Whats the difference? I could never figure what the difference by just watching.
fitnessman
03-01-2006, 04:10 AM
Whats the difference? I could never figure what the difference by just watching.
I have never heard of Spey. :confused:
resurrected
03-01-2006, 06:12 AM
Streamside - by Tim Wade
Spey casting - and fishing - is the rage now in the hallowed halls of fly fishing.
Spey casting is a sport that originated in Scotland on the wide, fast flowing Atlantic salmon rivers there. Spey casting migrated from there to England, the rest of Western Europe and now the U.S.
Spey rods are long. Some reach more than 15 feet, requiring different casting strokes than the fly rods most of us are familiar with, as well as requiring two hands versus one to pull or push, depending on which side of the river one approaches the current.
These casts, naturally, are called spey casts. Single spey, double spey, snake roll, overhand, snap 'T' and other casting styles necessary to use these longer rods have brought excitement to a sport that caters to individuals wanting to add challenges to their fly fishing.
The sport already has some 'gurus' in the U.S., and the following is growing. Spey rods and the casts associated with using them are designed to facilitate the roll cast, but with a twist. Hence the names used earlier.
Because of the length of spey rods, higher line speeds can be generated, accomplishing casts over distances unobtainable using a single-handed fly rod. Now, roll casts can be 80, even 100 feet in length. "No way! " you say. Yes, way, and it is easy once the spey rod is used as the long lever it was designed to be.
When using the rod correctly, the amazing performance really shines, especially when fishing down and across large rivers where wading is impractical. Salmon fishermen and steelheaders have been into spey casting for several years now. The trend now is to use spey rods and drifting techniques on big trout rivers, such as the Yellowstone and Missouri. Closer to home, that would be the North Fork and Clarks Fork. Both are big rivers right after runoff and tough to wade, even this time of year. So, the spey rod and its ability to put your fly over fish has generated the movement to this style of fishing.
Since I am a trout bum times 10, I had to have my own spey rods to add to the dozens of single handed fly rods I own. Why buy more rods when one can only be used at a time? Good question but tough to explain. I suspect it is for the same reason hunters switch from archery, to black powder to smokeless cartridges throughout the hunting season. One weapon just isn't enough. Try explaining that to your significant other.
I settled on a 13 1/2 foot 8 weight rod that has a long enough cork handle to fit the length of my arms. I told you this sport had some quirks, and getting the rod to fit you is similar to what one goes through when fitting the stock of a shotgun. No expert, I am planning on using my new spey equipment on the steelhead rivers in northern California and Oregon this month, after spending hours practicing on the lower Clarks Fork and using the ubiquitous whitefish as the willing fish while I learn how to mend and retrieve line, play the fish, duck the wind, etc.
Believe me when I tell you spey casts look easy. Trust me when I tell you looks are deceiving.
Once I have earned my beginner's badge in California, I plan to use the new rod and improved techniques to drift long leaders and small flies over big browns in the White River in Arkansas. Should be fun when the generators have filled the river bank to bank.
In the meantime, my progress will be measured 1 foot of tight-looped fly line at a time.