About

About Mike Archer

Born and raised on Vancouver Island, my passion for fishing developed at a young age. I spent most of my early years fishing the islands eastern flowing streams and lakes and in my late teen years fly fishing took me by storm and has developed into a life long passion. My involvement with the art of fly fishing really took form when i learned fly tying in my early 20s. I was lucky enough to have befriended a master tyer by the name of Johnny Hyslop. Johnny taught me many forms of tying and gave me the inspiration to continue on with my incredible journey through the world of fly fishing. After quite a few years of exploring every back-country corner of Vancouver Island, I migrated back to my now home, Tofino BC. In 2018, i began guiding fly fishing during the spring and summer months for trout with Atleo River Air Service, exploring all the beautiful west coast of the island via Helicopter and sea plane. A few Seasons of guiding went by and I began to wonder how i could give back to the community of fly fishing. As a child, i spent many days tinkering in the shop of my late grandfather, who was a master cabinet maker from Germany. my interest with fine woodworking had always lingered, and i found it again as the stepping stone to begin making Fishing Landing Nets. I spent several years enjoying making these nets, but as natural progression flows, I found my new passion in bamboo fly rods.

I was given my first bamboo Fly Rod quite a few years ago, which was a very old Milward rod. That rod started me down the rabbit hole of searching for other vintage cane rods. after collecting several different rods i began obsessing over making them for myself.

I was truly blessed to have met a very talented Rod Builder on my journey by the name of George Deagle. George and his wonderful wife Sarah invited me into their beautiful home on Quadra island where i began as an apprentice, first making a Lyle Dickerson designed rod taper, a rod which continues to be one of my favourites today. I was lucky enough to obtain several tools from George to begin my own rod building, which i am forever grateful.

Today, I have a quaint little shop out on the west side of Vancouver Island where i have been developing and building single and two handed rods.

thanks for reading!