Fly Tackle, But Whose?

[Tack]

Hi,
We have just jumped the next hurdle in our three year plan to move to Kamloops and being a keen fisherman, but never having fly fished was wondering what tackle brands are respected in Canada?

I have read "The Gilly" by Alfred Davie who says that for all fly fishing in BC three rods are required; a 7 foot #3-4; a 9 foot #5-6 and a 91/2 foot #6-7.

This advice seems sound enough but all advice will be welcome.

Tack

[lip_ripper00]

I'm not a fly fisherman, but The House Of Hardy is very well respected here. Last time I was over I was able to pick up a couple of reels for 1/2 what I could pick them up here. The bigger center pin reels we use for steelhead. Good luck

[30-06]

Dragonfly Makes Nice Affordable Fly Fishing Equiptment. Ever Coming Through Princeton Stop At Princeton Outdoor Supply They Have Nice Combo Rods-Rod,Reel,line,Backing, And Flys Are Cheap.you Can Buy A Nice 12 Back All The Flys For Are Local Rivers. Good Luck

[jordanpeters]

dragonfly is an eccelent product for the money . you could start with a 6 wieght and buy a floating and a sinking line. as for flys a good way to get started is with an atractor pattern like wolly bugger ,gills monster ect try new things see what works for you

[frenchbar]

Tack. go with sage rods.the cadillac of rods imo. a 6 # rod is about all you will need for fishing the smaller lks around kamloops,a floating line and a med sinker is all i ever use ,talk with Ron at the kamloops flyshoip he will set you up with all you will need .

[30-06]

flys=leech,dr,spratley,mosquito..those ones have always worked for me around kamloops/merrit/tulameen

[BlacktailStalker]

Honestly, if you can pick it up here in a local fly shop, it's going to work, just depends on your prefered action, species to be targeted and style of fishing. Sage (my preference, they fish stiff and can be overloaded with one weight higher line for superb casting, also allowing you to fish different weights for different circumstances), G Loomis, St Croix, Thomas & thomas, Winston all great rods with a high tag on them, but you will probably be getting a lifetime warranty, something I will pay for. The Fenwick Hmx line of rods is a good choice for mid grade with high performance and quality, or Reddington. You can pick up lower priced dragonfly and orvis gear as well as some St Croix models. Of course I have just named a few. If anything, go with a lesser rod and a higher quaility reel, maybe with an extra spool or two for your various fly lines as opposed to having multiple reels. For lakes (unless you are targeting alpine lakes where fish tend to be smaller) I would fish a 5/6 weight with at least a 9' rod, preferably a 9'6" if you are casting low to the water like in a belly boat or pontoon boat. The 6 weight would be ideal if you also plan to fish river systems or lakes that hold trophy trout, seeing as you are heaeded to the interior, thats something you will most likely be hooking in to !! I don't agree with needing three rods for one purpose, ie solely lake fishing or river fishing. i tend to have one or two for each type of fishing (steelie, saltchuck salmon, river salmon, drift, mooch, fly for each and of course trout) and that has cost me into the double digit thousands after being matched to a quality reel, usually being an Islander (Best reel in my opinion) :)
Good luck!

[BlacktailStalker]

Also, many quality shops will have demo models, if you are looking to spend the bucks, take the time to try some out and see what works for YOU. You can also usually pick these up prior to the new year models being released for a great deal, sometimes only used a few times.

[Tinney]

9' 5wt as a starter. No need to go with anything else. Heavy enough to handle any average sized fish across the province. Check out Temple Fork Outfitters (brand name) as a good for the money starter rod. For a first reel, I'd go with a Dragonfly 355 or 375. I'm hesitant to suggest the 375 becuase I'm not sure if they're still in production. Failing that, an Okuma, Plflueger or Ross fits the bill for a lower end starter.
The thing to remember is you don't want to be buying top-of-the-line fly fishing equipment when you first start because A) it's really GD expensive and B) You're going to be rough with it because you're learning, and nothing is worse than looking at a busted $400 Sage on your second day :'(

[30-06]

i got a nice dragon fly.9ft 6 weight2 years ago..very night and light.easy casting..i have 2 things of dragonfly floating like 7 weight line.and 1 thing of dragonfly sinking line 7 weight.very night stuff.easy casting..and of course a dragonfly reel ..nice combo..only about 200-250$ for all of it

[Rob]

The Kamloops flyshop will put you in the right direction. I use dragonfly reels on most of my fly rods, they have the interchangeable spools which are handy and they are priced right. I use a #5 weight rod which i find works best for me for smaller rivers and most of the local lakes. Different rods throw line in different ways, in time youll find what you prefer.Again the Kam. flyshop is your best place to go to first. I always kept the "gilly" with me when i was out in the bellyboat, its specific to the interior. Also Brian Chan has some good reading material out their as well that pertains to the Kamloops area.P.M me when you relocate and I can give you some good areas to get started on, Rob

[30-06]

The Kamloops flyshop will put you in the right direction. I use dragonfly reels on most of my fly rods, they have the interchangeable spools which are handy and they are priced right. I use a #5 weight rod which i find works best for me for smaller rivers and most of the local lakes. Different rods throw line in different ways, in time youll find what you prefer.Again the Kam. flyshop is your best place to go to first. I always kept the "gilly" with me when i was out in the bellyboat, its specific to the interior. Also Brian Chan has some good reading material out their as well that pertains to the Kamloops area.P.M me when you relocate and I can give you some good areas to get started on, Rob

i think the bellyboat is a must.i bought one lat year and i LOVE it.so comfortable and relaxing..just my opinion tho

[mtnmax]

I use a 6# rod for floating line and a 8# rod for sinking/trolling. This way I don't change reels. For this set up I always fish from my canoe so I have plenty of room for both rods. My equipment is no were near expencive or top of the line and has worked great for the last ten years. I think it's like everything else, if you are into it enough you up grade to better quality. I for one just enjoy it and don't need to spend alot of money.

[youngfellla]

I have a 9ft-6# and 9ft-8#. Use the 8 for my steelhead fishing and the 6 for everything else. The Dragonfly stuff is good to start out with. Get setup, and go start practice casting out on the lawn until you get it figured out.

I've tied my own flies for years, which is something to think about if you plan to do lots of fly-fishing. I find it's the ones that you make up on your own that work the best, but I always fall back to a version of the Renegade for pretty much all my trout fishing.

[000buck]

8wt fenwick hmx with a teton salt water series 8wt reel very smooth combo if you can get it together

[Tack]

Hi,
Thanks for all the great advice.
Although I'm a beginner I think that money spent now on good, workmanlike gear is well spent. Mid-range rods and decent reels will not be cheap but they should last. Besides I've allways been a gear freak, whether its with guns, tackle or tools. The advice my Dad gave me years ago still holds true: "Buy the best you can afford - then you know you've ben honest to yourself and to the work".

Tack

[Jagermeister]

There's a couple of books that you should read while your still there Tack, one by Hugh Fulkus and the other is authored by Fulkus and some other person whose name escapes my memory. I can't remember the names of the books either, but the Fulkus book is not the one on speycasting. As an afterthought, that speycasting book is a prized one if you can lay your hands on one for cheap. Check your used book sellers for copies. They originally sold for about 45$CDN (15 to 20 BR.#), but they go for more now, collecters thing I think.

[DBM]

I'll go against the grain here and suggest you try and find a 6-8 weight fibreglass rod to learn with in your backyard. Good luck finding one though. It's softer and allows you to feel the rod load. I own a few of the high modulous graphite rods. They're great for punching a fly into the wind or for greater distance casting, but for the sheer enjoyment of casting I wish I still had a nice glass rod. When I was 5, my grandfather used to give me a quarter for everytime I could hit a book in the backyard with my fly; by the end of the summer he was moving the book further out when I wasn't looking.:roll:

Don't be stuck on brand name. I read in an article that rated all of the top rods the same in quality. Rich folks like getting ripped off I guess (Orvis comes to mind). If you're going to spend good money make sure you get a lifetime warranty.

[.308win]

I usea 8'6" #7-8 medium action graphite, Just a $45 Wal-Mart rod, put a decent reel on it, been having fun ever since!

[30-06]

wal-mart sells a complete package.reel,rod,flyes,backing,line for like 45$ i belive

[000buck]

Hi,
Thanks for all the great advice.
Although I'm a beginner I think that money spent now on good, workmanlike gear is well spent. Mid-range rods and decent reels will not be cheap but they should last. Besides I've allways been a gear freak, whether its with guns, tackle or tools. The advice my Dad gave me years ago still holds true: "Buy the best you can afford - then you know you've ben honest to yourself and to the work".

Tack

your dad is a smart man. Its no fun learning with junk and it tends to cause frustration buy the best you can my set up above was around the 400 mark and i have no regrets

[Browningmirage]

wal-mart sells a complete package.reel,rod,flyes,backing,line for like 45$ i belive


Buy that and you WILL have a POS, and fishing with a POS will be the worst time of your life (always trying to reach that extra little bit further, but the rod cant handle even short casts). I had a 45 dollar wallmart special, although it was just for the rod, it casted well up to 10 feet, and f***ed up everything beyond, i had an instructor cast with it and he couldnt get good casts past 15.

Like your dad says, go with something good. I have a SAGE VPS in 6 weight (coming from the coast i wanted a good all rounder), it has more feel to it than my 5 weight, and can handle near any fish (coho) that i throw at it. I tried casting the other brand names (G Loomis St. Croix etc) but found them all inferior to the SAGE. Thing about that though is each person has different preferences, and the rod basically chooses the person, make sure you go to a flyshop where they will rig it up and let you cast with it. If you are fishing interior, go for a 5 weight, for coast i would give a 6 (for an all rounder).

Go good on the reel, pfleugar is crap, i had one literally explode on me when i was fighting a pink salmon (not with flames and all, but it was not impressive) Go with a good reel, Islanders are good choices, as are ross (the ones in the 200$ range). If not, the dragonfly with the exchangeable spools are good workhorses.

And now for line...scientific angler (not the ones for 30 dollars, the ones for 75-100ish), cortland, go good on the line, dont go for the 30 dollar stuff, once again, youll end up getting pissed at it, it wont cast properly, and the experience will suffer from it.

When i was set up at the shop in surrey (michael and young), with the right line and rod and reel, i was able to cast 60 feet first shot, and the loops were beautiful (instructors will always talk about throwing good loops, its the shape the line takes as it casts).

In summation, go good one the rod, choose something above 300 for just the rod, go good on the reel, somewhere around 200 or more, and go good on the line (100 ish). Dragonflys are good rods, but think of it as a step in buying a better rod, most often people who arent sure if they will like it buy a dragonfly (or wal mart special) to see how they like it. Im sure the percentage of people who do not like fly fishing, dont like it because the gear they are using is crap.

Oh yeah, and 9 foot is a good all round length, the smallest river i fish on is the keogh on Northern VI, for trout in the summer, ive never had a problem with it, plus you have length to help put out longer casts when it comes down to it. Go good and you wont regret it.

PS my set up cost me a total of 720$, i dont regret a single penny of that money

[30-06]

yai didnt buy it..i have the dragon fly Expedition which i bought for 120$,then a dragon fly Venture reel which was 60$,and then my dragon fly line which is another 40$ a roll..i love my setup itis so smooth to fish with

[Browningmirage]

wait till you go that extra bit and go for the sage, you havent felt smooth until you have fished with a sage

[frenchbar]

wait till you go that extra bit and go for the sage, you havent felt smooth until you have fished with a sageaint that the truth:)

[30-06]

iv used a sage before..i didnt like them..but the one i used wasl ike a 6.5-7 foot..im not gunan pay 1000$ for a fishing rod that i dont really think out preforms mine ..i actually liked mine more than the sage.

[Kechika]

If your serious about it "SAGE"

[Krico]

I have owned 4 different SAGE rods, still have 2 of them including a custom 590 I built several years ago which is by far my favorite rod. My St. Croix Legend, which was my first fly rod, has not seen the light of day since the Sage came home, FWIW.

[Browningmirage]

iv used a sage before..i didnt like them..but the one i used wasl ike a 6.5-7 foot..im not gunan pay 1000$ for a fishing rod that i dont really think out preforms mine ..i actually liked mine more than the sage.

Was it new or was it from 1857?

No matter how you look at it, the quality on the sage is better, When it comes down to it, the only limitations on performance is in the casters hands, not the rod. A 6.5 foot rod is really not built for delivering distance, it is meant to be compact, if you want to see a beautiful rod, try a 9 foot sage (XPS was the ultimate when iwas buying), youll notice a difference. And beyond that, theres a lifetime unlimited warranty (i break my share of rods)

If your gonna judge, use one the same length as your dragonfly, i am pretty sure you will be impressed with the performance.

[Tarp Man]

If you are really wanting a positive experience with flyfishing, spend the time in a true flyfishing shop. They can point you in the right direction for your true needs and set you up with the essential after sales service. Don't buy Wal-Mart. Spending money on cheap gear will only frustrate you and good luck getting decent service or pointers when you bring in a Big Box Store piece o' crap. Also, don't rule out Scott rods. They are made in Colorado and have excellent service and warranty backup. Even the blanks are made in Colorado. Have a look at their website www.scottflyrod.com

[Jagermeister]

So what do you experienced flyfishers look for in a flyrod?

[Browningmirage]

So what do you experienced flyfishers look for in a flyrod?

Theres a few things...but it all depends on the type of fishing you do (ie saltwater or freshwater)

Best thing to do is go to a good fly shop (ill recommend Michael and Youngs in surrey), and tell em what type of fishing youll be doing, and try out some rods. DO NOT buy an expensive rod, unless you have casted it in the parking lot...period.

I went for the SAGE VPS, however, if you are doing any saltwater fishing, you may want to consider a non-wood reel seat. I was able to get away with mine because i am constantly caring for it, after a day of fishing, it gets rinsed and wiped down, no salt residue exists on that rod.

[Tarp Man]

For a beginner, you want an affordable rod, one you can use and will be forgiving to beginner mistakes. This usually ends up being a medium fast action rod. Sage rods tend to be "cannons" or fairly stiff rods with fast actions. Make no mistake, they are quality rods, but not everybody's cup of tea. If you are traveling the Trans Canada Hwy through Abbotsford on your way to Kamloops, stop in at Reaction Fly and Tackle. It is within sight distance of the hwy at Whatcom Road exit. They are my go-to shop. Any one of the three guys there (Ferdie, Darrell, or Terry) can set you up with a low-pressure environment and solid advice.

[GoatGuy]

Take some lessons - then you'll learn how to cast properly, that's probably the most important part. There are many self-taught fly-fishers, myself included but bad habits will only hold you back.

After that grab some demos and try them; then you'll know what you like.


I've casted a couple of those dragonfly's and wasn't too dissapointed especially considering the $.


Sage make great rods but they have a tendency to break easily. They do have a lifetime warranty but having your rod in the repair shop doesn't help you. I also heard they are now charging a 'processing fee' of $40. It's a pain in the but, especially when it's a custom build. Of our 'group' that fishes we've all broken our sage's (some of us more than once :lol: ), but no busted g-loomis, talons, or st.croixs.


For the interior a 5 or 6 weight 9' will serve your purposes.



Call Bill at Benshona - he's been building rods and shipping them all over the world for years. He doesn't sell much retail anymore but he knows what breaks and what holds together. 860-4244. http://benshona.com/

He's retiring soon but he'll point you in the right direction.

[frenchbar]

another good choice are the hmx fenwicks,they are a tough little rod,theywill take a better beating than most of the other models sage,dragonfly ect.i own a couple of them in 5 and 6 weight ,i use them a lot when i back pack into lakes when i use my belly boat.they run about 175.00.

[Browningmirage]

yeah i have heard about the processing fee, mainly they told me it was for postage, and insurance for the return trip.

As for toughness, i dont really know, i had a nice pink last year, it decided to go under the boat, the drag was a little tighter than i had remembered, and in my haste to loosen it, mistakenly tightened it. Long story short, the rod basically hit the side of the boat (the pink still going on his way) raked up and down alongside the gunnel (gotta hate that sanding noise), the tension on the rod in that one spot was unbeleivable. In the end, the pink was in the boat (going for the smoker), and the rod was fine. After fighting 8 or 9 more pinks that day, and continuing to fish for the rest of the run, i figured there was no problem with it. Because of that incident, i will for sure buy another SAGE when i want my next fly rod.

All rods have the potential to break, my SAGE has taken a beating, and continues to fish beautifully for me...when and if it breaks, i will pay the 50 bucks without a problem

[Jagermeister]

Actually, my question is a trick question. The best peice of advice given so far was given by GoatGuy.
............................
Call Bill at Benshona - he's been building rods and shipping them all over the world for years. He doesn't sell much retail anymore but he knows what breaks and what holds together. 860-4244. http://benshona.com/

He's retiring soon but he'll point you in the right direction.
If there is someone that knows rods, it's Bill Lynch. The last time I talked to Bill, nearly 10 years ago, he had made in the neighbourhood of 250 rods for the year, and only nine of those were sold in North America. He is certainly the go to guy for a rod. Rods from Bill are not level entry rods. You can take a Sage rod that was factory assembled and take the same rod assembled by Bill and I can assure you that the one Bill built will cast better, for one reason or another. I wish Bill many tight lines and much happiness in retirement.
Three important things that you should look for in a fly rod. Proper Guide Spacing - Most factory assembled rods use too few guides, this causes line sag and increases drag which decreases casting distance. Guides - Avoid rods with snake guides, too hard on lines and they are the worst for creating drag. Proper Guide to Spine Alignment - If the guides are attached to the rod at 90 or 270 degrees to the spine, the rod is going to cast like a noodle and is more likely subject to breakage. You can check the spine by placing the butt on the floor and holding the tip of the rod between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Apply slight pressure with the heel of the palm of the other hand to cause a bow in the rod and while doing so, spin the rod between the thumb and fore finger. As the rod rotates, there is an increased resistance to this rotational movement until suddenly it 'pops' over. The area where it 'pops' is the spine. I refer to this as the hard side. My preference is to place the guides on the soft side (180 deg.). Guides can be wrapped at either the zero or 180 degrees sides. IMO, these three items are pretty critical for a flyrod to achieve good casting qualities. It will be pretty hard to find these qualities on rods at WallyWorld or CT, but, once in a while you'll fluke out where someone by mere chance got it right. If you can afford it, then by all means buy one from a custom rod builder. You can save a few sheckels and build one yourself and it gives you a bigger rush when you haul Walter in on a rod you built.

[Chuck]

I think that it's easier to learn good technique and far less frustrating to catch on if one uses very good equipment (ie- expensive). Trying to learn how to lay out a fly with a poor quality rod will kill any enthusiasm quickly.
Go to the pros, talk and try before wasting money on junk. When ready to commit get the best you can afford and then take care of it. You won't be sorry.
I toured through Scotland in 1967 and made sure to check out as many sports shops as possible. Other than salmon flies and some sundries I never came home with an expensive rod and reel, which was my intent. I was surprised that every time they learned I was from Canada, they suggested the best fibreglass or tubular steel rods made here. I never did find a tubular steel rod, though I knew they were popular years before. I framed the flies and use them as models, but they stay on the wall. The cheaper outfits are great for creek fishing, slipping on the rocks or busting through the bush, but the good stuff is for big river water.

[30-06]

Was it new or was it from 1857?

No matter how you look at it, the quality on the sage is better, When it comes down to it, the only limitations on performance is in the casters hands, not the rod. A 6.5 foot rod is really not built for delivering distance, it is meant to be compact, if you want to see a beautiful rod, try a 9 foot sage (XPS was the ultimate when iwas buying), youll notice a difference. And beyond that, theres a lifetime unlimited warranty (i break my share of rods)

If your gonna judge, use one the same length as your dragonfly, i am pretty sure you will be impressed with the performance.
]
brand new..it was a Sage Launch..had The Cabelas LSR reel On It..i like the reel..nice,smooth,crisp,light...but didnt think much of the rod at all

[GoatGuy]

Jager,

Thanks for the compliment.

Bill doesn't sell many of his rods in Canada but he has seen a lot of breakage come into his shop --- and also a lot of rods that were built in his classes and broke later :lol: . The best thing would be to ask him about numbers of each brand?

As far as his abilities, anyone who was on the Scottish flyfishing team and can huck line out to the backing with only half of a rod is in a league of his own!


Oh yeah, and my personal favorite upgrade is a hardwood handle. Just sooo much nicer, WAY more sensitive and your hands aren't all dry at the end of the day.:cry:

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Best rod I ever owned was a Loomis IM6 5 weight built buy Bill. Unfortunately, it was sacrificed to the fishing gods as a result of an overturned canoe in the Kettle:cry: .
She was soft and subtle for chironomid fishing but had the backbone to chuck a line with the best of them.

I built a Sage 596 RPL 5# in a rod building course with Bill, and while it's a very nice rod, I miss my Loomis:cry: .

SSS

[Fisher-Dude]

SSS is a worm chucker, and GG spends most of his time "virtual casting" online. One day I'll have to check out their flyfishing techniques and see if they really know what they are doing! :lol:

I'm a traditionalist and still use fibreglass Fenwicks that I built nearly 30 years ago. I've never broken one and can cast pretty well my whole fly line with an 8 1/2 foot 7 weight. At 3 1/2 ounces, they are light and powerful. Works for me.

[one-shot-wonder]

SSS is a worm chucker, and GG spends most of his time "virtual casting" online. One day I'll have to check out their flyfishing techniques and see if they really know what they are doing! :lol:

I'm a traditionalist and still use fibreglass Fenwicks that I built nearly 30 years ago. I've never broken one and can cast pretty well my whole fly line with an 8 1/2 foot 7 weight. At 3 1/2 ounces, they are light and powerful. Works for me.

"The Dude" do you use the "Mazola" technique where like your knees you have to grease them up before use?

I can just see it, you cast your whole line out in one cast, after that you're all seized up.

I probably don't even need to ask this but are you a traditionalist that runs a gas burner or are you like the real traditionalists that use paddles, oars & flippers?

BTW most of GG's time on the computer is spent "virtual dating" actually.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Worm chucker??!!! HAH!! The only worms I have............hmmm.....maybe I'd better not say it.... All I can say is stay away from home-made sushi:-( !!!

Bring it on F/D!! You bring your 30yr old noodley-doodeley fiberglass jobie and we'll see!!!
I need an excuse to dust off the fly rod!

http://usera.imagecave.com/BrentT/image624-copy.jpg
http://usera.imagecave.com/BrentT/image622-copy.jpg

BTW-that second rainbow was caught in Oct. It ain't no spawner...just a genetically modified eating machine8-) !!
SSS

[Fisher-Dude]

"The Dude" do you use the "Mazola" technique where like your knees you have to grease them up before use?

I can just see it, you cast your whole line out in one cast, after that you're all seized up.

I probably don't even need to ask this but are you a traditionalist that runs a gas burner or are you like the real traditionalists that use paddles, oars & flippers?

BTW most of GG's time on the computer is spent "virtual dating" actually.

I'm pretty limber for flycasting season. No grease required!

I have a 1967 Johnson gas burner, sometimes I just row, and other times I hang by my crotch in my belly boat. So I guess I am a traditionalist hybrid. 8-)

GG virtual dates? A date for one, no doubt! :rolleyes:

[one-shot-wonder]

I agree talk to the Lynch man, he knows his stuff when it comes to rods.

My personal experience on rods are find a mix between quality and economy when starting out.
I learned on an old Fenwick fibreglass, strong and it won't hit you in the wallet as hard if it does break.

If you want ot shell out a it more cash, or later on you decide to invest on a more expensive set up then I echo what has been said earlier.....

I have the luxury of my old man being an avid Fly fisher who builds his own customs (taught by Bill Lynch) I use a nice 5 weight he gave me years ago (one man's junk is anothers treasure :lol: ) I love it for trout and most small lake fishing I do in the interior.

I also have a Sage 6-7 I really like, I use it more for Steelhead & Salmon fishing but it gets it's use. I packed it down to Costa Rica a few years back.

[one-shot-wonder]

SSS,

Couple nice fish there. When am I gonna have you over so we can do a morning fish and afternoon Bear hunt this spring?

We still have unfinished business with getting you a bow bear......

I better get the tube filled.:|

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Sounds like a helluvan invitation. Got one of those beer bellies tied up for me??8)
The way things are going , you won't be mowing your lawn up there until August:lol: !

SSS

[krazy]

Having lived & fished the kamloops area all my life I can tell you from experience that the gear you use will have very little impact on your fishing success. Knowing how to fish this area with respect to what to use and where, when & how to use it is FAR more important. I see it all the time - guys with $1000 set ups getting slayed by guys with modest gear but alot of knowledge.

Now if money is no object it can't hurt to have expensive gear but in my opinion the best bang for your buck is a Dragonfly, Reddington, St. Croix or Temple Fork (weight 5-7). For about $100ish these rods all come with lifetime warranties and will serve you well for all the lakes in this area. Throw in a BFR 375 with an extra spool (dragonfly will work as well) loaded with a floating and sinking line (courtland / SA / etc) and you will be set with decent gear at a decent price.

That's the easy part! Now you will need to read everything you can re fishing this area. Anything by Chan or Rowley is usually good although they tend to repeat the same info over & over in all thier book so just pick up the latest and you should be good. Also talk to guys like Ron at the Kamloops Fly Shop for advice on what to use as well as when, where and how to use it - timing is eveything!

You picked a great time to get into it here - IMO May & June are the best months in this area for fly fisherman followed closely by the fall months.

One last peice of advice can be summed up in one word - chironomids!

Good luck!

[frenchbar]

chironomids and burgandy black beadhead mohair leech ,they work like a hot dam when i fish Heffley or Roche.

[Tack]

Hi,
Thanks for all the great help and advice offered so far.

Krazy: I would dearly like to read more about fly fishing in the Kamloops area if you could reccommend some titles I would be grateful.

Coming from the UK I was concerned with getting the right gear right away.

I will certainly be paying the Kamloops Flyshop a visit.

I also seem to remember a barber who, whilst cutting my hair when I was there last November was waxing lyrical about fishing. His shop was full of pictures of catches and other fishing treasures.

Once again, many thanks

Tack

[krazy]

Hi,
Thanks for all the great help and advice offered so far.

Krazy: I would dearly like to read more about fly fishing in the Kamloops area if you could reccommend some titles I would be grateful.

Coming from the UK I was concerned with getting the right gear right away.

I will certainly be paying the Kamloops Flyshop a visit.

I also seem to remember a barber who, whilst cutting my hair when I was there last November was waxing lyrical about fishing. His shop was full of pictures of catches and other fishing treasures.

Once again, many thanks

Tack

Sure, here are a few books that you may be interested in:

Fly Fishing British Columbia, Karl Bruhn
Morris & Chan on Fly Fishing Trout lakes, Skip Morris & Brian Chan
Fly Patterns for Stillwaters, Philip Rowley
Fly Fish the Trout Lakes, Jack Shaw (and oldie but a goodie)

K