Returned from the Grand Ronde River

Well, I don't think I can really say in words how "wild" I am about fishing with a two handed fly rod now.

For several years I have been watching others I know well get really into Spey casting/fishing. Now I know what they have been excited about.

I floated, camped and fished for 5 days on the lower Grand Ronde River in Washington State with top fly fishing guide and Skaget style Spey master Mike McCune and it was absolutely shocking.

For the first day of the trip I fished my old single handed 7 weight rod with a floating line. Fishing this year so far has been very tough on the Grand Ronde with lower flows and little rain to bring the Steelhead up out of the Snake River. The fishing was good enough though.

I watched Mike working with my fishing partner John Hogg who had already made the leap into Spey. John had had some instruction from Simon Gawesworth and Jeff Putnam so he was doing well.

Mike is one of the major developers of the Skaget style of two handed casting which incorporates the use of a shorter, heavier head system.

Mike, Scott O'Donnell and Ed Ward are going to be in a new video/DVD production to be released soon by Rio Products showing how this system works.

It appeared to me that this system of short head Spey casting was easier to do right off the bat with good instruction. In a few days of fishing, practicing, coaching I was casting further than ever possible with a single handed rod and with much better line control.

Watching Mike McCune take a little 12' #5 weight Spey rod with a 15' #3 sink rate tip, a big fly and cast it all the way across the river was very inspiring.

I will be putting up some pictures of my trip soon with more info.

http://www.homestead.com/piscator/Last_Chance2.jpg

http://www.scottodonnell.com/