March 2, 50+ degrees and it was a great day of learning for me and a new fly fishing technique called Spey Casting. I am so used to single hand overhead fly fishing that this was a very new thing for me to learn. As you can see Spey casting is a technique that uses two hands with a much larger, 13 foot fly rod then I am used to throwing 7,8 and 9 footers. It also for me a new artistic but technical way of fly casting. The unique twist is the use of roll casting which is creating large loops in the line "on purpose" to project the line out in front of you. One of my fishing partners from the Plain Fly Tyers group and a local guide here and for Reds Fly Shop, Doug Pendleton was my instructor and he was very patient with me. I liken the whole experience to dancing your line in a very special 3 step process that allows you to really get some distance on the river. Like everything this is going to take some serious practice so now I have a plan to build a new spey rod. I have three blanks already from a previous buy so now the design work begins. The river we practiced in is the Big Wenatchee and we threw pieces of yarn since the river is closed for fishing!!! No bites!!!
My First Spey Cast Session
This is Doug Pendleton my friend and instructor for the morning, this Steel head was caught on the Methow River opening day of Steel head fishing. Nice fish Doug!!!
OK, Dennis, I know officially HATE you!! Way to go, dude. Spey fishing on the Salmon River is next on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteThis was a learning experience for sure... so many techniques... Going to have to practice a fair amount to both get the gain out of the cast and look like I kinda know what I am doing on the river....
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