Phil Rowley Fishing trips?

The Flint&Fly Guy · #1 03-20-2015, 10:12 AM

Hey I'm just starting out flyfishing and was wondering if anybody has gone on a guided trip with Phil Rowley, and if it was any good?

greylynx · #2 03-20-2015, 11:59 AM

Always good to be taught by one of the best.

That way you don't develop bad habits that bother you for years.

Phil is a great guy.

smitty9 · #3 03-20-2015, 12:21 PM

I won a trip with Phil out of draw at the NFLT-TU January seminar a few years back. I'll echo the other comments; he's a fun guy to fish with, very knowledgeable, skilled and patient.

Can't go wrong being guided by Phil. Worth every penny in my opinion.

Smitty

The Flint&Fly Guy · #4 03-20-2015, 02:54 PM

sounds good, does anybody have any other recommendations? I have a Canadian tire fly rod combo 7/8 wt and am mostly interested in fishing walleye and pike. I want to keep gear to a minimum as I am on a limited budget.

Okotokian · #5 03-20-2015, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Shutterbugger

sounds good, does anybody have any other recommendations? I have a Canadian tire fly rod combo 7/8 wt and am mostly interested in fishing walleye and pike. I want to keep gear to a minimum as I am on a limited budget.

Where are you? If in Calgary area I'd suggest Jim McLennan, noted author, who taught me. From the New Fly Fisherman I'd gotten the feeling that Rowley was in Edmonton, though I could be wrong.

Frozenflyguy · #6 03-20-2015, 03:59 PM

I am fortunate to say that Phil is a good friend of mine so I am somewhat biased but I do have high expectations of the people I fish with and learn from. That said ... I will share that I have had the pleasure of attending 3 of his excursions to the Parkland Region of Manitoba (and fished with him numerous times on rivers). I can honestly say that the first time I went I was skeptical that I would enjoy stillwater fishing as I have always been a bit of a roamer and moving water has always been my focus. He fully converted me and I am now addicted to stillwater! His knowledge in this area (both region and stillwater) is extensive and his seminars are well thought out, comprehensive and expertly delivered. I find that he is a great teacher to novice and expert anglers alike and is always looking at new techniques and fly patterns to better angling success. My wife attended his Euro-nymphing course a few weeks back and learned a great deal (and she is not a novice). My only complaint is that he doesn't book his room when he stays with us far enough in advance! I don't think you will go wrong if you attend any of his courses, seminars or guided excursions!.

Good luck!

FFG

The Flint&Fly Guy · #7 03-21-2015, 11:21 AM

sounds good. who's this jim guy, whats he like, whres he based out of , anybody got experience with him? who's better?

smitty9 · #8 03-21-2015, 02:32 PM

Jim Mclennan is long time Albertan resident, fly-fisher, author, guide/teacher, former shop owner, and to boot, plays a pretty good acoustic guitar.

Website:
http://mclennanflyfishing.com/

Books:
http://mclennanflyfishing.com/index....&catid=2&id=11

As a gift for my dad, we had a private (2 ppl) fly-fishing school with Jim down south 2 seasons ago. Last year we attended his spring creek fishing school on Dogpound. My favorite book of his is "Flyfishing Western Trout Streams".

Jim is a terrific teacher, quiet spoken, all-round good guy and a tremendous fly-fisher teacher. If you're in the Calgary / southern AB area, you can't do better than Jim. His wife Lynda is also an instructor in their fly-fishing schools and she's very good too.

Hire either Phil or Jim/Lynda and you'll be spending a day with some of the top guides in the entire province.

Smitty

P.S. Can't decide? Hire both!

P.P.S. Ok, here's a better way to decide if you're on a budget: if you wanted to concentrate on becoming a better stillwater/lake angler, I'd hire Phil. If streams, creeks,or rivers are your thing, hire Jim. And both will be very good with all the basics you need in terms of casting, fly selection, knots, and presentation.

The Flint&Fly Guy · #9 03-21-2015, 03:35 PM

So they are both extremily good, entirlely worth my money... which one is cheaper?

smitty9 · #10 03-21-2015, 09:07 PM

I have 2 responses to this:

1. Truthfully, I don't know because I won the trip with Phil.

2. In my opinion, I don't think cheaper should be THE deciding factor cause (a) they're probably pretty similar in price and (2) I think you should take the lake versus stream approach as a bigger factor. In other words, if you're going to spending the money anyways for a guide, cause you can afford it, then your decision should be based on more important criteria (like the ones above, or the guides availability, whether you or they are based out Edmonton vs Calgary, the drive, the destination, etc etc).

Guides are relatively expensive, especially going solo (I should know.... I just booked 2 days on Island for 1 on 1 guiding during my spring break). A lot / nearly all guides charge the same price with 1 or 2 clients.

Bottom line is if your budget is tight, perhaps you should consider a fly fishing school course where the cost is split between 4 to 10 participants. Cheaper alternative and you still get very good instruction. Jim has schools, as does the Fishin Hole, as do several Calgary fly shops.

Good luck.
Smitty

smitty9 · #11 03-21-2015, 09:11 PM

Shutterbugger:

Sorry: re-read an earlier post of yours. If you're branching out into fly fishing to chase trout, then either is good.

But if you want to learn how to fly fish in lakes and pursue pike and walleye on a fly rod, I would hire Phil. Phil's hosted more than a couple of episodes on TV where he's caught pike and walleye on the fly.

So there's that.

Smitty

Doc · #12 03-22-2015, 12:40 AM

I'm not gonna pump Phil up too much as he's my competition but since he's also a good friend, I will say that the guy is a stillwater encyclopedia. You won't really be booking a guided trip, more a guided instructional day and you'll walk away a better man for it.

http://www.albertastillwaters.com/ap...ike-on-the-fly

32-40win · #13 03-23-2015, 10:19 AM

About 10 yrs ago I went out to Kamloops to one of Phil's stillwater seminars that he and Gord put on, before he moved out of BC. It was an excuse to get out basically, in April if I remember right. I was surprised by what I encountered when I met him.The research he has put into his fishing methods is exhausting to say the least, and he loves to share it.
There is pretty much nothing he won't do, to research and learn, when it comes to flyfishing. You spend a few days with Phil, you will learn a lot.
Do some reading on his website and his books.

Okotokian · #14 03-23-2015, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Shutterbugger

So they are both extremily good, entirlely worth my money... which one is cheaper?

OK, now it's time for you to do the legwork. Their rates are on their websites.

And again, where you are is important. You haven't said. If I was in Edmonton I'd go with Phil as he's local and he's going to teach you on bodies of water you are likely going to fish a lot. If you are in Calgary go with Jim, as he will show you the local water around there.