Hi -- I don't know if this question falls really within "Spey" fishing, since it concerns using two handers for overhand casting, but here goes anyway. I'm one of many guys considering a two hander for saltwater fishing in the Northeast (stripers, blues, etc.). As some of the rods become available, I've been scouting around for info on overhead casting and have received a lot of contradictory advice -- use a push upper/pull lower vs. don't push with your upper hand or cross your body vs. keep the two hands in a perpendicular line to the ground. It may be like the single handed thing -- you just have to find your way -- but any advice or online tutorials would be great. This particular forum is a great idea by the way.
Overhand Casting
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Jazzman,
Spey and doublehanded rods should be considered the same - in fact, Europeans get cheesed at we North Americans for our affection of referring to double-handers as spey rods.
I have not done alot of overhead casting with my double-handers, though I did get a chance to use the CND Atlantis at the Kaufman clave on the weekend - it is a cannon. The casting stroke is, as far as I can tell, very much a single handed stroke. The very best double-handed overhead casters I have seen are also the very best single handed casters I've seen.
As for push/pull, top hand, bottom hand - whatever, I think they all would work - so long as you are keeping the tip movement in a straight path - unless of course you want an open loop. This strikes me as very much the same as single-handed casting. If you are good as a single-hander then your default stroke will probably result in a good over-hand stroke with a double-hander.
You may also want to check out a cast that Juro has perfected. He calls it the "beach cast". Essentially, it is a roll cast or weak switch cast after the retrieve that gets the head out of the rod tip, followed by one powerful overhead backcast that fires the line halfway to Europe! I can't wait to get back out to the Cape to try the Atlantis on some of those cool stripers
Spey and doublehanded rods should be considered the same - in fact, Europeans get cheesed at we North Americans for our affection of referring to double-handers as spey rods.
I have not done alot of overhead casting with my double-handers, though I did get a chance to use the CND Atlantis at the Kaufman clave on the weekend - it is a cannon. The casting stroke is, as far as I can tell, very much a single handed stroke. The very best double-handed overhead casters I have seen are also the very best single handed casters I've seen.
As for push/pull, top hand, bottom hand - whatever, I think they all would work - so long as you are keeping the tip movement in a straight path - unless of course you want an open loop. This strikes me as very much the same as single-handed casting. If you are good as a single-hander then your default stroke will probably result in a good over-hand stroke with a double-hander.
You may also want to check out a cast that Juro has perfected. He calls it the "beach cast". Essentially, it is a roll cast or weak switch cast after the retrieve that gets the head out of the rod tip, followed by one powerful overhead backcast that fires the line halfway to Europe! I can't wait to get back out to the Cape to try the Atlantis on some of those cool stripers
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I agree with what Kush said. If you have access to the Rio International Video there is a good section on overhead casting. It is just as important to stop the rod as in single handed casting. The casting stroke can be pretty short as that is a huge fulcrum you have above you that will bend alot with a good stop!
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I have spent a good amount of time with the Atlantis (CND 11' #11) under some adverse condtions...wind, wading deep, large flys, breakers to the face. Thus, I was forced to develop an efficient and effective stroke that took full advantage of the capabilities of the rod.
My experiences are based upon a 35' floating shooting...
Anyways, the first key is to get into the habit of stopping the rod high on both the back and forward cast (11 oclock & 1 oclock)...
Secondly, I found that the Atlantis loved a slight variance of the common underhand cast that is commonly used with more standard Speycasting techniques.
Watch Dana's video on the underhand cast and in particular watch the action of his hands...I however, much prefer to keep my hands higher up in relation to my body (sort of like a single-hander) due to the shortness of the rod.
And also tend to follow through with a rod like you would with a single-hander...with a two-hander you maintain that high stop but with a single-hander, is important that you follow through on your final presentation.
I hope that helps.
My experiences are based upon a 35' floating shooting...
Anyways, the first key is to get into the habit of stopping the rod high on both the back and forward cast (11 oclock & 1 oclock)...
Secondly, I found that the Atlantis loved a slight variance of the common underhand cast that is commonly used with more standard Speycasting techniques.
Watch Dana's video on the underhand cast and in particular watch the action of his hands...I however, much prefer to keep my hands higher up in relation to my body (sort of like a single-hander) due to the shortness of the rod.
And also tend to follow through with a rod like you would with a single-hander...with a two-hander you maintain that high stop but with a single-hander, is important that you follow through on your final presentation.
I hope that helps.
Thanks for the suggestions. I played briefly with an Atlantis that my friend bought, and I am going to check out one of Bob Meiser's Switch rods as well. It's weird to feel like such a novice again. The short stroke, 11 to 1 thing is tough for me to master, because I single hand cast (at least in the salt) with a long stroke, a la Kreh's books, etc. There is also a tendency to try too hard. Anyway, the suggestions are appreciated.
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