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I have been reading statements here for quite some time that are entirely false, not in my humble opinion, but in the facts of casting , albeit somewhat advanced casting-
So here's my take:
I here guys say that it is easier to cast with no back cast with shorter rods and skagit lines.
This is absolutely FALSE !!!!... Both will work, but the short stick and skag are not easier by a long shot, and I'll bet the farm, that you can't throw the skag and short stick near as long as you can the bigbellie and long stick with way less effort in this scenario...
A shorter Rod and head get's your gear closer to the bank and the crap behind you are trying to avoid. Think about it fellas! A longer rod with a mid head( CND GPS or short head like a delta), and a skip cast with the anchor placed out in the river and off your right, down river shoulder, ( Yes, breaking all the rules that wise men say you can't do in the spey cast) will give you more leverage, clearance, and ability to cast with your back against the wall, much farther than a Skagit ever will, been there, done it with both, it isn't even debatable-The longer stick gives you more distance to place your stuff away from the bank behind you, and more leverage and power to vault it out during the cast. It's simple physics and the ability to know how to perform the cast, nothing more, nothing less. The longer the rod, the better when your arce is against the willows if you want any distance out of the cast-
As to a "Skip" cast (That's the name I heard here once that sounded similar to the cast I learned, but I have no true name for it...) This is a great cast for this application, not the only one, but a dam good one that I stumbled on by accident-
I really don't know what it's proper name is, but I learned it by finishing a cast one day that I had set my anchor on incorrectly. My anchor fell yards short, and was on the down river side off my right shoulder while throwing a left hand up single spey. You set the anchor out farther than normal and off the"wrong side" in this case. As you rip the forecast, and I say "Rip" because this is no lazy, take your time cast, it's aggressive and you need the line speed and power to rip the extra stick off the water and clear the anchor. You need to bail out with the rod tip sweeping slightly down river, so you make clearance for the anchor to roll out from under all your line and not create a tailing loop. It aint child's play, it's a tough cast to execute until you practice it and get it. Once you do, it's incredible. I have backed into the willows until they were touching my backside, to see if I could do it in that scenario, and yes, it works, and you can throw is a damn long way...
If you aren't going to put in the effort to learn to cast w/ your non-dominant hand up during a single spey w/ the river flowing down from your left shoulder, forget about all of this unless you are on the other side of the river...Not saying you wont stumble into something new and great in casting tech. but this specific deal wont apply unless you can throw a powerful single from either side of the river. I throw it best with my left hand up though I'm right handed, your gig may vary from mine.
I know for sure, this is WAY easier to execute with my 16' rod than my 14'er...Good luck executing this cast for any distance with a skag, you won't be able to clear the anchor...If you do( You wont, the line stick and skag mass won't allow you to
), I wanna know how you did it So I can use it on my winter skag rig!
Let the debate begin, but there is really no debate to be had, it is what is. It's simple physics... Think about it
So here's my take:
I here guys say that it is easier to cast with no back cast with shorter rods and skagit lines.
This is absolutely FALSE !!!!... Both will work, but the short stick and skag are not easier by a long shot, and I'll bet the farm, that you can't throw the skag and short stick near as long as you can the bigbellie and long stick with way less effort in this scenario...
A shorter Rod and head get's your gear closer to the bank and the crap behind you are trying to avoid. Think about it fellas! A longer rod with a mid head( CND GPS or short head like a delta), and a skip cast with the anchor placed out in the river and off your right, down river shoulder, ( Yes, breaking all the rules that wise men say you can't do in the spey cast) will give you more leverage, clearance, and ability to cast with your back against the wall, much farther than a Skagit ever will, been there, done it with both, it isn't even debatable-The longer stick gives you more distance to place your stuff away from the bank behind you, and more leverage and power to vault it out during the cast. It's simple physics and the ability to know how to perform the cast, nothing more, nothing less. The longer the rod, the better when your arce is against the willows if you want any distance out of the cast-
As to a "Skip" cast (That's the name I heard here once that sounded similar to the cast I learned, but I have no true name for it...) This is a great cast for this application, not the only one, but a dam good one that I stumbled on by accident-
I really don't know what it's proper name is, but I learned it by finishing a cast one day that I had set my anchor on incorrectly. My anchor fell yards short, and was on the down river side off my right shoulder while throwing a left hand up single spey. You set the anchor out farther than normal and off the"wrong side" in this case. As you rip the forecast, and I say "Rip" because this is no lazy, take your time cast, it's aggressive and you need the line speed and power to rip the extra stick off the water and clear the anchor. You need to bail out with the rod tip sweeping slightly down river, so you make clearance for the anchor to roll out from under all your line and not create a tailing loop. It aint child's play, it's a tough cast to execute until you practice it and get it. Once you do, it's incredible. I have backed into the willows until they were touching my backside, to see if I could do it in that scenario, and yes, it works, and you can throw is a damn long way...
If you aren't going to put in the effort to learn to cast w/ your non-dominant hand up during a single spey w/ the river flowing down from your left shoulder, forget about all of this unless you are on the other side of the river...Not saying you wont stumble into something new and great in casting tech. but this specific deal wont apply unless you can throw a powerful single from either side of the river. I throw it best with my left hand up though I'm right handed, your gig may vary from mine.
I know for sure, this is WAY easier to execute with my 16' rod than my 14'er...Good luck executing this cast for any distance with a skag, you won't be able to clear the anchor...If you do( You wont, the line stick and skag mass won't allow you to
), I wanna know how you did it So I can use it on my winter skag rig! Let the debate begin, but there is really no debate to be had, it is what is. It's simple physics... Think about it
