I’m after a fly fishing rod n’ reel kit for my dads xmas, he pretty much only gets the chance to fish when we go on family holidays up to Aviemore twice yearly so it’s mostly the stocked fishery at Rothiemurchus where he gets the chance to escape from my mothers twitterings, his current rod/reel must be at least 15 years old, i think it’s a 10ft 6″, no idea of the action along with a #7 line on a cheap reel if my memory serves me correctly so i thought i’d treat him to something half decent such as this below combination #2 deal , i’m also getting him a season ticket to our local fishery stoked lochs (scottish hill lochs) so with him retiring this coming year i hope he’ll be able to make use of it.

Grey’s GR50 rod 9ft 6″ #8 with Grey’s GTS500 reel

Any fly fishers on here advise me otherwise?

I’m not a fly fisherman but like you my dad is so I’ve had to do some learning for the inevitable Christmas presents etc. I’d have thought an #8 weight would be pretty big for what you’re describing (but having no real idea). I thought 9ft #5 / #6 was best for general purpose stuff while #8+ is for big fish in open water and the like…

You may have to register but I’d think here would be a better place to ask…..

http://www.flyfishing.co.uk/scottish-stillwater-trout-fisheries/

That’s an excellent tackle shop, by far the best thing to do is give them a bell and ask them yourself, they’ll know more than anyone on here or another forum.

I use a 10′ #7 set up for loch fishing, boat and wading. I’d say #8 is too heavy.

Isn’t he quite attached to his current set up? If so, how about just a reel and some super fancy hi tech lines and a spare spool?

If it’s only for small fisheries, a #7 is seen as too much nowadays tbh.

Take him to the Glasgow angling centre, let him talk to them, get some advice and pick his own. An excuse for a day with yer dad too. Win win.

Some good advice, cheers peeps- I guess his current set was originally bought for our two local hill lochs and as such it is usually pretty windy, I’ll give the shop a call tmorn

Can I suggest some vouchers for Norris in penrith or sportfish so he can pick what he wants.

It’s not dissimilar to your parents buying you something from Halfords with good intentions when really you would prefer getting something appropriate from crc

Rod choice is very personal and can be very variable, I would suggest vouchers or offer to take him to a large store where he can try before he buys would be better. It’s what I would prefer anyway if going the rod route. Otherwise a good reel isn’t a bad option, greya are good reels for not too much money. Lines would be a good option if he has had them for a while, anything by Rio would go down a treat with most anglers or a snowbee floating line in the correct weight for the rod he owns. If you need any specific advice happy if you want to email direct.

I have a brand new (still has cellophane on the handle) 9ft 5/6 travel fly rod for sale if you are looking.

Airflo

If he is going for the lochs as you suggest he may wish to try Loch-Style from a boat, a 10 foot 6 weight rod and line will suffice for this and is fine for imitative/bank fishing.

tight lines 🙂

Reel is literally just a reel to keep line on, special reels make little to no difference. Rods are quite personal, I have an Orvis clearwater which is a cheapie rod, quite nice, middle of the road type rod (9ft, 6wt). Next rod will probably be a much lighter rod, maybe a short 3wt for small streams (since i never catch anything heavy anyway).

I’d maybe get him a days guiding or fishing on another lake/strectch of water. Maybe go with him, fly fishing is the single speed of the fishing world!

Teifiterror, would it be a leap of imagination to guess you can sometimes be found at the pools above Pontrhydfendigaid? I ve had some lovely moments up there,
Glorious spot of an evening if the midges are at bay

🙂

A few ideas there to mull over, cheers peeps – I’ll pop into their garage t’morns afternoon and have a look at his current rod/reel to see exactly what weight line he uses before i make any decisions.

It appears his current rod is a Bob Church x-weave rutland mkii 10 ft suitable for 7/8/9 lines and his current reel is a no name cheap plastic job with a #8 line, in fact i think this is the rod n’ reel i bought him back in the 90’s (when i also used to fish) so i expect it’s 20 years old. The cork handle is taped up with insulating tape and the tip has been repaired/glued back on with epoxy. He’d never consider buying himself a new rod n’ reel so after talking to the guys from Fishers and Rothiemurchus fishery this afternoon i think i’m going to get him the Greys GR30 9ft 6″ #7 with the Grey’s GTS500 reel & #7 line, they both said this would be a noticeable improvement on his current rod/reel set-up and it would cope fine with his current lure/fly selections.

Up on the hill lochs it is mostly lures & gold heads that are used along with wet flies so i figure the rod action of the GR30 and decent line will be an improvement over his current rather beaten up set-up, I’ll also give him a membership for our local hill lochs as it’s only £30 for the year – hopefully he’ll manage to get out fishing a bit more once he slows down his work.

It’d be impossible to get him to a tackle shop to try stuff out (although it is the sensible option) as he works 5 1/2 days a week and we stay in the arse end of Galloway – unfortunatly not a chance of heading anywhere to try stuff out.

Cheers peeps,

Tight lines

I quite fancy getting a wee travel fly set up that’ll fit in a camelbak, I have a tiny spinning set up just now, though I’ve not used it for ages, but it’s just not the same as casting a fly.

I know a lovely wee lochan in Galloway that is a guaranteed brown trout in the first cast, but nothing after that as its so small the wee buggers are spooked. I’ll get right back into it when I’m too old to MTB!.