I have always been awed watching a Spey angler with their smooth, fluid motion of the cast. Amundson Outdoors had sent me their 14-foot 3-inch Wind Warrior Spey rod. Now matched to their 11/12-weight Warrior Fly reel, I have completed the package.

I started the first year with pink Salmon and then moved over to the fresh silver Chum salmon entering the Puntledge River. The bucket list for salmon was getting shorter. Now, in my third year of the Spey journey, it was the Sockeye Salmon’s turn to come off the bucket list.

Pro tip: An angler can meet a lower budget by buying a normal high-grade fly reel with a strong break system. If you are using, in my case, a nine-weight Spey line, then the fly reel that will have enough capacity room will be in two sizes higher.

The sink tip is attached to a floating shooting head, and my running line is the OPST Oval Mono, which offers better handling, reduced memory, and superior shooting performance.

I carry a full assortment of sink tips, ranging from T8 to T20, which allows me to cover various river flow speeds and depths, from slow to shallow riffles, to fast currents, and different levels of deep pools.

Pro Tip: It is imperative to wear safety glasses as the tremendous speed of these large flies is picked up when swinging these long rods.

As the fall season approaches, the coho and spring salmon are the next to be taken off the bucket list. Stay tuned