RCream -

To elaborate on what Barry said - spey lines are typically considerably larger diameter and higher weight for a stated line weight than typical single hand rod lines of the same weight designation, and they are longer than most single hand rod lines.

In other words, an 8 wt spey line ( more likely designated an 8/9/10 in the world of spey, as I recall from my experience going through this about a year ago ) is a totally different animal than an 8 wt for a single hand rod. And it is probably 120' long compared to a usual 90' length for the single hand rod line.

I suggest several things.

First, go to the Rio Products website and look at all the stuff they have on the subject of spey lines. Lots of good information there that will help you determine what kind of line you will want for the rod you have or are getting, and help you understand the difference between two hand rod lines and single hand rod lines.

Second, go the Elkhorn Fly Rod website and look at their selection of reels, specifically their spey reels. Also, you can get their phone number from the website. Talk to Brian. He's very helpful and will steer you in the right direction. If you haven't gotten a spey rod yet, you might consider Elkhorn as a possibility. The one I had was really a nice rod.

Elkhorn, by the way, doesn't do that unconditional unlimited lifetime warranty thing. Let's them sell a really good rod for a lot less than the guys who do that warranty thing. Last time I talked to Brian, he was thinking about rewriting Elkhorn's warranty - to make it more of a guaranteed low cost repair / replacement policy.

Third, go to the website for the RedShed up in northern Idaho. Get the phone number and talk to Poppy. He's one of the most knowledgeable people around when it comes to two hand / spey rods, and seems to have time for anyone who needs his help. That's not just my impression from my dealing with him, but the word from any number of folks I know who have dealt with him.

If you can get your hands on Simon Gawesworth's book "Spey Casting" you can get a great look into the world of spey. The content is excellent and the writing is outstanding.

Finally, there is a website devoted to spey - www.speypages.com. Lots of good stuff there.

John