First time out with the new spey rods

[Steeldrifter 0]

Just returned home from 3 full days on the Au Sable. Couldn't have had a better trip. My fishing buddy & I were using the new spey rods I just built for us and not only did they work wonders in spots too tight for normal single handed fly rods, but the trout Gods were kind to us and most the trout on the spey rods were all very nice fat healthy 16" to 18" Rainbows and browns. Really enjoyed using the spey rods, won't be giving up my single handers anytime soon, but will for sure be grabbing the spey on a regular bases on trips. A great time with a good friend catching great trout on what to me is the most beautiful river anywhere. Now it's time to finish a couple rods orders and tie some streamers to restock the flies I lost on this trip and then get ready to head back up for another 3 days in about a week.

[spiralspey 0]

That's the way to break in some new rods, well done! I like the way they look with the silver reels, and they probably look even better with some silver flashing at the end of the line.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Hell yeah! Nice fish! Glad to hear you broke them in the right way!!! Way to go Steve!

[Steeldrifter 0]

Thanks spiralspey. I can tell for sure this spey casting is going to be a continued learning process. This weekend we focus on just the Skagit double spey cast and it was a love/hate feeling for me. When we first started out in the morning of the first day I hated it with a passion at the start, then I started getting into a rhythem and it felt pretty good for a bit. Then we would go back for lunch and head back out in the evening and I lost all the feeling for it. That process went on back & forth each day for some reason lol. I do like it a lot though that's for sure, just need to work on it more. I think my biggest problem with the skagit double spey is it almost seems like my cast is not up in the air enough and seems to be running out of power too soon. Not sure if I am coming down with the tip too low or if I'm just not coming far enough backwards after the sweep to fully load the rod 100% or what it may be. Going to rewatch the Ed Ward dvd again this week and see if I can pick up some more info from it now that I have actually had a few days of practice, maybe I can see what I was not doing correctly.

 

I'm also going to thin down the fore grip on mine. I found that I actually feel better griping it about 3/4 the way up rather than all the way up so I want to shave down that area some more.

[Rocco 0]

Steve,

 

Nice start! The Skagit double spey is hard to master w/o a coach at your elbow. I found the Perry Poke much easier.

 

I'd be interested in the setups -- rod wts,line types, tips (if any), leaders etc. -- used. Also, any insights on the distances achieved and delicacy of presentation would be nice. Did you tru nymphing and dries?

 

PS. The 8wt arrived. Nice job.

 

Thanks

Rocco

[Hatchet Jack 0]

Very nice Steve, ten thumbs up!

 

Rocco/ "I'd be interested in the setups -- rod wts., line types, tips (if any), leaders etc. -- used."

 

I'm interested too, tell us about your kit.

[Steeldrifter 0]

For our setups it's the Anglers Roost 12ft 5/6wt blank. I spoke to Steve Godshawl about what head to use and I went with his suggestion for the head which is the Rio 23ft 400 grain Skagit head, then the running line is a thin .025'ish if memory serves correct section of running line from some fly line. Then I am using a 10ft MOW T-11 sink tip with about 30" of 10lb floro leader to my streamer.

 

Since it's skagit style with heavy sink tip and streamers we weren't set up for distance so I'd say on average we were fishing about the 50-60ft distance range most the time. Didn't do any nymphing or dry fishing yet. Plan to get the floating tip(might just make my own) and try that maybe next week when we head back up.

 

Probably play around with the Perry Poke and a few other things on the next trip Dennis. I know on the Ed Ward dvd there was one style cast he said was easier than the skagit double spey so I'm going to go back and see what that one was and may try to work on that one as well as the double spey again next week.

[mikechell 0]

Nice report ... glad to see you're getting out on the water. Nice looking fish.

I really like the look of that handle, I hope it doesn't look too different after you shave it down.

[Dave G. 0]

Cool !

[spiralspey 0]

Yes, Steve, watch the Ed Ward video, there's a lot of info in there. Here's my quick casting advice for those new to spey.

 

Keep your elbows close to your sides and your hands inside the "box". If you have trouble don't try and overpower to fix things, slow down and relax. Have a cast for both a downstream wind, like the double spey, and an upstream wind, like the perry poke or snap-T. You can use either when it's calm, but use the wrong one when the wind is blowing and you'll very likely hook yourself, and it will really hurt. Using barbless when you're learning spey casting is a very good idea. Face downstream for downstream anchored casts and face across and slightly downstream for upstream anchored casts. You can add a poke onto any cast, it'll fix a lot of mistakes and add lots of power. Oh, and have fun.

 

And I agree with you about spey rods not replacing single handers for trout. I've fished two handers for almost 20 years for steelhead and have tried them for trout, but can't say I love them. For swinging streamers and nymphing they are awesome, but they're poor dry fly tools. Plus a small fish just isn't that much fun on a long rod even if it is very light.

[Steeldrifter 0]

 

You can use either when it's calm, but use the wrong one when the wind is blowing and you'll very likely hook yourself, and it will really hurt. Using barbless when you're learning spey casting is a very good idea.

 

Too funny that you mention that because I hooked myself twice putting two small holes in my brand new Orvis Encounter waders on this trip which required Aquasealing back at the motel after the first day lol.

 

I think keeping my hands inside the box is something I really need to work on. I kept trying to remind myself that because I remember it from the dvd, but yet every time I started having issues I tried to overpower the cast and got my hands way up and out which just made things worse.

[mikechell 0]

Sounds like a trip to a local pond or river is in order. No fly, just the rod and some time to get the casting basics down.

Nothing destroys a cast quicker than "trying too hard". Actually, that's what ruins every technique for any discipline ... trying too hard instead of trusting the basics.

[David 82nd 0]

Nice fish , looks like a nice time