Spey Casting

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Probably been discussed before....

I've seen a few clips about it but can someone tell me what this cast is intended for?

Show boating or is it worthwhile to learn for what?Is it more beneficial than others?If so why?

Thanks
G

[chris williams]

I for one used to fish on the Spey as a kid. Simply put, on the Spey you often had cliffs and high rocks behind you with pretty deep and fast water directly ahead. Casting a 14' or 16' salmon split-cane rod in those days meant you couldn't cast a long line behind you if your Jock Scott 5/0 was going to collide with Ben Nevis.. You have to rather curl the line around behind you so it didn't hit the rocks, but you still had momentum for a forward cast.

Today 'Spey cast' seems to mean a whole load of things, including just casting a double-handed rod in any fashion.

I still use a mini-Spey cast of sorts when fishing dry or nymphs in heavily-overgrown streams. It's a slow, gentle action and actually is not too difficult. Let 'YouTube' describe it pictorially for me i.l.o. my long-overdue camera!!

The Spey was also the home of several of the Eastern distilleries. Unfortunately being underage at the time, I was not able to avail myself of their half-time restorative properties.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Thanks Chris I'm getting closer and closer to understanding this "show boating cast" (purely my observation).

I see Craig has one or two on show,I'm def gonna buy some.

G

PS.Geezz but it's hot here in PTA today.Summer is truley here,far over 30 today and even have the scars to proof it.

[chris williams]

Gerrit, next time we're fishing I'll show you. I don't proclaim to be the world's best, but the basics are SO much easier to show in practice.

And when you've some effing big granite cliffs behind you ready to break your Hardy Palakona tip, you learn VERY quickly - and you certainly ain't showboating like some of the guys on the broad featureless rivers worldwide!

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Gerrit, next time we're fishing I'll show you. I don't proclaim to be the world's best, but the basics are SO much easier to show in practice.

And when you've some effing big granite cliffs behind you ready to break your Hardy Palakona tip, you learn VERY quickly - and you certainly ain't showboating like some of the guys on the broad featureless rivers worldwide!

Sounds great Chris,December we're on ok.

G

[Andre]

It's not show boating at all. It's a two handed roll cast, used to get a full line out when you have no back cast or a limited back cast due to obstructions behind you. Highly technical and quite difficult to learn to do I believe.
Salmon anglers on large rivers use it as their casting method of choice. It requires specialised, two handed rods and reels. You won't be able to do it with a normal fly rod. In Scotland they refer to single handed rods, and two handed rods. If a fly fisherman talks about two handed rods, you know he is spey casting for salmon.
I have often thought that this may be an interesting technique for largies in some situations, although the Vaal and Orange may not be totally suited to this type of casting.

[chris williams]

You raise some good points there Andre - I know you are a 'thinking' fisher and some of what you say I've also attempted to think about.

As a laatie I was fortunate to have often flyfished for salmon, sea trout, and brownies in various 'traditional' rivers in Scotland. As here, in great SA, each river or stream there has his/her own peculiar characteristics and locally developed fishing techniques.

Fishing in the Sixties, being pre-Space-Computer Age, we only had one choice for serious salmon flyfishing. A Hardy/Sharpes etc split-cane rod either strengthened with a steel centre or not. We generally preferred a non-steel centre. These rods were bloody heavy - we're talking half to one kilogram in current terminology. Single-handed was not an option. These rods were 12' to 16' or worse. The longer the rod the worse they were to cast, and the more crooked and bent was their acton. The Spey flies were traditionally tied sparse. I reckon partially so there was not so much back-swing on the cast. Spey fishing wasn't pretty and certainly no sight-fishing.. Usually fishing from a boat anchored just below a log and casting to avoid the cliffs behind you, and less importantly, the ghillie...

Double-handed rods were used for all sorts of techniques of salmon flycasting . The 'Spey' was only one of the general traditional casts.

Single-handed rods in those days in Scotland were generally used for 'trib' fishing for brownies or sea trout. The odd spring salmon would occasionally be caught. We still did mini-Spey casts single-handed with these rods for the same reasons in terms of background clutter. But also because we could.. these rods were much lighter.

In Aussie several of us old mavericks used Spey rods and techniques to catch the odd tailor/shad off the rocks with a Spey cast and landside wind propelling the line forward.

However all the foregoing was with heavy, split-cane. Graphite and modern rod-building accessories has revolutionised the scene.

I'm lucky enough to be having built for me a 12' 8wt 'No Names Mentioned' high-modulus graphite rod for LM/estuary/game (as in salmon/similar) fishing. This is known in West Coast US as a 'Switch' rod - which some of you guys including Andre will know - it's optional double or single handed rod for casting, and can be used double-handed for a big fish battle. It's light enough to accomplish a decent traditional 'Spey cast' using either option.

In other words, I reckon a two-handed rod isn't limited to a Spey cast, equally with our modern materials, a Spey cast isn't limited to a two-handed rod!

Anyway, Andre, I hope my reminiscences make some sense to you! When I get this rod ready for fishing, I'd love you to come and have a try!

Cheers Chris

[Andre]

You raise some good points there Andre - I know you are a 'thinking' fisher and some of what you say I've also attempted to think about.

As a laatie I was fortunate to have often flyfished for salmon, sea trout, and brownies in various 'traditional' rivers in Scotland. As here, in great SA, each river or stream there has his/her own peculiar characteristics and locally developed fishing techniques.

Fishing in the Sixties, being pre-Space-Computer Age, we only had one choice for serious salmon flyfishing. A Hardy/Sharpes etc split-cane rod either strengthened with a steel centre or not. We generally preferred a non-steel centre. These rods were bloody heavy - we're talking half to one kilogram in current terminology. Single-handed was not an option. These rods were 12' to 16' or worse. The longer the rod the worse they were to cast, and the more crooked and bent was their acton. The Spey flies were traditionally tied sparse. I reckon partially so there was not so much back-swing on the cast. Spey fishing wasn't pretty and certainly no sight-fishing.. Usually fishing from a boat anchored just below a log and casting to avoid the cliffs behind you, and less importantly, the ghillie...

Double-handed rods were used for all sorts of techniques of salmon flycasting . The 'Spey' was only one of the general traditional casts.

Single-handed rods in those days in Scotland were generally used for 'trib' fishing for brownies or sea trout. The odd spring salmon would occasionally be caught. We still did mini-Spey casts single-handed with these rods for the same reasons in terms of background clutter. But also because we could.. these rods were much lighter.

In Aussie several of us old mavericks used Spey rods and techniques to catch the odd tailor/shad off the rocks with a Spey cast and landside wind propelling the line forward.

However all the foregoing was with heavy, split-cane. Graphite and modern rod-building accessories has revolutionised the scene.

I'm lucky enough to be having built for me a 12' 8wt 'No Names Mentioned' high-modulus graphite rod for LM/estuary/game (as in salmon/similar) fishing. This is known in West Coast US as a 'Switch' rod - which some of you guys including Andre will know - it's optional double or single handed rod for casting, and can be used double-handed for a big fish battle. It's light enough to accomplish a decent traditional 'Spey cast' using either option.

In other words, I reckon a two-handed rod isn't limited to a Spey cast, equally with our modern materials, a Spey cast isn't limited to a two-handed rod!

Anyway, Andre, I hope my reminiscences make some sense to you! When I get this rod ready for fishing, I'd love you to come and have a try!

Cheers Chris

very very interesting Chris. My my, you have certainly been around.
The only Spey rod I have ever seen or held, was one thaat john Yelland at upstream ordered especially for client who was going to Scotland or somewhere for salmon fishing. The rod was Sage (of course) and a two handed Spey rod to boot. It was as long as telephone pole, but very light. With the reel and specialist spey casting line from Sci Anglers, it looked to be a really awesome piece of equipment. Really expensive as well, cant remember the price exactly.
It is something I would like to try sometime. it would be worth a trip up to you to give it a go.

[chris williams]

Andre, you are always welcome!

I've been lucky to have flyfished over the years in both 'traditional' (never tweed..), and also previously undiscovered, places worldwide.

Unless I boast or reminisce about these, no one will ever know - or care!

[Korrie]

I am almost in the same boat as Andre, almost no experience in the fishing of SPey rods, although I have cast Spey rods.

Spey casting can almost be described as a very fancy, complicated roll cast.
With each component very necessary in the whole, fancy roll cast.

You also get a Spey to the left and to the right.
Depending on which bank you stand and to which side (left or right ) the river is flowing.