Spey fishing question. Not how to cast...but how to fish?

[Gemrod]

Know little about spey but bought one. Can learn how to cast with videos I bought. But how do you FISH with a spey rod?

Seems you cast a long distance. So you are in a fast moving river:
Where do you cast to....
Upstream?
Downstream?
Doesn't all the moving water wreak havoc with all that long line in the water?
How do you know when you have a strike...end of line is so far away in fast water...
How do you set the hook?

Just curious....might go to a river next week and no nothing....and it shows....

[jeffro]

Hello Gemrod,
I havent yet used a Spey rod but I would think you would cast straight across and start stripping as the lines starts downstream.
To me that sounds logical.

[Mike Thomas]

Hi Gemrod, I am just starting out as well but I have had some success. The most often used technique with Spey is to cast across and down with a sink tip or a sinking leader and swing the fly back across to your side and directly downstream, following the fly all the way with your rod tip. Retrieve the fly, take a step downstream and cast again. If you are using a long belly or traditional DT spey you may not need to retrieve any line before re-casting. If you use a skagit or scandi head you will need to retrieve most of the shooting line before re-casting.
You can, of course, add a bit more to the fly action by adding a little strip during the swing if you want, but it will make the fly lift so you will not fish as deep if you add a strip. If you realy have to fish deep a full sinking line will get down but is harder to cast and control.
The long rod makes mending easy too so I sometimes fish the nymph at distances that are just not possible with the shorter rod.
As for setting the hook, do not worry about it, when the fish hit on the swing you will know all about it! I try not to strike but just let the fish hook themselfs.
If nymphing at distance one trick to try is to strike low and towards the downstream bank to set the hook, if you lift the rod you may not be quick enough.
Hope this helps some.
All the best.
Mike

[Gemrod]

Mike,
that is wonderful information. very helpful and useful to me and probably others. I can now see how the "spey" casts can be used with a single hand rod....and in certain situations benefit one as a fisherman. thinking you can use spey casts in some situations with the single hand rod that a typical overhand cast or roll would not accomplish. great stuff....I have a skagit head. Not fished it or even put it on a reel yet

thank you for posting Mike

[Orthoman]

Gemrod,

I am not an expert but have used mainly a switch rod. I have used it for swinging flies as well as nymphing. In Alaska t his fall, I will be mainly fishing more estuary / still water like fishing and plan on stripping flies.

[Mike Thomas]

Mike,
that is wonderful information. very helpful and useful to me and probably others. I can now see how the "spey" casts can be used with a single hand rod....and in certain situations benefit one as a fisherman. thinking you can use spey casts in some situations with the single hand rod that a typical overhand cast or roll would not accomplish. great stuff....I have a skagit head. Not fished it or even put it on a reel yet

thank you for posting Mike

Hi Gemrod, how long is your 2 handed rod? If you are using a Skagit head you may need to add on a "cheater" to the end to make it 2.5 to3 times the rod length. Plus you will probably need to add a fast sinking leader. I use 10ft Poly leaders but if you are casting big flys you may need to use some t12 or t14 to turn the fly over.
My set up is simple with a switch rod I do not need to add a cheater tip, so I use an 11ft rod, the Skagit head is about 28ft so it is right at the correct length and I mostly use smaller streamers around size 8 or 6 hooks with no added weight or bulk so a 10ft fast sinking poly leader and about 6 ft of tippet turns the fly over well and gets deep enough.
If you have trouble with blowing your anchor the first thing to try is shorten your casting stroke and the second is lengthen your cheater and leader set up.
If you have a look at the Rio web site you will find all sorts of formulas for the Skagit lines, it can get a bit confusing but if you get it sorted it will realy help your casting and your fishing.
As for spey casts with a single hander have a look at the section on the Rio Modern Spey Casting dvd called "single hand turbo spey" it is fantastic.
I hope I am not just confusing the issue for you.
Good luck with the trip, let us know how you get on.
All the best.
Mike.

[Kerry Stratton]

Two handed rods are used mostly to swing flies down and across the stream but some use them as effective nymphing rigs also. The extra length of the rod helping in that cause. I prefer swinging with the long rod myself. Cast across slightly less than 90 degrees and throw an upstream mend into the line to help your fly sink. Let the fly swing across the current following it with the tip of the rod. The idea is to "swim" the fly just above the bottom. Skating flies with a floating line is also a great way to fish with a two hander. You will know when a fish hits.

Casting is the key and the hardest thing for people to learn. Learning to cast a two handed rod from videos is possible but is going to take some considerable time and likely quite a bit of frustration. Hopefully you won't get discouraged. If it is possible find someone that has some experience casting a two hander to help you. It is not as easy as it looks.

[Gemrod]

I appreciate the info Mike and Kerry. I purchased the Albright 15' 10/11 spey rod before I knew what I was doing. Then I purchased their 13' 8/9 spey. Then I won the bid on a 12' 5/6 spey blank. As far as finding someone with experience. Not going to happen around here in my town. No one up here is interested in two handers. I have talked about it at fly club mtgs, fly tying classes, and at coffee clutch. They ALL inclusive either make no comment or say they have no interest. One said he tried it and it was too much work for him. So he is not interested. But when I talk about it when I leave he always tells me on the side to keep him informed because he still has an interest.....He is not being two faced. He had already stated he tried and wasn't interested. It was at a later date that he indicated he still had some interest. But he is not going to buy a rod or look into it. It's up to me. Looks like I am on my own on this deal. I have a friend in New Zealand....a fer piece to go. I have a friend in La Grande, OR.....another fer piece as I live in AZ.

I cast my 15' with a Skagit head one time for about 30 minutes on a lake and loved it. But I don't know what the cast is named. I strip line in until the skagit is a foot from end of rod. Raise rod and swing it left and then right and then shoot it forward. Sweeeet. I dunno. I sure like that distance of 15' but it is over rodding for here and probably even the PNW. I have been quite busy lately. Made a trip and just got back. I think I am just reluctant to get to it for fear of failure. But I have 3 different Skagit heads sent to me by Poppy quite a while ago. The purpose is to try all three on my 8/9 and either pick one or send them all back. I need to get off my hiney and reel them up...and test. I think I just fear the task....as a rookie not knowing much.....trying to figure out the best skagit head.....a bit daunting to me. But I need to get it down and square up with Poppy. Sorry for length of message. You asked for the length of my rod......

I am thinking about attending the Lowell fish in ...in Sept and then going to the Spey event in Idaho around the 17th as well.

[Mike Thomas]

Hi Jim, if you are dealing with Poppy you are on the right track, there is no one I have ever dealt with who does more to promote the 2 handed rod. If he sent you 3 skagit heads I would be very surprised if you do not love at least one of them!
It is frustrating not having someone close to learn from, I know none of my fishing buddies have tried the spey style so I have had to struggle along on my own.
If I can help in any way at all please PM me and I will do my best.
All the best.
Mike.

[Kerry Stratton]

I am thinking about attending the Lowell fish in ...in Sept and then going to the Spey event in Idaho around the 17th as well.

Make it to Poppy's little get together if you can. Some of the best 2 handed fishermen in the world will be there. If you get there find a gentleman named Mike Kinney. A great teacher. Mike will have you throwing 90 feet of line in no time.