Images provided by Rick Quiring

• The shop was purchased by Peter Smallman who founded Smallman's Fly Shop in 1994
• The shop was then bought by Gord Kennedy who turned it into West Winds Fly Shop in 1997

Started as a way to give back to the community that supports us. It’s a casual, welcoming space where people can learn to tie flies with free instruction—no need to pay for a course or invest in materials upfront. The goal has always been simple: make fly tying more accessible, and build community while we’re at it.

Traditionally, our guiding season wrapped up around Halloween, so we wanted to create a fun, family-friendly event to mark the end of the year. From the very first year, it became a way to celebrate the season and get kids involved in fly fishing—but as it turns out, the adults often end up just as excited as the kids.

We had done a number of talks and presentations with the Calgary Women Fly Fishers Club, and from early on, it was really important to us that women felt genuinely welcome at the shop. We made a point of hosting events specifically for them—creating space where they felt included, seen, and supported in a sport that can sometimes feel male-dominated.

Education has been at the heart of what we do since day one. With a strong background in teaching and coaching, we started offering fly fishing and fly tying courses right away—long before they gained the popularity we’ve seen in recent years. Interest surged after COVID, echoing the 1990s boom following A River Runs Through It. We knew that to keep people in the sport, they needed more than gear—they needed guidance. We’ve stayed committed to teaching and making fly fishing more accessible for everyone.

From day one, one of the biggest things for us was making sure people could test cast rods and lines—especially with spey gear, where the grain windows span multiple line options, making it easy to buy the wrong one without realizing it. Unlike single-hand rods, there was no way to “try before you buy,” so we changed that by hosting events where people could get free instruction and test different rods and lines before making a purchase. It was about education, accessibility, and building community. Over the years, we've been fortunate to have legends like Tim Rajeff, Tim Arsenault, Dec Hogan, John Malkovich, and Joe Goodspeed involved, helping people learn and feel more confident on the water.

We wanted to do something creative to set ourselves apart, so we added a trout tank to the shop—because what angler doesn’t love watching fish? It quickly became more than just a unique feature. People would stop in on their lunch breaks to watch the trout, noticing their behavior and color changes. While we originally thought it would be a fun addition for kids, it turned out adults loved it just as much. Parents could bring their kids and see them genuinely excited—especially when they got to feed the fish. It brought fun, learning, and a sense of community to the shop in a way we hadn’t seen anywhere else.

We started hosting trips to places like Colombia with Tucunare Lodge and Argentina with Golden Fly Fishing because we wanted to offer something different. With so many flats trips to Mexico and Cuba happening across Calgary and North America, we aimed to diversify the experience. As an outfitter, we’d been running trips for years, but these adventures into the jungle were about more than just fishing—they were about offering something truly unique that no one else was doing.

Over the years, we had so many people ask about how to become a fly fishing guide, and we realized that running a focused, hands-on course could help more aspiring guides at once. It became a way to share knowledge, improve casting instruction, and strengthen the fly fishing industry as a whole. When Josh first got into guiding, it felt like an old boys' club—unwelcoming and harsh to newcomers. Many talented guides left the industry simply because of how poorly they were treated. We wanted to change that culture by creating a space that was inclusive, supportive, and built on kindness and mentorship.

In 2022, we expanded the shop—not just to freshen up the space, but to finally make it our own. For years, it still felt like West Winds, no matter how many photos or prints we hung to mask it. It was outdated, cramped, and not a true reflection of who we were or what we wanted to offer. So we created a space that could host film festivals, events like PikeAPalooza, and a proper classroom for teaching. The support we received from our staff and customers during the renovation was overwhelming—it proved what we’ve always believed: this isn’t just our shop, it’s the community’s. That’s why we proudly call it Calgary’s Fly Shop—because we exist to serve this community.

In 2022, we began hosting trips to Magdalena Bay with Los Locos—an adventure sparked by our close friend and longtime customer, Steve Gardener, who had always pursued billfish on the fly. After filming together in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, we set out to experience what many consider the holy grail of fly fishing. Nothing prepared us for how mind-blowing it would be. The sheer adrenaline, the visual intensity, and the fast-paced action completely redefined what fly fishing could be. It was unlike anything we’d ever experienced—and we couldn’t wait to share it.

Pike have always held a special place in our hearts, and from the beginning, we’ve put more emphasis on them than most. With a passionate group of dedicated pike anglers in our community, we wanted to create something fun that gave people a reason to hit the water before trout season ramps up—and that’s where the idea was born.

We installed a projector in the shop to host our first in-house film screening—an effort to foster community and make the fly shop more than just a place to buy gear. Instead of renting a movie theatre, we wanted to create a welcoming space where people could gather, connect, and have fun—all while deepening their connection to fly fishing.