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[Nicole]

I think there are alot of anglers out there that hate speyfishing because they don't understand it, and it's fairly new.

It also requires anglers who are set in their ways to behave differently, as spey fishers require 20 feet of space above them, and 40-60 feet below them, so they can perform the cast.

Here is what is going on under the hood when you see someone flinging the spey rod out there...

The first part of the cast is the roll cast which gets the heavy weighted tip on the surface. The rest of the cast shoots the line, sometimes off the upstream shoulder, and sometimes off the downstream shoulder. This depends of the side of the river then angler is casting on, and also what way the wind is blowing.

Once the line is out and the fly is fishing, the angler is ideally working the fly a foot or so off the bottom, which is done by raising and lowering your rod tip. This also controls the speed of the fly as well, the slower it goes the better chance fish have to take a look at it and react. When they hit the fly, the take can be savage, or it can come to a simple and abrupt stop.

Sometimes, the fish can toy with the fly through the swing, and the adrenalin rush when that happens is extreme!! You have to play it cool, and allow the fish to take the fly, you can't set the hook. You can feel it as the fish plays with the fly, much like a cat swatting a ball of string... When a fish does this to me and I miss it, I literally shake the rush is so intense.

Another thing that you will notice is that Spey fishers stand further out in the water... This is also fundemental to the cast, as the line must be in contact with the water during the cast. Also, twigs and debris on the gravel bar behind can foul up your cast.

It's also essential to allow the heavy weighted tip to work the shallower water at the end of the cast, the angler uses the water hydraulics to allow the line to remain suspended. This also creates the need to be farther out.

This being said, I hooked more than one steelhead on gear behind spey guys last year, 10 minutes after they left the run, right where they were standing. The steelhead naturally settle back in where the water is best.

Anyhow, that is my two cents, I hope I've helped someone out there understand speyfishing a little better

Feel free to ask whatever questions you like, and maybe there are some other elements that I have missed so feel free to chime in...

Cheers,
Nicole

[Fish Assassin]

Interesting perspective Nicole. Thanks for sharing.

[Jamison Jay]

Cool post Nicole, it does work great when all types of fishermen can share the water and respect each others choosen methods.

Mind you the way I cast a fly rod I think I need alot more room, pretty sure I scare off more fish than I have ever caught

[allwaysfishin]

I saw you workin the water the other day Nicole..... spied on ya for a while during my mid day munchie break. Very cool to watch both the behavior of the line during the cast and the physical motions to accomplish the cast and manipulate the line. It looks physically exerting, must be great upperbody excercise. I used to plan on getting more into river flyfishing in general and on to spey eventually.... but my back injury and nerve damage in my right arm prevents it and confines me to my gear rods. I still chironimid fish with the fly gear but casting is painful.... but often worth it
cool post, thanx for sharing