybe one that I hadn't even though of tying. I've had Aaron or one of their other staff grab stuff off the shelf and sit there and give me a quick tutorial as to how to tie a particular fly. Then gave me the fly for a pattern.

I have gotten advice on flies for local rivers and lakes and for the Caribean or Cuba they have been more helpful than I can even begin to say.

I know I don't go in there without spending at least $50 or $100. But since fishing is my only addiction, I don't think I'm doing so bad.

Rob, the fishaholic

[Coulee]

You will get great help at Kootenay Fly Shop in Fernie if you're ever there. The owner sold me a dozen dries last summer that looked like nothing I would tie on in a million years. Got to my cabin, and there were the real bugs that looked just like the ones he sold me. And yes, they caught fish.

[lannie]

Crowsnest Angler. Vic is a great guy with current local conditions and knowledge of the same.

[Calgaryguy1977]

I'm with Kingfisher on this one! Fish Tales Fly Shop on Mcleod just past Anderson. The flies cost a little more but they are 100 times better quality and look real. The staff is the most helpful I've ever seen at any fishing/sports store. They don't treat you like an idiot and say generic things like alot of other places do. Hands down the best place in Calgary, if you've never been you need to go at least once. Last time I went I walked in to look around and walked out with $44 worth of flies that I may have paid less than half of that at Wholesale or BassPro but they were night and day better.

[WesternFlyFisher]

There's a Shop in BC, well two, One's on Logan Lake outside merritt, the other's on Hwy 1 in Abbotsford, called Reaction Fly and Tackle. Really well stocked store, except after the break in they had in June. Really well Stocked fly fishing gear and flys, some are a little over priced, but are so realistic, mostly stocked for Salmon/Steelhead, they still have enough fly's for trout and bass in the area. The guys are always up on the info in the local lakes and rivers as well ones a couple hours away from there. They're open at O dark stupid as well which is awesome, cause you can go there right before you hit the river.

[Kingfisher]

Another fly shop that I always stop at when I'm out in BC is the Kamloops Fly Shop. Ron Thompson and Steve (Can't remember his last name to save my life). I think it's Jenkins or Jennings or something like that. Anyhow any time I drive through Kamloops I stop in there. Sort of hard to get to shop. But certainly worth the stop.

I found their website. http://www.kamfly.com/

If your south of there in Kelowna. I always shop at Trou****ers Fly and Tackle. Nick and Savas are great guys and are always willing to spend extra time to help anglers get into fish. No matter what kind of fish your after or what kind of fishing you do they have just about everything. The best thing they have is knowledge which they are always willing to share. I found their website also. http://www.trou****ers.ca/

Rob

[coreya3212]

I live South of Calgary, and there is a fly shop on Dunbow road, by Heritage point I think its called Southbow Fly shop. Anyone been there that can comment on them?

[usie33]

I live South of Calgary, and there is a fly shop on Dunbow road, by Heritage point I think its called Southbow Fly shop. Anyone been there that can comment on them?

i go there quite often as i live in okotoks and its a great shop all the guys are very helpful and there is a good selection of some great flys.

[nick0danger]

Wow, that sounds like quite a store. I'm not sure if I would like the mothball smell. But I suppose you always knew where you were.

For me it's hands down Fishtales in Calgary. The people are always friendly and helpful. The store is small but carries most everything you need. The owners Dave and Nancy seem like they are there more times than not.

I would concider myself a pretty good fly tier and the staff there have helped me on several occasions with a pattern that I was looking for or maybe one that I hadn't even though of tying. I've had Aaron or one of their other staff grab stuff off the shelf and sit there and give me a quick tutorial as to how to tie a particular fly. Then gave me the fly for a pattern.

I have gotten advice on flies for local rivers and lakes and for the Caribean or Cuba they have been more helpful than I can even begin to say.

I know I don't go in there without spending at least $50 or $100. But since fishing is my only addiction, I don't think I'm doing so bad.

Rob, the fishaholic

My only problem is arron likes to put my fly line on backwards, he does it every time, perhaps one day i will learn.

[DarkAisling]

I shop in Fishtales quite regularly, but I also hit Country Pleasures on occasion. I quite like Hanson's (kind of dark and old, and Wayne Hanson is a great gent). West Winds is THE best smelling fly shop in Calgary. I'm serious. I go in just to smell it (my olfactory quirks are well documented on this site). The owner has no idea why it smells so good. When I asked about the scent he replied "I don't know what it is, it's just something the cleaning lady uses." TFH has a really nice selection of fly fishing stuff, and I usually hit them first whenever I'm looking for something.

[DanJ]

i go there quite often as i live in okotoks and its a great shop all the guys are very helpful and there is a good selection of some great flys.

You're referring to Southbow. It's been there a year and a bit. Mike Mailie, best guide in Alberta, works out of there.