The guys are really getting into switch or spey casting. I caught some of the going through their moves recently and decided to put together a video for your viewing pleasures!
This form of casting sure seem a lot less effortless compared to the usual fly-false cast moves. Hope you enjoy the video.
Don’t forget to let me know what you think by leaving a comment.
Ahhh, the joys of spey casting! Something I’ve dabbled with — I have three “spey” type fly rods, so perhaps I’ve more than dabbled.
For anyone about to have a go at this, some things to keep in mind: Most important is that “spey” refers to a casting technique or style, not a type of rod, even though Americans in particular like to refer to “spey rods”. Longer rods, both single and double-handed do, however, help in repositioning the line after each cast, establishing an anchor point, forming the D loop, and launching the line on the forward cast.
There are basically three styles of spey casting, each of which requires a different rod, line and reel, and casting technique. There is the traditional English style, developed on the Scottish Atlantic salmon rivers; the Pacific North-West US “Skagit” style, developed for catching sea-run steelhead trout; and the Scandinavian style, also developed for catching Atlantic salmon.
Both Skagit and Scandinavian styles involve the use of shooting heads, and allow overhead casting and spey casting with the same tackle — the way to go in my view.
The “big thing” in the US at the moment are the switch rods, shorter and lighter versions of the rods used for Skagit and Scandinavian casting, designed to permit both single and double-handed casting with the same outfit.
It’s useful to keep in mind why the spey cast was developed on the Spey river in Scotland — to avoid the need for an overhead cast, by anchoring the leader and line tip using water surface tension and forming a D loop under the rod to load it, instead of forming a casting loop above the rod tip, thereby avoiding repeatedly hooking stream-side trees and bushes.
Spey casting is not, however, the best approach in all fishing situations. Spey casting is particularly effective and efficient where repetitive casting of large, heavy flies is necessary in both fresh and saltwater. But when accurate, short-range casting is necessary, such as when sight fishing, the overhead cast using a single-handed rod is usually better.
I would like to know how spey casting could be useful in Malaysia and elsewhere in South-East Asia. Perhaps some local fly rodders could enlighten me?
Great info there, Bob.
I have not gotten into Spey except for some ‘fun’ casts with others’ rods. It does make it appear a lot effortless when repeatedly having to cast heavier flies, as you’ve mentioned.
Some of the guys are preparing for fly-fishing the Maldivian flats in a couple of weeks time. I shall share more experience as they happen.
Again, thanks for the awesome info.
JW
Thanks JW.
The reason I posted my comments is that there is so much potential for misunderstanding and confusion about this topics. And many mistakes that can be made. I know, I’ve made many of them!
Using my own case as an example. In Australia we live on the driest continent on earth –except at the moment, when eastern Australia is having record rainfall — and we also don’t have any high mountains to speak of. So our river systems are either very small or totally unsuitable for trout and salmon, the focus of most spey casting in Europe and North America.
Consequently, two-handed rods commonly used for spey casting elsewhere in the world are rarely seen in Australia. When two-handed rods are used they are mostly used for overhead casting in saltwater, from ocean beaches, headlands and breakwaters, and to a lesser extent when fishing from boats.
So why do I have three two-handed rods? Because I’m no longer as young or as strong as I once was. Two-handed rods allow you to use the whole body in executing the casting stroke, particularly in the Scandinavian style of casting that I favor.
Therefore, for anglers lacking physical strength or suffering physical impairments ( in my case arthritis in hands and wrists) two-handed rods are usually better than single handed rods, particularly in heavier rod weights (8 weight and upwards). An added benefit is that there is also no need for energy-sapping false casting and line hauling, which can alert and scare away any fish in the vicinity.
The key to this casting efficiency is the weight and length of the fly line head. Extra weight is necessary to load the rod without the need for false casting and line hauling. Lines sold as “spey lines” and for use with two-handed rod (as well as the rods themselves) will usually be based on the US spey line standards. These are very different to the standards for weights and length of lines for single-handed rods: The head of a two-handed rod line is much thicker and longer, and consequently far heavier, twice as heavy (or more), than the equivalent rated line for a single-handed rod . For example, while the head of a modern 8 weight single-handed line may weigh around 200 grains, a two-handed 8 weight shooting head will weigh at least 450 grains, the head of a short or long belly spey line much more. Something to keep in mind when choosing a line to match your new two-handed rod.
Good luck with the flats fishing. Something I have in mind for my 8 weight two-hander in the near future. The line and reel are equivalent to about a 12 weight single-hander, so it should work well for casting large flies at cruising giant trevally and barracuda. Might even work well on sailfish at Rompin?
Bob
Great info, Bob.
The ease of shooting the line makes spey casting appealing but I’m not getting into it yet. Not seriously anyway. I still have lots to master when it comes to casting single handed rods which I enjoy a lot.
Guess I’ll just ‘play’ with others’ spey rods for now whenever I get the opportunity :)
What you’re thinking may work on Sailfish as long as there is enough backing. It’s a lot of hard work though compared to using conventional tackle.
Hi JW and Bob,
I just came back recently flats fishing in Maldives using Spey technique with Switch rod. I was having good success there even in skinny water and with Bonefish. I think there are lots of potential using Spey technique in the salt. I was glad to be using my double-hander because one week of non stop casting can be murder to arms and shoulders if I had opted to use single-hander.
I recently posted my experience of using Spey technique in the salt at yuenmah.blogspot.com. Please feel free to visit my blog.
Mah
Hey Mah,
I saw your pics in Facebook and they looked great. Our trip is coming up real soon, too.
Hi JW,
You guys should be getting real excited about your trip. Hope you guys have good catch and lots of Bonefish :)
Mah
Thanks, Mah. We are really looking forward to it.
Hi Mah,
Looked at your blog — great resource for anyone about to try spey casting using a two-handed rod: Good videos of you spey casting, useful links to instruction videos, and stunning pics of the Maldives and the fish you caught. Good work.
Bob
Thanks Bob.
DIY Spey casting can be tough so I try to gather all the good resource and videos I found in one place for those interested to pick up double-hander. I have not looked back since I started using double-hander. All my single hand rods are sort of gathering dust. at home :)
Mah