A love of spey fishing

[Adam Grace]

I really enjoy and love the essence of speycasting and fishing. This sport is growing here in California and the lower stretches of the west coast. Myself along with spey master Jeff Putnam have now sparked more interest in the other employees in the shop to take up spey fishing. Andy Guibord fished with a spey rod for the first time this spring for our American River half pounders(very exciting because Andy is primarily a full time striper hunter). Bill Kiene, our mild mannered, talkative boss is also gaining an interest in spey fishing which is very exciting. Hopefully Mr. Kiene will fish for the spring half pounders with a spey rod next season. Another shop employee, full time trout bum and trout guide, Bill Carnazo, has also started up with spey.

I would like to know how many of you bulletin board people are interested, currently fishing or learning how to cast the long rod. I would love to see our spey forum grow in popularity bringing every different style and form of spey information to our site. Please post and talk about your own sepy preferences and experiences.

[Hairstacker]

I know a lot of folks are getting into this spey casting and fishing stuff but I know very little about it except that the rods are really long and two-handed and apparently can throw a LOT of line quickly. Would you mind elaborating on what really attracts you to it? I'm kind of wondering what I'm missing out on.... Also, it's my impression that it's mostly used when fishing for steelhead, is that so?

[Adam Grace]

I like spey fishing for many different reasons.

First of all, because the casting is so enjoyable that I do not mind not hooking a fish.

Fighting Fish: When I do hook a fish I have more control when fighting the fish. I dig the butt into my lower hip and use my upper hand to control the rod. Since I have a bad wrist this style of fighting fish is much easier to fight fish compared to butting up the rod to my forearm.

Distance: Spey rods are known for their distance capabilities. I can cast to and cover distances I could never hit with a single-handed rod. When I cast those distances I use very little energy and I fatigue less.

Line Control: Long distances do not mean anything if you cannot control your line. Mending is easier when you are swinging a fly for anadromous fish like Steelhead, Salmon, Shad and Atlantic Salmon.

More Fishing Time: Re-casting the line takes much less time with a spey rod. Just a couple of rod movemonets casts the fly back out onto the water compared to stripping in tons of line and false casting with a single-handed rod. Your fly is in front of the fish more when spey fishing.

There are tons of reasons for spey fishing. Like I said before the best reason is that it is fun. - Adam

[Hairstacker]

Adam,

Thanks! I have seen the rods in fly shops but I've never actually seen anyone use one. I've done a little reading on the subject, so was aware of some of the advantages you cite. Guess, like anything else, I'll have to try it to see if I think it's enjoyable. Just thought I'd get a clue as to why others have found it so much fun. Can't imagine it'll be so fun that I don't mind not hooking a fish, though.

[Jeff Putnam]

Did someone say... spey? What a concept... them Europeans spawned a contagious, effective fly fishing technique years ago and through its evolution has become extremely popular for both double and single handed rods. If you like fly casting, "the art of energy traveling through a britely colored fly line", spey casting is even better. Some, spey cast for hours on a weekly basis without hooking fish or even fishing and keep coming back for more, others use it to present bugs with ultimate control and efficiency, and the rest of us, well... theres no hope, weve crossed over to "SPEY-BUM LAND". We dream of the perfect "D" loop.
fish for the grab, jp

[Jeff Edwards]

I have been using the long rod for about a year now, and absolutely love it! In Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman (DVFF) there are only a hand full of us. I seem to be one of the strongest proponents in the club for Spey fishing. My talking about it all the time and showing people the fish we have been catching with Spey rods has sparked a lot of intrest in the club. Enough so that I was talked into doing a Spey only outting this Feb. 5th for Steelhead on the American.

Jeff Edwards

[steve sullivan]

I have been using the long rod for about a year now, and absolutely love it! In Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman (DVFF) there are only a hand full of us. I seem to be one of the strongest proponents in the club for Spey fishing. My talking about it all the time and showing people the fish we have been catching with Spey rods has sparked a lot of intrest in the club. Enough so that I was talked into doing a Spey only outting this Feb. 5th for Steelhead on the American.

Jeff Edwards

Jeff, jeff, jeff. What happened to your email? You emailed me saying you were going to be fishing the feather last week, and I sent you several emails and even a PM and you didnt even reply. What happened?

[Jeff Edwards]

Steve,

Sorry I'm getting back to you so late (1 month). I never recieved an email from you. Not one. I was wondering if you were going to join us. I assumed you got side tracked with other plans. Sorry we didn't hook up on the river.

This season hasn't been all that great for fishing for me. I haven't had as much time to spend on the water. New job and a new baby girl have kept me really bust. Also it seems when I get the time the rivers are blown out by the rain or the the flow release from the damns...

Jeff

[Rick J]

I have been fly fishing for over 30 years and have taught beginning and advanced classes for some time. One of the videos I showed during classes had a segment where Jimmy Green was spey casting. I thought it looked kinda fun but said not for me. About 5 years ago three of us drove up to BC to fish the Bulkely and Skeena system. One of the guys was just starting out in spey casting and was a very good friend of the owner of Patagonia who happened to be up there when we were. He spent a week with us essentially guiding us on some of his favorite runs. He used a spey rod and really talked about the great control it offered. In fact the two of us with single handed rods were about the only guys I saw not spey fishing. So on returning home, I bit the bullet and bought a spey rod and wow did I get hooked!!!! I have more fun casting than ever - a great new toy and technique to try and master. It is a very soothing way to fish - everything slows down on the casting stroke with so little effort needed with truly remarkable control at both short and long distances. I agree it is mostly for steelhead/salmon though lighter and lighter rods are being manufactured and there are some nice trout models now available.

I have heard some folks have even used them chasing tarpon!! Might be tough getting that fish to the boat??

[Jasonh]

Since getting a spey lesson form Jeff Putnam and buying the gear, i have to say that i have become addicted to it. While i have only been practicing for about two months and never really fished yet i cannot wait to feel a nice grab at the end of my 12'8" Scott ARC. Spey fishing has to be one of the coolest inventions in al of fishing hstory and i am glad more people are taking it up. It is nice to hit the river and see other spey "junkies" out there working on their castiing. Hope to see ya'll on the river with a spey rod in hand.

Jason