Greg Houska
Spey Casting – Top Three Tips
Ryan watches his D-loop.
Deneki Outdoors
Whether we’re searching for steelhead on the Dean, swinging flies for kings on the Kanektok, or soaking sculpins for massive Naknek rainbow trout, we do a lot of spey fishing at our lodges.
Therefore, as you might expect, we give our share of spey instructions as well, and today we share with you a few of the most common spey casting tips we give to our guests on a regular basis.
- Slow Down. We’ve often said anyone could teach spey casting if they just kept repeating ‘slow down.’ Rushing throughout the cast is one of the most common casting faults we see from our anglers. So, if things don’t feel right, take a breath, regroup, and try slowing each part of the cast down (lift, set, sweep, etc). Remember, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to skagit-style spey casting.
- Watch Your D-Loop. One of the most important fundamentals of spey casting is what some like to call the ‘180 degree rule,’ which states that when it comes time to make your forward cast, your anchor, D-Loop, and target must be in a straight line in order to produce an efficient cast. How can you tell exactly if all three are lined up? Watch your D-Loop! As your come around with your sweep, watch as you form your D-Loop behind you. Just before its lined up 180 degrees away from your target, go ahead with your forward cast. That will allow the line to track in a straight line to the target. Always watch your D-Loop, it makes a huge difference.
- Use More Bottom Hand. For many anglers making the transition from traditional (single hand) fly casting to spey casting, the tendency is to use too much top hand throughout the cast. On the forward cast alone, too much top hand causes the rod tip to track in a wide arc, rather than a straight line, producing wide open loops. Instead, power should be applied on the forward cast by pulling with the bottom hand rather than pushing with the top hand. The same goes throughout every part of the cast as well (set, sweep, etc.). The more bottom hand your incorporate into each sequence of the cast, the more work you divvy up amongst both hands making the entire cast easier on your body.
Originally published here.