They're Here!

The all new, Special Edition Bead Blast Reels from Hatch. Available in Sand for the trout sizes and Blue for the saltwater sizes.
There aren't many, so drop by and take a look.
 

Orvis Helios 2 On Special

Tuesday Tips - A Few Ways Not To Break Your Rod

Whether we like it or not, we're going to have the odd accident here and there. Car doors, falling, you name it, there are lots of accidental ways to break your fly rod. 
As blank technology has improved (to increase performance) the sidewall thickness in rod blanks has gotten thinner and impact resistance has dropped.

But there are a few things you can do/not do to decrease the chance of breakage.

Keep your hand off the blank when playing fish

1- Don't play fish with your hand riding up the butt section. 
One of the top ways that rods are broken. People try and get more leverage by putting their hand up the butt section. This affects ferrule flex angles and will invariably lead to breaks at the ferrule. If you keep your hand on the cork, and use proper rod 
angles, you'll fight fish way more efficiently.

2- Don't shock the rod when snagged on something.
If you you get snagged on something like a tree, don't repeatedly jerk the rod back. Graphite can take a huge amount of bend and stored energy, but when it is shock loaded repeatedly it will often fail and then you have a broken rod.
If you aren't able to reel in line and go retrieve your fly by hand then point the rod tip at the snagged fly, hold the fly line at handle, and gently pull until it pulls free or tippet breaks. Make sure to leave at least 4 or 5 feet between rod tip and snag, otherwise the fly can snap back and hit the rod tip. This may lead to a tip breakage.If you lose a fly doing it this way its way better than busting a rod.

Right way

Wrong way when snagged

   

Wrong way

3- Keep the rod angle in front of you when playing fish.
Still continually see people playing fish just like the angler on the
old Orvis logos. This is not great for couple of reasons. First, and
relevant here, is it will often lead to rod breakage. As soon as the
rod butt gets back around your cheek and ear the risk of
breakage increases greatly. As soon as butt gets behind your ear
you're going to break the rod. Maybe not today but it's going to
happen.The other reason to shallow the angle of your rod when playing fish is that you are WAY MORE efficient. If you keep the tip way up you play fish with the tip (you can't lift a pop can with the tip) If you shallow the angle you play the fish with the butt of the rod. (you can exert a LOT of force with the butt of the rod).

By using a shallower angle and always applying pressure opposite to the direction the fish is swimming you will land fish quicker, land bigger fish, be easier on the fish, and break fewer rods. Win, win, win, and win.

4- Don't set the rod around doors and tailgates.
You've heard this one a lot! But you still do it. Lean a rod 
against the vehicle around open doors and tailgates while you
get gear on or off. Something is going to happen and a rod will
get broken. In a perfect world we put our rod away in a tube or 
set it up last but we don't live in a perfect world.
So, the safest, foolproof way to store the rod around a vehicle is
to put it on the windshield, under the wiper, like the photo 
shows. This will keep the rod safe from doors, wind can't blow it
over, and you can't drive away and forget it.

Tuesdays Tips - Getting the Boat and Trailer Ready This Spring

Even though there's likely to be a bunch more winter before it's done, before you know it spring will arrive. Sometime in the next couple of months you'll want to get the boat ready for next summer's float trips. Here is list of what to go through when getting your boat ready as well as some ideas for how to keep it in better shape for down the road. We are assuming that the boat is stored outside. If yours is not then some of these are not applicable.

Checklist for getting the rig ready:

1) Remove your cover. As soon as weather permits you should completely wash the winter grime off of your cover and let it sun dry. Best is to hang the cover on your fence when washing and drying.

2) check your trailer hitch. Make sure that hitch is clean and lock assembly moves freely from the lock to unlock position. Grease the hitch (best way is to sit until you tow it first time. put grease on trailer ball and then hook up trailer.)

3) Check tire pressures, including spare. If a trailer has sat over winter the tire pressure is likely low.

4) Check condition of tires and tread. Now is the time to find out you need new tires and get them, not on the road to Carseland. Tread should be 9/32 depth on tread with no cupping (uneven wear patterns). **if you notice cracks on the side of your tires this is called weather checking. It is caused by too low of tire pressure and extreme temperature variation like you see in the winter. On a trailer tire, this likely won't lead to failure but keep an eye on them that it doesn't get a lot worse. Next year make sure the tire pressure is up before you store it.

**if you are getting strange, uneven, or premature wear on your trailer tires the likely culprit is the axle and/or alignment. Standen's in Calgary can fix you up .

5) Make sure hubs are greased. This should be done after every three or four uses through the season. If you don't have Bearing Buddies, get them. Hand greasing bearings really sucks. At this time, make sure there isn't any grease on the back side (axle side) of the hub in quantity. If there is it means you have a seal failure and it should be replaced.

6) Hook up to vehicle and check all lights. **This is the time to get them all working. Now is the time to get that grease in the trailer hitch as well. And while you're at it, check to make sure you're trailer hitch is adjusted properly. With the trailer hitched up, lift up on the trailer, if there is any movement of the trailer hitch on the ball (you'll feel it and hear the clunk) then you need to adjust the hitch.

7) Since you're hooked up, make sure that trailer rollers are in good shape. Also, check your trailer bunks. Over time the carpet material wears out on the bunks. Now is the time to take care of that. Running for a season with a bad bunk or roller can severely damage the bottom of your boat

8) Check your anchor rope. They do wear out over time. Make sure that your anchor release works properly and the connection assembly (clevis) on your anchor works ok. Nothing worse than getting to a boat launch first time of the year and you can't get your anchor installed.

9) Check storage and seat storage. Now is the perfect time to get organized. And also a great time to find that junk you left under a seat last October and get rid of it.

10) Check seat operation and seat pads. Make sure they swivel like they're supposed to. Check seat pads for cracks or wear. A little trick to keep your seat pads lasting longer is to clean them and then spray with 303 protectant (available at Canadian Tire). Do this in the spring and your seats will stay way nicer. If you do have a crack in a seat pad the best way to address it is to put Aquaseal on the crack or tear. This will delay having to replace for a season or two.

And if you used the 303 to start they likely wouldn't have cracked.

11) Check any trim (black edge trim on Clackacraft gunnels, rubber trim on boxes and gunnels on Hyde, etc.) Some of these items become loose or worn over time. Half an hour with some contact cement will keep your boat in a lot better condition when it come to edge trim, etc.

12) Once all of this is done it's time to wash the boat completely. The place to do this is at a car wash. The high pressure wands are the very best way to clean a boat. Kick the boat off the trailer just enough so that water will drain (rear drain holes). Completely spray clean inside of boat and then do outside. If you have built up dirt or staining, use a product called Spray Nine. Just spray it on the area, scrub with a brush, and then high pressure wash. Makes it look like new.

For the outside of boats that have the "scum line stain", you can use another product, called Black Streak Remover. It is sold at RV dealerships and is used on fibreglass sided RVs. Works great on boats.

**To keep your boat clean and not get staining and those scum stains on the outside is really easy. Power wash your boat inside and out after every use. That night, not the next day. Also, if you use car wax on the outside of the boat when you do the spring cleaning (after you wash it) the scum washes off easier.

NOW GO FISHING!

Tuesdays Tips - Picking Your Target

Time and again I see clients who are, at very least, decent casters bonk fish right on the noggin. One of the biggest reasons (I think) for this is where we focus our eyes. Once a fish is spotted, the anglers recognizes direction of movement, distance, etc. anglers should focus on where the fly should land, not solely the fish.

If their eye is focused on the fish then that's what they're going to hit. Focus on where the fly should land and make the cast! (this is that split second where that couple hours worth of practice before the trip goes a long way).

So, that's fine and dandy, but where in tarnation should one put the fly? Well, as it was put to me a long time ago "you might start by throwing at the end that eats"
After that you might want to get a tad more technical, but not much. To present the fly to Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit, etc., there are a few things I think are a must.
**note: everything here is general, the nuances of migratory Tarpon fishing with regard to angles, etc. is much more complex. We'll save that for another day.
1-  I always want the fly in front of the fish. The fish swims into the fly.
2 - wherever possible I want the fly to cross the fishes direction of travel when it is retrieved.
The best way I have found (for me, and others seem to get it as well) to achieve these are to throw at a box, not at the fish.

To try and make sense for you, once you spot the fish, picture a 2 foot square box in front of the fish. (**this 2 foot box doesn't work for deep water, over 4 feet deep,  you need to increase the box size. This will get the fly deeper and to the fish) 
Always focus, and try to land the fly on the forward, far side corner of that box from the fish. If you do this, and the fly goes where you focus, the fly will be in the perfect spot. 
If you focus on the fish, you'll probably hit the fish.

Here are some examples to outline what we're talking about:

Crossing shot: fly line lands front, far side of box. Fish always sees fly. This shows left to right cross, for right to left same principle...far front of box.

Approaching Shot: fly lands forward corner of box, whichever side fish is traveling (fish going left, throw left corner, going right, right corner). **Even if a fish is coming straight at you throw to one side of the box. This will cross the fish with the fly. If you are right handed, throw to the left corner, opposite for left handed caster.

Going Away Shot: You're probably screwed, but you never know. Think of the box ahead and to the side of the fish. The fly should land in the farthest corner of the box from the fish and direction of travel. Drawings show both left to right and right to left scenarios. **If you take this shot, don't move the fly when it lands. Let the fish turn and react to the fly and then retrieve as appropriate. If you strip immediately you will likely spook the fish.
If the fish doesn't react to the fly then you chalk it up to a low percentage shot anyway and move on.

Give Them Some Love Back!

Field Collection Square Dog Bed

Our handsome Field Collection canvas dog bed features bead fill that conforms to his shape.

• Durable cotton-canvas cover
• Beaded fill conforms to your dog's sleeping position
• Shotshell-inspired rivets
• Pure cotton cover
• Washable

Medium 34"x 34" outside dimensions, dogs 40-60 lbs.
Large 41"x 41" outside dimensions, dogs 60-90 lbs.
Inspired by the upland hunt and designed to go anywhere from your truck bed to your living room.

Deep Dish Field Collection Dog Bed

• Durable cotton-canvas with microvelvet sleep surface
• 4"-thick memory foam cushion supports joints and reduces pressure points
• Streamlined polyester-stuffed bolster adds security and comfort
• Water-resistant liner keeps memory foam clean and dry
• Polyester sleep surface
• Pure cotton cover
• Cover is removable and washable

SIZING
Small 35½" x 25½" outside dimensions, dogs up to 40 lbs.
Medium 40" x 26½" outside dimensions, dogs up to 40-60 lbs.
Large 44" x 31" outside dimensions, dogs up to 60-90 lbs.
X-Large 50" x 37" outside dimensions, dogs up to 90-120 lbs., multiple dogs.

Inspired by the rugged materials and iconic colors of the upland hunt, this handsome canvas bolster dog bed with a supersoft sleeping surface is designed to support the most hardworking sporting dogs.

Now in stock here at the shop.

New Orvis Tee

Men's Orvis Brown Trout drirelease® Long-Sleeved Tee

This updated Orvis drirelease® long-sleeved T-shirt showcases colors of the brown trout.

A new look for your favorite drirelease® wicking T-shirt as our logo proudly sports the colors of a brown trout. Soft, superlightweight, breezy drirelease fabric dries four times faster than cotton and wicks moisture from your skin so it evaporates fast to leave you dry and cool on hot or humid days. The patented blend of poly/cotton—with no chemical treatments—makes it possible. No other blend keeps you drier, or more comfortable. FreshGuard® for odor resistance. In heather gray. Polyester/cotton. Washable.

In stock here at the shop.

Two New Orvis Helios2 Rods

Put a bunch of guides and a couple of rod designers at a table with the world's finest fly rod, add a few cold ones, and ask them: "If you could do anything you wanted to customize this fly rod, what would you do? Thus the birth of a special edition Helios 2 rod, the Helios 2 Covert.

Totally blacked out with matte black finish, black guides and black hardware, this small batch 9-foot 5-weight rod not only looks great, it eliminates reflection and flash from the sun that may spook wary fish. 

The Covert is the finest fly rod in the world with the added dimension of being a wicked-looking fly rod, the likes of which have never before been seen. The Helios 2 performance is still there, the pure pleasure of casting a Helios 2 remains, but now there's some serious attitude. Proudly made in Manchester, Vermont, USA.

Also available in 8 weight

Come by and cast one.

Sage Method Rod Blowout

Three left! 

Sage Method Fly Rods. 

A 10 weight, an 8 weight, and a 7 weight. 

Blowout priced at $675 CDN plus GST. 

Regular price is $1100 so this is a smoking hot deal.

Assorted Fishing Tips - Bonefish in the Mangroves

So, you've made the cast of the month to a really nice Bonefish right in the middle of a mess of mangroves. The fish eats your fly, you strip set perfectly, and the fish proceeds to leave the country. As usual, the fish goes around as many mangrove roots as possible at somewhere around Mach 2.

What do you do? Most of us will just exert as much pressure as possible, trying to stop the Bonefish. Not going to happen...ever! Often the fish will go around enough roots, in enough different directions, until he just breaks off. 

When this happens next time try this:

1) immediately drop the rod tip

2) if the fish isn't on the reel yet let it go slack, if it is on the reel quickly strip off two or three pulls of line.

3) let the fish swim with no pull on the line. 

More often than not the Bonefish will immediately settle down and stop. This will allow you to move on foot, or position the skiff so that you can untangle your fly line from the mangrove roots and slowly reel in your line as you get closer to the fish. Once you get close to the fish you can resume pressure and maybe land the fish. Sometimes you may even have to repeat giving the fish slack a couple of times before you can land the fish.

Don't loosen your drag to try and accomplish this. First of all you can't mess with your drag near quick enough. Just quickly tug a couple arm lengths of line off the reel to give slack. If that isn't enough to get the fish to stop then it just wasn't meant to be. Second, if you kick the drag off and then the fish, or you, pull any line off quickly you're going to have a major birds nest on your reel.

This doesn't work every time. But it does work fairly often. It may mean having some chance where there was no chance before.

Orvis Does Hoodies

Orvis Snake River Hoodie T-Shirt

The vintage beer labels on this Orvis graphic hoodie T-shirt evoke a bit of fun nostalgia.

Comfort and simplicity are key when you're relaxing with a cold one after a day outdoors, and this cotton hoodie T-shirt is just the ticket. The Orvis graphic is a lighthearted nod to vintage beer labels. In coffee. 50% polyester/25% cotton/25%rayon. Washable. 

Executive Travel for Dogs

Field Collection Reversible Hammock Seat Protector

Keep a clean car and a comfy dog with this thoughtfully designed hammock seat protector.

This hammock seat protector is designed to keep your dog comfortable and your car clean, no matter how much dirt and mud your dog gets into while in the field.

 The convertible, streamlined design unzips on one side so you can quickly make space for a passenger to sit in the backseat. Adjustable front and rear headrests required for installation.

• Soft microvelvet reverses to durable cotton canvas 
• Converts from full- to half-seat cover to make room for a passenger 
• Installs easily to front and rear headrests 
• Cotton-canvas case doubles as a rugged tote for dog essentials 
• Cotton outer 
• Polyester sleep surface 
• Washable 
• Large 66"L x 51"W 
• X-Large 66"L x 62"W

Orvis...Meet Tacky

Tacky Collab Dropper Box

Spend less time guessing and more time fishing with this innovative dropper fly box.

Designed in an exclusive collaboration between Tacky and Orvis. The perfect box to organize flies for dropper fishing. One side has the Original Tacky Mat for small nymphs and the other side has the Big Bug Tacky Mat for larger patterns such as streamers, hoppers, stimulators, parachutes, and larger nymphs. Holds 240 flies total. Tacky silicone mats hold better and are much more durable. The box is a tough polycarbonate that won't warp and closes with a secure magnetic closure. Slim profile takes up less room in your vest. In solid gray. 7"L x 3¾"W x 1¼"D.

Tacky Collab Deluxe Fly Box

This large fly box holds 336 flies while taking up less space than conventional fly boxes.

A collaboration between Orvis and Tacky to create an exclusive high-volume, low-profile, and highly durable fly box. Tacky mats are silicone that hold flies tighter and are much more durable with excellent resistance to the elements. Polycarbonate box has a slim profile, won't warp, takes up less room in vest pockets and has a secure latch-free magnetic closure. Facing mats offer a capacity of 336 flies. Teardrop and slit designed to hold size 10 to 18 flies, but will hold larger and smaller flies with ease. Imported.
7"L x 3¾"W x 1"D.

Howler Brothers

Big news!

Any Howler Brothers Fall lineup items 

in store are 40% Off until January 28.

Heed the Call....and save some money.

Monday is Smoking Deal Day

One Only 

Sage Method 890-4 (9' 8 weight, 4 piece)

Brand New, off the rack, lifetime warranty.

$675 plus GST

There's only one. Call  us at (403) 271-1016. First come, fist served

"Can't Believe I'm Doing It" Fishng Reports

With the weather we have had we normally wouldn't bother, but people will be itching to get out.

Bow River Report – January 11, 2017

When conditions next allow for fishing, deep nymphing and streamers swung or slowly retrieved will be best bets.

Should the weather break and allow for time on the river please use extreme caution.  Bank ice is extremely unstable and not to be trusted to walk on.  Even a short swim in the river can be fatal this time of the year due to the low river temperatures.  Be safe!

Weather supposed to get above zero at the end of the week, which may allow for some fishing, but water will most likely be slushy.  We'll need a few days above zero before the slush melts.

Hatches:  Midges

Dry Flies:  Griffiths Gnat #20

   

Nymphs:   BH Wire Worm, Atomic Worm, Copper John, Prince Nymph,     

Streamers:  Geek Leech, Bellydancer Zonker, Gartside Leech

Crowsnest River Report – January 11, 2017

River frozen in many locations due to the extreme cold we have experienced over the last 4 weeks.  Weather may get above zero this week, but we'll need to have a few days above zero to allow for slush to melt.

Hatches:  Midges

Dries: CDC Griffiths Gnat

Nymphs:  Tung Stud, Water Boatman, Prince Of Darkness.
  
Streamers: Geek Leech, Gartside Leech, Wooly Bugger

The East Slope Streams are now closed through June 15, 2017.