O.K. after receiving suggestions on spey lines and taking in as much info as this little brain will allow…I have done some searching around and discovered that traditionally spey lines were double taper lines in the 80’-130’ lenghts.
This was my thought when i bought my spey rod, I have an eight weight rod currently and I have a spool for my reel with a courtland double taper line that may have been used a mere half dozen times. My first bit of research revealed there are all types of spay lines so i asked the question.
So I think back to plan A and i would like to know what some of you spey casters think. Why not just use my double taper 8wt line with my new 13’ 8 wt spey rod? This should at least get me started, I imagine and once i have a good feel for what I’m doing and some experiance under my belt I could “upgrade” to a specific spey line.
I’ve also come to realize that there is a decided difference between Skagit casting and traditional casting. I am interested in traditional spey casting only for the time being. It seems to me that traditional casting would better suite my fishing locations. Plus I like to start more or less at the root of it all and as basic as possible for now.
Well, tight loops, or now that I have a spey rod, not so tight. 
-Grant
Not quite sure how to answer your question. I’m pretty sure the 8 weight single handed line won’t work well with your rod. Just as an example, I have been looking at a Dec Hogan design Echo two handed rod in 4 wgt as a light trout rod. The suggested line for this rod is a single handed 7 weight line. With the casting power your going to generate with your two hander, casting a standard line would be like casting a silk thread.
Without a line to match your rod properly, you won’t get a feel for what your doing and your experience will most likely be a bad one. I would really hate to see you have a bad experience with casting your two hander and decide you don’t like it.
Ron pretty much said it. Single handed DT lines are not as heavy as DT spey lines. The results of this is your 8 wt. single handed line will not load your 2 handed rod properly.
Take a look at the AFFTA web site at the spey line standard and the regular fly line standard. You will find that spey lines are at least 1 to 3 line weights heavier than a regular line. I have a 10; 6" bamboo fly rod designed to cast 75 feet of 8 weight double taper fly line. It works well with a 7 weight midium/mid spey line.
Your 6 eight spey rod will probably take an 8-9 spey line or a 10 weight regular double taper line.
Enjoy the two handed adventure.
fishbum
Yaffle -
Follow the link. You will be at Rio’s Spey Fly Fishing page. Click on 2009 Spey Line Recommendations.
http://www.rioproducts.com/page.php?recKey=9
Find the make, length and weight of your rod, and you’ll find a recommendation. You’ll probably end up with a 7/8/9 or 8/9/10 Rio Windcutter for your traditional spey casting.
From my limited experience with two handed rods and spey casting - it can be a blast. But learn to do it right from the outset.
Rio also puts out a three DVD set complemented by Simon Gawesworth’s book “Spey Casting.” It will give you just about everything you need to get started right, and get good at using the two hander for spey casting.
John
It is suggested you FORGET YOUR IDEA before you want to sell your new spey rod.
Go out and buy a proper spey line for that nice spey rod. I would suggest starting with a Rio “Windcutter”. The one piece, not the 3 pc combo. This line is cast forgiving for spey newbies.
I started out using a traditional WF line on a Spey rod, but I went up three weights. Yes, with double taper you’d have to go up four.
If you’re fishing rivers, I agree: the Windcutter is a good choice. You might be able to
pick up a used one.
Randy
Thanks for your help. I had no idea, and assumed a line weight was a line weight was a line weight…
O.k. So if I understand most of you, the Rio Windcutter is the line for traditional spey casting?
The rivers I’ll be fishing are, 1 very large river (the Nipigon), and a couple medium size rivers. For small rivers and creeks, I’ll continue to use my shorter fly rods.
John, I checked the link you posted and it doesn’t list my rod. I am going to read the article Understanding Spey Lines 2008.
I wasn’t just trying to avoid buying a new line, that’s no problem, but I would also need a new spool for my reel. Either that or I’ll also be purchasing a new reel. I haven’t decided yet.
I just want everyone to understand that it isn’t Skagit Style casting I am interested in, so I need the very best line for tradtional casting. Wouldn’t a doble taper still work very well for this in a larger size then?
Thanks
Yaffle -
Regarding the reel - in addition to being bigger lines, the spey lines are quite a bit longer. If you are going to fish big water for BIG fish that will require a decent amount of backing, you will likely need a larger reel than you already have ??
Someone mentioned Poppy at the RedShed in another post on this subject. I talked to him at some length before I decided on a line. I would recommend that you do the same. Follow the link.
http://www.redshedflyshop.com/
It takes a bit of an investment ( time, energy, learning and bucks ) to get started. But when you get into it, you’ll have a bunch of fun.
John
Yaffle
Check with Bill in your home town. Tell him the fishbum from Fort Wayne sent you. I think he might be able to help you out with the tackle situation in your neck of the woods.
fishbum
Good morning Grant,
One of first things I tell someone starting into Doubles, be it Overhead or Spey types is to forget all you learnt about fly casting and rods etc as all that belongs to the single handed rod World, you are now entering the World of Doubles where there are a complete set of new concepts and rules.
Its almost as if you were compairing single handed fly rods to spin rods and gear, its just very different.
And mate, thats just what you have done, confused yourself by thinking single handed ideas when your holding a beautiful Double rod.
To try and clear away the confusion,
lines
they are heavier for all Double rod applications than single handed rods,
eg, 8w single handed line should be approx, 210grains
8w line for Double Overhead casting approx 460grains
8w line for Double Spey casting approx 525grains
Therefore if you wish to try a single handed rod line on your Double you would be looking at about a 11w AT LEAST.
The single handed D/T line, compaired to a Spey D/T,
Normally they is a longer taper built into the line, and of course its heavier.
A little trick, you may chose to try.
In your case of a 8w rod.
Find/obtain a 10w D/T single handed line.
Attach a loop to the end and then find another old fly line, and chop off about 3 to 4 feet from the end, the reel end, this line will be level, and attach it to your D/T line via a loop to loop connection, and you have now built yourself a Spey type D/T line on the cheap.
The huge advantage with this system is you can now test different ideas on casting and loading for your rod, you can also remove the level line, weight it and then obtain a section of T8 and T14 line, cut these to the same weight as the level fly line, and now you have two different density sink tips for different current speeds when your fishing, all very cheaply.
Reels bigger line will now require a larger reel.
Trust I haven’t confused you any more?
Kind regards,
UB
Thanks for all the great advise guys, and explaining the difference between the regular fly lines and spey lines. I have lots to work with here and will be sure to get a line that works well for my rod and what I want out of it.
Thanks again, -Grant
Yaffle,
An 8-weight spey rod won’t load with an 8-weight DT traditonal line. You probably have to use and 12-weight DT line. (An 11- or 12-weight WF.)
Randy