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Rod Building - Cdn Suppliers?


John Schneider

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I am planning to try my hand at building a couple new fly rods. One for my 7 year old and a couple back-ups for me. I do not want to go overboard on costs and would like to find a Canadian supplier of blanks and components. Does anyone here have any suggestions for me? I have done a little research on the net with no success so far.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

John

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JS,

 

Here are a few links I have for Canadian rod building supplies:

 

http://www.rodbuildersupplies.com/

http://www.bcadventure.com/rockymountainrodbuilding/ These guys are based in Calgary. I met them at the Fly Fishing show down there. I will probably do business with them. Maybe we could coordinate an order together and get a discount on price.

 

Other sources include:

 

Russell Sports in Calgary (not the greatest customer service, but they offer a good price point if you know what you want)

 

You can also try WW Doak from Doaktown, NB. I deal with Jerry Doak. He's a wonderful guy and loves to talk about fishing, flies, and atlantic salmon conservation. If you talk to him, don't forget to mention the fly he tied for the Canadian Salmon Fly Stamp (Lady Amherst).

 

http://www.wwdoak.com

 

Let me know what you decide. I'd like to build a little 3wt for risers on the Bow and Greyling on the Anzac.

 

Robin

 

PS - Welcome to NLFT. rmm

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Hey Robin...thanks for the info. I want to place an order today. I need a 2 piece 2 or 3 wt. for my son...the shorter the better. And then I need a 5/6 wt. and a 10 wt for me. I was hoping to find a kit with cork, guides, reel seat plus rod finish all together. I have all the thread and glue that I need.

 

shofftackle.com has kits, but they are U.S based.

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Robin....the 10 wt is for tarpon/permit on Cozumel and the Florida keys and an upcoming salmon trip on the wet coast.

 

I have contacted the rocky mountain rod building guys and I have mentioned your name to them. Maybe you can get a break on your next order for referring me to them?

 

Thanks again.

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John,

 

Thanks for the referral. I'll grind them for the GST, free epoxy, or something.

 

When are you going to the 'Best' Coast? Where will you be fishing and what are you targetting?

 

I'm a Spey fishing Steelheader. I used to live in the Northern Interior (don't let anyone know, but I'm trying to get back there). We had a few annual trips that we took to our honey holes (Spring for Springs, Summer for Sockeye, Pink, Chum, and Steelhead, and Fall for Steelhead and Coho). If you are planning on fishing in the Skeena and Nass watersheds, let me know, I have a wealth of info to share and love talking about it.

 

I've never fished a 10wt out there; I think it would be overgunning it a bit on the North Coast. I've taken all species of salmon and Steelhead on 8wts and 9wts; these rods have plenty of backbone and can winch a big fish to the beach if need be.

 

Let me know when you are going to be at the club. I'd like to see some of the flies you will be using out there. Don't worry, I'll bring in some of my favs as well. Glad we have another salmon fisherman among us. We are few and far between at this club.

 

Robin

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Robin,

 

I am so stoked for saltwater fishing! I do not enough experience with it and I am having a tough time getting any advice. I am reading what I can and picking the locals for info. We will be in Sooke on the island the last week in May and I am targeting anything that swims for the most part. Seriously, I am looking to hook into as many species as I can...cutts, rockfish, perch, sole, salmon...anything. I don't think that the fishing around the west coast of the island is as good as the east coast where it is more sheltered, but that just means there will be less competition on the good beaches!!! I will probably end up using a local flyfishing guide for the first day or two and then head out on my own.

 

I am most excited at the thought of casting for salmon off the kelp beds. I hope I can at least hook one! Any advice would be welcome.

 

I am planning a trip to Playa Del Carmen next February and will be back on the north shore of Cozumel for bones, snook and permit. I have been told that it will also be worth a drive down to Ascension Bay a few hours south of Playa. Saltwater rules!!

 

What kind of experiences have you had on the salt? I will try to be at the meeting tomorrow night and we will probably spend more than a few minutes talking about the surf. Looking forward to it.

 

John

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Oh ya...the thing about the 10 wt that I like is not how it feels when landing fish, it is how it casts in adverse conditions. Over or underlining with the bigger streamers in high winds can make a 10 yard difference...that is a lot of water over hundreds of casts in a day. It has its place as do the even heavier 11 wts. Besides...you can never have too many rods!

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Jon:

I had a great time last July fly fishing for coho off Dundas Island.

I used a 9 wt Sage RPLXi and it had more than enough backbone for a 20lb fish

and casting weighted flies into a medium wind.

Flies of choice were clouser minnows (if it ain't chartreuse it ain't no use)

and variety of tube and bucktail flies.

Line was a super fast sink DI-7.

Easy to shoot and goes down like a rock.

Mostly fished tied off a kelp bed and casting into the tidal current.

 

There was an outfit at the Sportsman's show that runs charter

out of Port Renfrew north of Sooke.

Talked to the owner a bit while tying at the fishing center booth.

He hasn't put his boat in the water yet in

expectation of some lousy spring weather,

but he may be in action come mid to late May.

 

He does do the fly fishing thing for large coho on the banks

but usually in the fall. You might talk him into it though.

I forget the name of the company, but it shouldn't be hard to find.

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That's exactly why I use the short-bellied Windcutter spey lines with LC13 tips (5-20 ft): tight loops and an extra 10-15 feet based on the LC line itself.

 

When fishing in adverse weather conditions, I remind myself about proper casting technique and tight loops. I can, however, see the value add of a 16-18 foot 10wt spey rod for those 'windy' days when you don't want to wear a 3/O General Practitioner for an earring. If the weather is that bad, I'll try to find an area surrounded by foliage to break up the wind and rain.

 

For fishing on the salt, give David Blair a call at Fish Tales in Calgary. Him and his crew head out to Mexico every year (they also host trips out there). I was just speaking with Terry last weekend, he is a wealth of info and you could probably convince him to spend a few minutes talking about the saltwater fly fishing opportunities/techniques in Cuba and Mexico.

 

Robin

 

PS - I'll try, but I don't think I'll make the meeting on Wednesday. I'm in Vancouver on Thursday, and Prince George and Victoria all next week. I'll be back at the club on April 05. rmm

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I grew up fishing Sooke, moved up the island and fished there as well. Should be a good trip. I will be at the meeting tonight unless another blizzard sets in.

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It sounds as though there are some good references here in the club for the fishing activities that I am interested in. I am going to pick your brain Robin about your line you mentioned.

 

I suppose that I am going at the wrong time of year (down to Sooke). We have a family reunion and with two young kids, my trips tend to be focused on other activities and the fishing is somewhat relegated to early morning excursions before anyone is even out of bed and then the odd day long getaways. I have contacted several outfits in Port Renfrew...haven't come across the one you are speaking of yet David. I really want to talk to you about your trip also.

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  • 2 weeks later...

John,

 

Did you get your supplies from RockyMountain Rodbuilders? How were they to deal with? How were the prices when compared to other suppliers?

 

I'll be at the meeting on April 06 and I'll bring in one of my LC-13 sink tips. If you bring in some of your West Coast flies.

 

Cheers!

 

Robin

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Robin...I am going to try to make it on Wednesday. It is really hard to make a meeting on a weeknight in the city. Too far to drive home first and too long to hang around the office! We'll see what kind of mood I'm in on Wednesday.

 

It took me a while to contact them. There was supposedly a problem with thier phones/e-mails etc. I finally got hold of John and he was a pleasure to deal with. I ordered a blank and some components for a 4wt. for my son. I should have it today or tomorrow as they had to order it from Washington. Customer relations appear to be a strong point with John...good guy to deal with so far.

 

Cheers,

 

John

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