[Analog Brian]

I'm thinking about taking up spey casting. However I have some reservations.

My concerns are about the fly weight and getting the fly down. Most of the waters I fish are 6 - 8 feet at the deepest. The fly needs to be 4 to 6 ft down as I swim it through.

I've read that heavy weighted flies and adding weight to the tippet does not work well with spey casting. It throws the whole thing off and can't be casted properly. Any comments on that - how could I get the fly down to where the fish are and still learn to cast properly??

Unfortunatley I can't seem to get too excited about this method if I can't catch about as many fish as I do now

 

[Rick J]

It may not be pretty but you can certainly cast heavy stuff and I would expect quiute a bit easier than you can with a single handed rod. The skagit method of casting and skagit lines are ideal for casting heavy sink tips and heavy flies. It won't be the graceful spey cast you might envsion but I can't imagine a graceful cast with a single handed rod either if throwing heavy bugs or tips

 

[Analog Brian]

How long, how much effort?

So how long does it take to become able to cast and catch fish with a spey rod then- approximately what number of hours on the water etc? I don't mean mastering every type of cast, rather just gain some technique of some basic casts to be able to put the fly across or at the head of a big pool and be able to troll it through?

When that question is answered then, how many hours etc to really get very good?

/.cheers

 

[speyman]

Not too long

Since you live in an area with a number of excellent casters and instructors you will be able to fish in short order. I find folks get to a fishable cast in 2-6 hours of good practice with an instructor. You will not be a tournament caster of ready for certification but you can certainly get the fly out there on a straight line. The key is too hook up with a good shop and a good group of fishers who can help you learn. Also you need gear which is matched to your fishing situation and lines which work on the rods you choose. These folks can help you with that per of it also.

Learning on your own is a slow and tedious process.

 

[Neil]

Brian.
Let us know what area your from then we can direct you to some good contacts.
I have some buddies in the Newaygo and Detroit area who would be more than willing to help a new guy.
Speyladdie :smokin:

 

[hisgarness]

Amen To Instruction

Jack's directed you to the fast track. As to obtaining equal depth and catching as many fish, both are more than doable. A spey rod may not be the optimum choice for all applications, but it can do things and provide fishing advantages that a single hand rod cannot. There is no code that forbids the use of a single hand rod once you have adopted two handed fishing. Spey rods are amazing tools. Why not have them in your arsenal ?