Spey Rod

[Mike Thomas]

I got to use the new Spey rod on the weekend and as promised here are my thoughts.
Firstly not having had any lessons on spey casting I do not know if I am doing it right, but even if I am not I have to say the rod made up for it. I even hooked the shrubbery on the far bank twice and that is a very long cast! I was useing a Sciera brand Spey line which I believe are actualy made by Rio, it worked just fine.
Anyway to cut a long story short I found the spey rod fairly easy to cast but you do have to be carefull with mending or you tend to mend a hell of lot further than intended.
I even managed to hook a few fish with the spey rod while I was realy only having a play to see how it went.
I will probably not use the spey rod again untill next winter on the Tongariro when I will try to get some lessons. We are on the brink of summer so I will be mostly fishing the #5 9ft Sage XP for the next 5 months.
I will let you know how I go with the spay rod once I have had some lessons.
All the best.
Mike.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Mike,

After a few lessons you'll be able to make 100 foot casts with ease, and still fish 30 feet out quite well. Love the two hander rods for anything over a 7 wgt, although they are now making true two hander rods in 4 wgt and up.

REE

[Mike Thomas]

Ron, 100ft WITH EASE? SWEET!
All the best.
Mike.

[Kerry Stratton]

Mike,

After a few lessons you'll be able to make 100 foot casts with ease, and still fish 30 feet out quite well. Love the two hander rods for anything over a 7 wgt, although they are now making true two hander rods in 4 wgt and up.

REE

Ron,

I purchased a 12 foot 5 weight trout spey this past summer. I used it to swing streamers for trout on a couple of east side rivers. It was truly a blast. The ability to use casts such as the single spey to keep the fly in the water more and the ease of casting made for nice confortable days fishing. The catching was nice also. The trout speys probably are not for everyone but I perfer to swing flies even for trouts. So for me it is the perfect rod.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Kerry and Mike,

I've been throwing a 12'6" 6 wgt for trout on some of the rivers here, for resident and sea run Cutthroat trout. It is indeed a blast. On that long rod, even a 12 inch trout feels big. VEE has a 12'6" Elkhorn two hander in 6 wgt that she has been using for a couple of years. Really likes it also.

REE

[Kerry Stratton]

I have been tossing line with the 6126 for summer run steelhead for a number of years now. I felt the 6 weight was a bit much for trout. This past summer was the first time fishing for trout with a spey and the 5 weght was the cat's pajamas.

[pspaint]

I picked up a TFO 11' 5wt., last summer and it was a blast using it. I've been using the 7-8 wts. for salmon and steelhead, for several years, so I thought , what better way to stay in practice. I wasn't able to use it for trout fishing because of the drought we were in, but I did use it for smallies and it was great.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I'm waiting for the new Dec Hogan 4wgts to hit the dealers. That should be a hoot.
REE