Wholesale Flyrod Outfit

[Gobi]

Ok. Well, I've been thinking about it for a while and have decided to just go ahead and do it. Here in Calgary down in Deerfoot meadows they have the Wholesale Sports shop. I was milling around their fly fishing shop and I saw a rod/reel combo that I thought would be decent for a first-time fly fisher.

I was just curious if any of you have any input on the set I'm looking at. In all honesty, I can't remember what it's called, so hopefully some of you have seen them and know what I'm talking about. It comes with rod, reel, and line for 179.99. It's a 9' #5 rod. Now I know it's not as cheap as I can go, or FAR from the most expensive. But I was just curious if this is a decent set to start out with for a virgin fly fisher.

[Kingfisher]

Goby that set up will get you going and on the water. You don't want to spend a ton to begin with anyway. Make sure you like it and a few years down the road you can always upgrade. I kept my first rod/reel set up for years, so that I'd have something to lend people.

Congratulations on your new addiction.
One thing to remember is that you may not catch fish for a while. But stick with it and eventually you'll catch way more fish than you ever imagined.

Take a casting course if you can. Also if you can possibly afford it go out with a guide for a day. The lessons you'll learn will help you catch fish and I would think they will probably even give you some pointers with your casting. The learning curve when a person goes out with a guide is a heck of a lot shorter. No I'm not a guide.

Another thing you can do is join your local Hook and Hackle Club. Yes they tie flies and that's another whole different ball game. But just remember those guys fly fish. You can get a bunch of tips from them as well.

I am also in Calgary. Give me a PM and I'll be happy to take you out on the river one evening and show you what flies are good and maybe even get you into a fish or two. It won't be right away. As I am working a ton this week and have plans for this up and coming weekend. But in a week or so I will have time.

Good luck
Rob

[honda450]

I think that rod is a TFO, but not sure on the reel. Nothing wrong with a TFO rod in 5 wt. They have a good waraentees too will replace any piece for $25.00 no questions asked. Cortland 444 line is excellent too.

[Gobi]

Yea that's what the salesperson said. Doesn't matter if you slam it in your trunk, trip and fall on it, or use it to fend off a bear... or small dog.

So I think I will pick that up tonight then. Now I need to start doing research on what kind of flies to buy... What they eat and what's hatching in what area etc etc. Never ending supply of knowledge that there internet...

Now tonight we're also picking up a spincast rod for my girlfriend. I want to make sure I get her the right lures and such. Is there anything anybody can recommend? Creek, river, and lake fishing. I know it's broad but, I want her to be happy so that when I go out, she comes out. Something we can share together and so that she at least has some fun and catches some fish.

[honda450]

What kinda flys to use? Thats where the fun starts. I have over 300. The local flyshop in the area you are fishing always has good tips.

[Gobi]

Originally Posted by honda450

What kinda flys to use? Thats where the fun starts. I have over 300.

... Lol well I figured that would happen. But I would just like a good, small variety that would work for now...

[honda450]

Stimulator, Elk Hair Caddis, Rusty Spinner, wooly buggers, Parchute adams. Blue winged Olive, grasshoppers, blue upright, royal coachman, mosqutio and the list goes on.

[spudislander]

There are a few good books out about fly fishing that have specific sections on the Calgary area. Behind the Counter is a good one. Fly Fishing Western Trout Streams is another. Lots of great internet resources too. As for fly patterns it's tough with so many options. I mainly carry a variety of may flies in the traditional patterns, a couple of each size between 8-16, depending on the pattern of course, and lots of attractors like the Royal Wulff, Stimulator and Parachute Adams. The Griffiths Gnat usually works when all else fails. A couple of Parachute Hoppers and Chernobyl Ants work well in the after noons when the terrestrials have started hitting the water, especially on a breezy day. As for subsurface, lots of options, brassies and prince nymphs, wooly buggers and micro leaches fill a lot of space in my boxes. Good luck and tight lines.

[honda450]

My friend from Arizona ties a mean looking Chernoble. Works well in the Castle river system. My son out done me this year. Caught a 18.5 inch cuttie on a royal coachman. Carbondale river.

[Rudy198]

it was probably a St.Croix set up,i have 1 of there rods in a 5/6wt,i think it is worth every penny.Great warrenty for the price and for starting out why not.
My 1st set up was a crappy Martin rod reel from Wal-Mart for about $50,just to see if i'd like it.I did then i went and upgraded.
I recommend checking to see if you can buy a spare spool for the reel so you can have a wet and dry line.Or buy another reel...Have fun and enjoy

[honda450]

Fly fishing is so great. I started ny son out when he was 5. Went through the periods of frustration, broken rods, gettin his fly out of trees etc. Well he spent alot of time fishing with my buddies from Arizona who are die hard fly fisherman. He learned alot, more than I could of taught him. Now at 15 he also is a die hard. I watch him now. Makes me proud.

[dodger]

If your fishing the Bow and streams in S. Alberta the one fly that I always use from August until the snow comes is the Red Ant. It has been my fly of choice for on the Bow for the last 40 years. It also works at dusk when the Browns move into the shallows.
My $0.02 worth Dodger.
P.S. Good luck with the fishing.

[tonyflyfish]

I started like that and took the girl to a nice place so she could enjoy the atmosphere, and just being with her guy. When you upgrade you can always keep the old gear for a friend or just in case.

[Gobi]

Well I didn't pick up the bundle. It was a prism kit or something like that. He suggested that I buy everything separately because the reels on those kits were total garbage apparently. I bought a TFO #5 9' rod. Ordered a reel from TROUT in his BUY SELL forum. Then going down again on thursday night to pick up the rest of the stuff I need.

[honda450]

Good choice there. Cheap reels are exactly that, some don't last 2 weeks. But you will have a rod that will last for years. Try Cortland 444 floating in a 5 wt. Plueuger reels are also nice, Once you fly fish you will be hooked.

[Gobi]

Originally Posted by honda450

Plueuger reels are also nice, Once you fly fish you will be hooked.

I'm getting a fenwick blackhawk 5/6 reel. Hooray for overnight delivery!

[PlayDoh]

I just started last year, and I recommend starting off with just Nymphing. Dry flies are tough to use properly, and catch fish. When I first started I spent 3 full days and nights casting and spooking trout who were just boiling everywhere. Very Frustrating.

I took someones advice and put on a nymph and moved to some Riffle (shallow fast water) and drifted though some nice seams and Bingo. I just recently caught my first on a Chernobyl ant (dry fly), and now that I can cast consistently its not a waste of time.

Hare's ear, Prince Nymph, Pheasant tail, copper John, San Juan Worm (SJW) aka BAW (big ass worm). Especially worms, their another staple of Bow river Trout anyways. Get a half dozen of each, in a couple different sizes.

Also grab some "Streamers" which are the big flies, from Wolly buggers, to Leeches, and other minnow imitations. You fish Streamers much like you would a lure on a spin rod, which can make the transition easier.

Trout usually sit in one general area, usually in a small group while feeding, in "Feeding Lies". Depending on what their feeding on and the time of year, will determine what fly and style you'll need to use. Now if theres an abundance of a certain nymph, pupa, terrestrial bug, at a certain time, the trout will be aware of this and position themselves to be able to feed without using much energy to do so.

Most commonly these Feeding lies are at "seams" in the river. Places where fast water flows past slower water. Trout will stay just in the slower water and pick off food as it goes by in the faster water. Seams are commonly around turns in the river, so thats a place to start.

Now, knowing what the trout are feeding on is vital. When you get to where your fishing, take a minute and observe what bugs are flying around, and use a aquarium net to see whats drifting in the river. Also pick up some stones, and observe what type, color and size of nymphs/pupa are clinging to the bottom of the stones. Its rare to lift a rock and not find any, and if you can't find any, then move on till you do. Their tiny "lobster' Lookin things, or maggot looking things are pupa.

You'll be amazed at all the things Trout feed on, and whats in the river/lake. When your Nymphing, you want the nymph to drift along the current so that it looks like its natural. Thats deceptively sound simple, but it takes quite a while to perfect it.

Heres a common set up for the Bow. At the end of your fly line, attach a 9' tapered leader, either in a 3x or 4x, which is the strength scale. You can use a "loop to loop" system, with looped leaders and a small thingy you put on the end of your Fly line so you can quickly change leaders. Learn the Nail, blood and surgeons knots. A nail knot is used to attach your leader to your fly line, if you don't have a loop to loop system.

Take your 9' leader, and tug at the thin end of the leader and break off the last foot or so, since their ridiculously weak at the ends. I tug till it wont break, then tie a 1'-1 1/2' piece of leader/tippet material, to the end of the tapered leader. Get a spool or two of "Maxum 6 & 8 lbs" for tippet. Use a Blood knott, or a surgeons knot to attach the tippet to the leader.

Get some "thing-a-ma-bobbers" which are called "Indicator". A fancy name for "small bobber", although you want small and softer bobbers then the traditional ones. Now put your "Indicator" at the top of your leader so that it doesn't slide on the leader.

Next tie a nymph on at the end of your tippet. A "beaded Hare's ear" seems to be the best all around nymph, IMO. Then attach a "BB" sized split shot just above your tippet, on the leader. This will ensure your weights don't slide down the the fly.

Start at the bottom (downstream end) of a seam or run, and cast 45 degrees up stream. Keep your rod tip down and follow the fly with it, ready to strike if you see the indicator twitch. Strike at every twitch, even if your sure its bottom.

Most times you want your fly close to the bottom, which will cause the occasional snag. Thats ok, if you don't feel the bottom at all after a few mins, put on another BB split shot above the last one, and repeat till your down there.

Use your free hand to pull line in as the fly comes closer to you, to remove the slack line. You want to be able to set the hook at all times, so keep slack to a min. After your casts, lift your rod and some of your line off the water, and do whats called a "Mend". A mend is like throwing a loop while your holding an extension cord, so that the cord will go over an obstacle. Yet with Fly Fishing (FF'ing) your mend is used to keep your visible fly line and some leader, Up-stream or above the fish that your fly is drifting by. Trout can spook easy, and just seeing your fly line above it, is enough to put some fish off, or ignore your fly.

Keep the fly in the water till its directly down-stream of you, and then let it sit there for a few seconds, before your cast again. If you were using a Streamer, you'd start at the top of a run, can cast 45 degrees downstream, and let the streamer drift until it "swings" so that its directly downstream. during this "swing" is when you'll get a lot of takes, yet they usually set the hook themselves with streamers. Yet once the streamer is done its swing, you "retrieve" it will "strips". A strip is when you pull line in with your free hand, Strip in bursts or one or two, with a rest after. Play with strip speeds and styles to trigger hits if their not coming.

Oh, before you cast, Peel out some line and let it lay in the water or ground in front of you. Say 10' to 20', then begin to cast.

As advised above, lessons will make learning much faster and enjoyable. There are group classes at most fly shops, for around $150. They teach you all the basics, and will take you out to the river and get you into fish.

Well, that should be enough to give you an idea of what to expect. Don't go out your first few times, Expecting to catch fish, especially on the Bow. Also I recommend getting a small round file, or a dremel if you have one, and smoothing off the barbs on your flies. Pinching them is fine for the fish, but not for snags. I lost $60 worth of flies in the first 2 weeks on snags, and thats not abnormal. BTW, when you start, get your flies at WSS in the bulk packs. You'll lose them so fast you won't need to worry about quality, and their good enough. At $2 a fly, it gets expensive in a hurry.

Also when you snag, point your rod at the snag, and pull the line with your hand. Fly rods are Super fragile and pulling on snags is enough to snap one, and even so its not good for them.

Well, feel free to ask me questions. Its all still fresh in my memory, and if you want you can join me on the river and I'll give you a crash course. I'm not a guide or an expert, so I can't put you on the fish all day, but I don't charge either. lol. I have some DVD's that I could give you also.

Have fun.