Question about Spey (Two Handed) Fly Rods

[Fall Creeker]

I am looking to add a two handed (or Spey) rod and techniquest to my fly fishing skills.

Any advice on an good starting point for a rod?

Brand, size, cost?

I am looking to spend under $300 for the rod, particularly since I will only be on water big enough to use this rod on 2-4 times per year. I will primarily use it to target Great Lakes Salmon and Steelhead on a mid-sized, dam controlled river (Salmon River, NY).

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael

[TyroneFly]

I would contact Poppy at the Red Shed Fly Shop. http://www.redshedflyshop.com/ and discuss it with him. He is very friendly and knowledgeable.

About a year and a half ago I contacted Poppy and settled on a TFO Deer Creek 5/6 Spey Rod. http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/pro...deercreek.html with Lamson Konic reel 4.0 with line, backing and tippet material. Poppy threw in a DVD by John and Amy Hazel along with his Red Shed Fly Shop cap. All toll it was $500. I have been very pleased with this set up for going after trout.

[Orthoman]

Calling and talking with Poppy is a good idea. Tell him what you think you need, what you will be using it for and also your level of experience.

You are cutting it close with a 300 price range so the TFO Deer Creek rods or Echo are probably where you will be looking --- both are good rods. You can find them cheaper but in the long run I believe you get what you pay for. I bought a reel from a shop that deals a lot in spey stuff (not Poppy's) -- they talked me into a reel that i used for 2 months to practice with and the first time I used it in Alaska this fall the handle fell off -- had to use the counter weight as a handle the rest of the day -- and I have been waiting since mid-september for them to get me the replacement part --- (I got what I paid for!).

Poppy can help you out with a reel but you will probably be looking at something for a couple of hundred dollars so that it will have the capacity to hold backing and line --and then the lines themselves ain't cheap. Poppy will often times send out some demo lines to try at no cost other than the return costs.

You might also ask about a switch rod -- it might also meet your requirements and give you some versatility.

There are several good video's -- I used the Simon Gaweworth videos but there are others as well.

Take a couple lessons as there is a learning curve -- then practice practice practice.

[jeffro]

I recently got a 15'-3 piece Albright spey rod for $79.+ tax and love it....ya might give em a try to see if they still have em in stock...came with sock and really nice tube.
http://www.albrightflyfish.com as well as the phone # 800-781-7703

[randyflycaster]

I'd look at an Echo spey rod. The easiest line to cast is probably a Skagit line, but after each cast you'll have to retrieve a lot of line, great if you're fishing stillwater. Skagit lines are great for fishing sinking tips and big flies, but are noisy on the water. And you'll also have to buy a Skagit tip. If you're going to cast smaller flies, I'd consider a Scandi line. (These lines require a longer leader - a versi leader and monofilament .)

If you don't want to retrieve too much line I'd go with a Windcutter.

Whatever rod you buy, make sure that the belly of the spey line is not more than about 4.1 X the length of the rod.

[Gemrod]

just fyi
I just looked at and searhed Albright's closeouts and the spey's are no longer available. When you click on the "closeouts" you used to find the spey rods there. No mas.

[Gemrod]

Definitely discuss with Poppy. Another who will discuss is Bob Meiser. I am including a link to his blanks. But you might want to go to his home page. A lot of information that is great information. Also a website called Spey Claves. Lotta good there as well. I will be attinding the annual Spey Clave in San Francisco which will probably be in April. 3 day event....no charge to enter...free parking! Have you EVER heard of Free parking in San Francisco...grin

home = http://www.meiserflyrods.com/

blanks = http://www.meiserflyrods.com/rodblanks.php

[Mike Thomas]

Hi Michael, you should get a good rod for $300, TFO, and Echo spring to mind or if you are happy to build one yourself you can get a Rainshadow kit for about half that price.
Talk to Poppy, tell him exactly what you expect to achieve and where you will use it and he will be able to point you in the right direction, he even has some pre loved rods if you dont mind second hand.
All the best.
Mike.

[Fall Creeker]

Thanks for all of the advise. I will use this information as a starting point, and will check out Poppy and his shop.

[pspaint]

I agree with what everyone else had said. I have TFO's and ECHO's and their very nice rods. I fish the SR quite a bit and my spey of choice is a 12'6" 8wt. It's a perfect length/weight for the steelhead up there. It may be a bit light for the kings, though. You might want to consider a "switch" rod, instead. For our smaller tribs they're a lot more versatile. You can use them on smaller water and execute spey as well as, single hand techniques. Poppy will definitely steer ya in the right direction.