I began learning from YouTube but then took a few classes from my local Flyshop then graduated to River practice.

Regarding reels, something with a full cage is what I prefer so my running line doesn’t breach the spool gap. Lots of good starter reels and there are a few posted in the market place. An Orvis Batinkil V I saw recently for about 150. I like reels around 4 inches in diameter, plus or minus a bit for the rods I fish. I cannot speak to the rule described but if the reel looks good on the rod I would try it. Wide spools hold more line. I also love clickers but fish both. The lamson you have looks good to me.

 

Thanks. I’ll look to see if there’s anything offered in my area. A class would be good as I could probably learn more about lines too. Seems skagit lines are popular which I know nothing about. What reels do you use?

 

Also listen to the “wet fly swing” podcast. The host has some very interesting guests and they talk gear and flies.

 

I use a Lamson Liquid hd 9+ for a back up for my 7wt rods, plenty of room for backing ( 175 yards at 30lbs), 120' of 40 lb mono & scandi heads from 27 ~38'. Hope this helps!
Tom

 

Thanks! That does help. What reel do you use? Is there a reel that is more popular to use for Spey?

 

This site has been most helpful. It's not instructional per se - just clear, concise, and on point WRT all things fly casting.

 

This is an excellent video; it covers the 3 basic styles of DH casting
Tom

 

Welcome to the group - and to an ever-growing passion!
Really cool that you are building your own! Lots on videos as mentioned, but also highly recommend a lesson (groups lessons more affordable) as others have mentioned.
Quick primer on Scandi/Skagit with passions on both sides (lots of opinions and stalwarts). I use both (some stalwarts would never be caught dead with the one they do not use). Skagit are shorter shooting heads used with (mostly) sinking tips to get mid-to-deep in the water column...often used for winter steelhead. Scandi are longer shooting heads often used with polyleaders or very long leaders, usually higher in the water column (if not surface presentations) with a lighter presentation and often used for summer/fall steelhead. You can use one reel and spool with backing and running line (again, lots of opinion here but I have gravitated to mono running line) and then switch between skagit/scandi heads with appropriate tips.
Next choice, the reel. You will find a lot of passion on this forum for vintage clickers and I have definitely taken the hook/line/sinker on that one myself, or you can go with more modern drag reels. You can find used/vintage of both for moderate prices, many on this forum.
The reel size is less important than the balance and adequate backing. Most of the reels you'll be considering for the larger rod (vintage ones will be called salmon reels) will be wide to accommodate the head/running/backing with enough to have a larger fish take out lots of line. Much less of a concern for the trout spey. Many of the reels will be ~4", but your relatively shorter spey rod may be OK with something around 3 3/4". For the weight balance, the ideal balance is for the rod to be horizontal to the ground when you are holding it with your upper hand and the running line is out to the tip of the rod (and the head would be fully out and on the water). I approximate this by having the running line out to the tip without any head in my front yard, aiming to have the balance point be where my top hand is comfortably in a casting distance from the top of the cork. Close enough = good enough. You can see lots of videos on this too.
Enjoy!!!

 

I would recommend The River Rambler as a good podcast (“Into the Bucket” is also quite good), Swing the Fly Magazine as a good collection of writing, and Travis Johnson’s “All Waters Angling” Instagram subscription as a great collection of instructional videos. The “No Fish Harmed” series is must watch material, in my opinion. This will give you “how to” and also other equally important material to learn from. I am still studying all of it as best I can.