Out Fly Fishing - Calgary

Welcome and thanks for visiting Out Fly Fishing and e-commerce site.  Out Fly Fishing is Calgary's newest Fly Shop.  The shop was formerly known as West Winds Fly Shop and was purchased in May 2015. West Winds was Calgary's second oldest fly shop and has been in the same location for the last 24 years. We are very excited and feel very honored to be able to call a shop that has been an institution in this industry for the better part of three decades our new home.  Since May 2015, we've worked around the clock to renovate the shop, in order to bring it a fresh look and feel, to ensure that fly fishers of every age, gender and demographic can feel at home here.  We are passionate about getting more people involved in the sport, from families to fanatics and everyone in between, we're here to make your day O.F.F. the best experience possible.

Our Promise to You

We are dedicated to making each and every customer feel welcome and important.  People need to come to a shop and get expertise without feeling pressured or intimidated.  No one starts as anything but a beginner, so whether its your first time in a fly shop, or the 15th country with a fly shop you've visited, we want you to get the expertise and information you need in the most professional and knowledgeable manner possible.  It doesn't matter to us if you fish everyday, or this is your first day going fishing, we want all of our guests to be able to rely on the accuracy and quality of the information and gear they get as well as the service they receive from us.  

Core Values

• Customer satisfaction and service that exceeds expectations
• Delivering accurate, current and knowledgeable expertise to people of all experience levels
• Welcoming and friendly shop environment
• Making fly fishing more accessible to men, woman and children of all ages and experience levels by providing quality gear no matter what budget you're working with
• Making fly fishing less intimidating to men, woman and children of all ages and experience levels through professional instruction

Who We Are

Out Fly Fishing is a team of like minded individuals whose passion, experience, and integrity have fostered the desire to introduce as many people as possible to the sport of fly fishing. Between our owner and shop staff there are more than 40 different countries that have been visited fly fishing across the globe. Whether it be filming, hosted trips, or personal fishing exploits, they bring with them a wealth of fly fishing knowledge from around the world.  Being able to pass on first hand experience from fisheries in over 40 countries is something we are very excited and proud to be able to offer.  Out Fly Fishing is Calgary's newest fly shop and the second oldest fly shop in Calgary all in one. We're going to blaze a new path; one propelled by energy and enthusiasm, yet always based on integrity and tradition.  From families to fanatics, and everyone in between, Calgary's Fly Shop is here to make your next day O.F.F. as memorable as possible. 

Josh Nugent (Owner/Guide)

Josh learned to fly fish at the age of six. By the time he was in Junior High he was giving casting lessons to other kids from his school. After completing a coaching diploma and playing basketball for Red Deer College Josh moved to Calgary. Once again he was back on the Bow river. His passion and love of fly fishing are second to none. In 2003 Josh started Out Fly Fishing outfitters Ltd at the urging of others in the industry. Guiding put Josh through the rest of his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Calgary. Josh did an eye tracking study for his Master's Thesis, which was on the visual characteristics of expert fly casters.  He has now had the privilege of fishing in 16 different countries and well over a hundred different species on the fly.

Josh has been fortunate enough to be featured in many fly fishing publications, both as a writer and photographer as well as in The Canadian Fly Fishers,Top Guide Spotlight. He has also worked with several Fly Fishing shows such as two episodes with friend, and host of LL Bean's Guide to the Outdoors, Tim Rajeff and guiding Hunter Hoffler on In The Loop: Modern tactics on fly fishing. Josh has also served as one of the Co-Hosts for Fly Nation (Seasons 1 and 2) and the Spain Series. Josh also serves as a Pro Staff member for Clackacraft and spent 5 years as the Canadian Echo Rod rep.  When Josh started the guide company at the age of 21 it was a risk, knowing he wouldn't be afforded the mistakes competitors twice his age would.

On a river as world renowned as the Bow river there is going to be competition in the industry. Competition is a great thing, because competition forces Outfitters and guides to work harder and strive to provide the best service possible for their clients and now he continues to do the same thing with the Fly Shop and its customers.  Josh wants Out Fly Fishing outfitters to be a shop that every man, woman or child of any age or experience can come into and feel like they belong there, from families to fanatics and everyone in between.

Andrew Tooes (Fly Shop Manager) 

Andrew has a wealth of knowledge in retail, supply chain, management and operational tactics. He is a husband to an amazing better half and a father to three wildly adventurous kids. Andrew’s been passionate about fly fishing for going on twenty years and his favorite method is still water fishing, but he also loves a good day of streamer fishing on the Bow River or dry fly fishing our eastern slopes.

Andrew has extensively fished the Golden Valley in British Columbia for more than fifteen years now and enjoys a great weekend getaway into the mountains with friends and family. He has always enjoyed chironomid fishing in early spring and has some great intuition for all things involving Stillwater fly fishing. In Andrew's eyes, fly fishing is a great way for him to ground himself with nature which is a big reason why so many of us fly fish. Come in and pick his brain on local still water tactics and surrounding Stillwater opportunities as well as the latest gear and equipment.

Brett Andres (Fly Shop Staff)

Born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, Brett joined us at the beginning of 2021 with the objective of finding love for his occupation while sharing his passion for fly fishing with others. Growing up, Brett fished often with his Dad and Papa on the many lakes and rivers that Southern Alberta has to offer. However, it wasn’t until his dad took him and his brother on a guided trout fishing river float in grade 10 that Brett became hooked on catching fish on the fly.

Since then, Brett recently graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a minor in Family and Small Business Management. Brett spent several summers during his undergrad degree working at the Fly Shop in Canmore and we couldn’t be happier to have him as part of our team at Out Fly Fishing.  Apart from hunting trout in the numerous lakes, rivers, and streams in the area, Brett enjoys tying at the bench, backpacking, hiking, camping, and skiing in the winter. Come on in and get to know him and some of the knowledge he’s acquired through prior fly shop experience and many days spent on the river.

Darlene Klippenstein (Online Store & Live Chat Lead)

Darlene is everyone's favorite person at the shop! Darlene has worked in several industries including oil & gas, technology and project management.  She provides a background in supply chain, administration and is passionate about customer service and was nominated for the prestigious Tourism Calgary White Hat Awards for customer service during her time working at the Bow Habitat Station.

She has been fly fishing for about ten years and still considers herself a beginner.  Stream fishing, pike fishing and the solitude of being in nature make her smile.  When she’s not working, you’ll find her gardening, learning about native plants and practicing sustainable xero-scaping.  She enjoys volunteering for fish rescues, homeless shelters and wildlife organizations.  Some of her volunteer endeavours have allowed her to travel to other countries.

Darlene looks forward to meeting many new friends while Out Fly Fishing.  She is also hopeful that she’ll pick up some valuable skills and become a better fly fisher. If you've ever placed an online order with us, or utilized our Live Chat on the website, then more than likely its Darlene that you've worked with as she handles (pulls, packages, fulfills and ships) all the online orders.

Owen McKinstry (Fly Shop Staff)

Spending his summers as a youngster fishing for bass and pike in lake country, Owen has been a fish fanatic from the age of 5 when he landed his first fish at a family reunion in Ontario. At the age of 10, he was given a fly rod and private casting lessons as a birthday gift and the transition was natural. If he wasn't in school or playing lacrosse, he was exploring and learning about Alberta's trout streams.

You can find Owen fishing all over central and southern Alberta on his days off looking for that next tug. When he isn't on the water, he's normally behind the vice tying and testing new imitations. Owen loves sharing his knowledge with other anglers and is always excited to engage others to see what kind of fishy adventures they have had recently. When not chasing hatches on a trout stream or lake, Owen enjoys various activities such as rafting, hiking, or quality time with his family and friends.

Owen is proud to be a part of the O.F.F team and is looking forward to helping all of our customers on their next a day OFF!

Callum Hakin (Fly Shop Staff)

Callum was born and raised in Lethbridge Alberta and began fly-fishing with his dad on mountain lakes in float tubes. After getting the fly-fishing itch Callum progressed to fishing the famous southern Alberta streams like the Crowsnest River and Oldman River. Recently moving from the Crowsnest Pass after working and guiding for a year and half Callum is a wealth of knowledge on Southern Alberta drainages and Euro Nymphing tactics.

When Callum isn’t fishing he is studying, tying flies and can often be found hiking around the Canmore area. Swing by the shop to talk to Euro Nymph tactics, long leader dry fly fishing and everything regarding Southern Alberta Streams.

Slate Spooner (Fly Shop Staff)

Slate got his introduction to fishing at the age of three in his home town of Okotoks, AB on the Sheep River with his Scooby Doo fishing rod. With one cast he was hooked. He spent many years spin cast fishing with his family and spending summers out in Campbell River searching for Salmon.

At 12 years old he became interested in fly fishing and made it a priority to learn as much as he could. Hours of watching YouTube and practicing casting in the backyard, he was able to teach himself the basics. With a competitive nature and always wanting to take things to the next level, Slate became interested in competitive fly fishing and Euro Nymphing. At the age of 14 he competed for the first time in the Alberta River Fly Fishing Championship (the youngest competitor by far). He took home bronze with his coach and mentor and he hasn’t looked back.

Slate has competed in Alberta, British Colombia and National Competitions. In the fall of 2019 Slate was named as a member of the Canadian National Youth Fly Fishing Team and will represent Canada at the next World Championships. He has competed twice in the North American Loch Style Fly Fishing Championship, placed first in the 2019 Alberta River Championship that was hosted on the Bow River,  and in April 2019 took first place with his team and second place individually in the Canadian Youth National Fly Fishing Championship.

When Slate is not at the shop you can find him on many of the rivers and lakes in Alberta.

Ty Tarvyd (Fly Shop Staff & Guide)

Born and raised just outside of Calgary in Strathmore, Alberta, Ty grew up playing and coaching elite level hockey from a young age and continued up until his last year of high school where he turned his attention from the hockey world to pursuing his long time passion of fly fishing.  Ty took the West Winds Guide Training school the first year it was offered and caught the attention of the instructors and other guides.

Ty has been fly fishing from the age of 10 chasing everything possible in Alberta and the Pacific Northwest.  You can find Ty floating the bow, in the mountains to the southwest, or chasing gators in the Southern Alberta lakes with clients and good friends. You can also find him in the fly shop during the summers when he's not in University working on his degree.  He's always willing to help in any way possible or listening to your favourite story from your time on the water.  If there was a way we could bottle Ty's energy and enthusiasm we'd do it, we could only hope for that type of drive and are happy to have him on the Team.

Brayden Maier (Fly Shop Staff)

Brayden's fly fishing career began at a young age, around 8, when he would accompany his father on his ventures in exchange for a chocolate bar from the gas station along the way. However, his true passion began in grade 9 when he met two kids his age that were absolute fanatics. They took him under their wing and helped Brayden see that it was not an old man's sport, but full of adrenaline and excitement. The learning curve was quite steep and the following years it was just about all he could think of, in fact Brayden has even said it's a miracle he graduated at all.

Brayden has been lucky enough to travel the world with his father and fish in destinations such as: Chile, Louisiana, Hawaii, Alaska, Maine, Scotland and Turks and Cacos. During these adventures he's learned that the learning curve is not always as steep as one may hope and he has remarked at how its made him realize how little he really knew. These frequent defeats only fuelled the fire and Brayden is constantly searching for the next challenge or species. Brayden may see some of the experiences as defeats, we see his drive and passion as ideal and a perfect fit for the Out Fly Fishing Team.

 Olivia Gardner (Support Staff)

Olivia started to develop a love for fishing at a young age in the Florida keys. Fishing for snapper, tuna and sharks founded an excitement for fishing, as well as a love for the ocean and its inhabitants. Learning to fly fish in the mountain streams of Alberta, with willing cutthroat trout, was a fun and visually stimulating way, to get started on her fly fishing journey.

Naturally the draw of larger fish grew and the lure of the Bow River took hold. Olivia comes from a fishing family and is often chasing fish with her sister, Father, & Uncle's.  She's been helping around the shop for a few years now and so we formalized a position for her. Olivia receives orders, stocks the shelves, makes updates on the website and helps run the till.  She's still a little shy and not ready to work the floor just yet, but be sure to say hi and make her feel welcome when you see her in there. 

Akasha Bopp (Hosted Travel Manager & Guide)

In 2016 Akasha was named our Hosted Travel manager and we couldn't be happier to have him help coordinating our hosted travel. Akasha has chased fished all across Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and all across Canada, but is also a very well traveled fisherman.  Akasha Bopp has fished in every continent except Antartica and in two dozen different countries.  Akasha joined Out Fly Fishing Outfitters back in 2006. In 2003 Akasha and Josh coached club basketball together and have been fishing together since. Akasha worked as a high school social studies teacher for 18 years. He completed his Masters in Organizational Leadership Training and now works as a consultant in community and economic development. Akasha has been learning and helping others learn about fly fishing for over twenty years. He cut his teeth fly fishing on the many small streams in southern Alberta while growing up in Pincher Creek. Akasha also happens to be a long standing Echo Pro Staff team member.

Akasha specializes in helping beginners enjoy the sport of fly fishing that he loves so much.  Although he enjoys fishing the Bow, his true love is the waters in the deep south of Alberta like the Crowsnest, the Livingston, and the Oldman along with the many other smaller tributaries in the area. Akasha’s local knowledge and connections give him access to areas most of us can only dream about. 

Naoto Aoki (Head Guide & Shop Ambassador)

Out Fly Fishing was proud to announce the addition of Naoto Aoki, joining us back in the 2010 guiding season. Naoto Aoki was born in Banff, Alberta where he began fly fishing at a very early age, although he spent most of his life in Peterborough, Ontario. With fly fishing as his main focus, he has traveled the globe, pursuing some of the greatest game fish the world has to offer. From Peacock Bass deep in the Amazon to Atlantic Salmon in the pristine rivers of Iceland, there is not too much Naoto has not caught on a fly. 

Naoto is also an outdoor writer and photographer and is regularly featured in such magazines as Fly Fisherman, The Canadian Fly Fisher, Fly Fusion and Outdoor Canada. He is also a co-host of Fly Max Films and both Seasons 1 and 2 of the show Fly Nation TV. Naoto has guided all over Canada and is extremely excited to add the world famous Bow River to his list! He has spent countless hours on the river and can't wait to start guiding the Bow. Naoto is as gifted with people as he is with a fly rod or a camera so he is a valuable part of the Out Fly Fishing team.