[riverWrangler]

Distance is a byproduct of good casting 😎

And, when good casting meet a good angler, distance becomes a moot point 😜.

 

[fisshman26]

And, when good casting meet a good angler, distance becomes a moot point 😜.

or those who can cast far figure out the angles that allows them to cast far and catch fish behind anyone 😏 and any Good angler will understand that point 😎

 

[Mikey. O]

I struggle with the notion that a qualified casting instructor is blind.
I also struggle to see how anyone can understand the beauty spey casting without a decent cast to begin with.
For me it becomes a thing of beauty when a good caster is making great casts be it long distance or short.
Having qualified lessons will take us to this understanding which you talk about.
It is gained through acquired skill.
The single hand rod need not be a hindrance rather it is an aid when starting spey casting. It works well from double hander to single.
Fwiw I learned to spey cast with a spey line on a 9 foot single hand rod after many years fishing single handers from 4 wt to 10 wt. It was part of a syllabus for a qualification where the line was a 6wt.The skill transfers well to double handers.
New guys will possibly be all top hand out of the gate. Previous single hand only guys might be the same.
To start when teaching you can't get everything over in the first few lessons.
Top hand only is not a huge crime providing the rod is moved through the correct pathway. It can produce good distance to.
But it is fixable, how soon depends on the route you take. I had an instructor for both rods so it was quick. But it cost me a lot of money but heh if I had done this at thirty years of age what an investment.
At the days end it is about how much desire anyone has to obtain a good cast.
The difference it can make for real life fishing is very significant.
The old chestnut of distance not been important is also shouted from the hill tops in salt water fishing. Mostly from guys who are limited to 50 feet.
When it is needed it is important when it is not the good caster will have a cigar.
The slow down cry I often think about. How slow. There are times when faster rod speed is helpful.

Mike.

 

[fish0n4evr]

I struggle with the notion that a qualified casting instructor is blind.
I also struggle to see how anyone can understand the beauty spey casting without a decent cast to begin with.
For me it becomes a thing of beauty when a good caster is making great casts be it long distance or short.
Having qualified lessons will take us to this understanding which you talk about.
It is gained through acquired skill.
The single hand rod need not be a hindrance rather it is an aid when starting spey casting. It works well from double hander to single.
Fwiw I learned to spey cast with a spey line on a 9 foot single hand rod after many years fishing single handers from 4 wt to 10 wt. It was part of a syllabus for a qualification where the line was a 6wt.The skill transfers well to double handers.
New guys will possibly be all top hand out of the gate. Previous single hand only guys might be the same.
To start when teaching you can't get everything over in the first few lessons.
Top hand only is not a huge crime providing the rod is moved through the correct pathway. It can produce good distance to.
But it is fixable, how soon depends on the route you take. I had an instructor for both rods so it was quick. But it cost me a lot of money but heh if I had done this at thirty years of age what an investment.
At the days end it is about how much desire anyone has to obtain a good cast.
The difference it can make for real life fishing is very significant.
The old chestnut of distance not been important is also shouted from the hill tops in salt water fishing. Mostly from guys who are limited to 50 feet.
When it is needed it is important when it is not the good caster will have a cigar.
The slow down cry I often think about. How slow. There are times when faster rod speed is helpful.

Mike.

Top hand leverage is only good for inefficiency.
So lets get down to it : What's the fix?
I've got some ideas not my own.

 

[MTStan]

Bruce nailed top/bottom hand issues a while back. Visualization of the oar lock. For me the longer bottom handle helps from “shocking” and tunes the speed of the forward stroke by hand placement on the bottom handle, for what it’s worth.

 

[Mikey. O]

Top hand only agree is not the best. It does control rod pathway however and that's key.
Even with the lower hand following it is possible to make good casts.
Trying to combine both hands at the start can be too much for some. Easier to add bottom hand a little later.
Just my experience.
Mike

 

[fisshman26]

Best advice I ever got about speycasting was to “chop off my top hand”

 

[MTStan]

With great deference to use of top hand for any newcomers (we all have been there) learn clean basics from the start. Cleaning up bad habits as we go will only frustrate and hinders progress. Top hand is your fulcrum point. Distance will not come by implementing top hand!

For anyone interested in learning Spey; stand in ankle deep fast flowing water looking directly upstream. Take 20 ft of head and dangle it downstream with rod tip at 10 o’clock. With only thumb and forefinger “open” gripping top hand ,use only the bottom handle to move the rod forward. Make the cast. Stop tip at 1 to 2 o’clock sharply. Experiment with bottom hand position on the handle (up and down). Feel the difference. Manipulate the line speed with only bottom hand. Feel what the rod is telling you. Repeat, repeat ,repeat and burn that feeling in to your grey matter! ( muscles don’t have memory) Then try 30 feet of line…and more. Think of the top hand as a piston when longer line is casted. ( straight up and down). Only then you can get into feet, body position, anchors etc. One step at a time. Don’t leave the water with a bad cast and until this “simple motion is in your dreams”! It ain’t rocket science, it’s time and investment. Then watch Bruce’s videos and your on your way, 😁