Spey Casting - Explanation & History

Spey casting is a traditional Scottish style of fly casting which utilizes long two-handed rods. Dating back to the 18th century, the original rods from the River Spey measured 16 to 20 feet long. However, modern Spey rods now range from 16 to 11 feet with an average around 13 feet or so. While two-handed rods can be used for over-head casting, most anglers are using them with both traditional and modern Spey casting techniques. Similar to a roll cast, Spey casting utilizes water tension to load the rod. With that said, roll casting doesn’t allow the angler to change casting direction efficiently. However, Spey casts allow the angler to change casting direction with total efficiency. There are numerous different Spey casts which allow the angler to easily present their fly despite the fishing conditions.

There are many reasons Spey casting has become the dominate style of casting on steelhead rivers of all sizes. To begin with, two-handed casting allows the angler to cast with very little back-casting room, a huge attribute on many tree lined steelhead rivers. More so, the distance one can obtain with a Spey rod is incredible. In the game of steelheading, covering lots of water is critical for success. Furthermore, the quick set-up and casting cycle allows Spey anglers to get way more casts in during the day when compared to single hand casting. When you’re fishing for a fish that takes 1000 casts, this is key. Plus, Spey casting uses the wind to help load the rod during the cast. On big, open rivers, it pays to work with the wind. Additionally, modern Spey lines allow anglers to fish any style of fly line with far less fatigue to the body.

River Spey - Scotland

More importantly though, the length of two-handed rods allows the angler to control the presentation of the fly. Steelhead fishing is a game of line control... Total command of the water. The steelhead anglers that succeed on a regular basis are all about the swing speed of their fly. Finally, Spey casting is a blast! Steelhead junkies spend a lot of time between fish. Having the distraction of learning a challenging skill only adds to the enjoyment of the sport.

A deeper look at: The History of Spey Casting and its Steelhead fly fishing roots

Buying the Right Spey Rod

Line Weight

If you had to choose just one “do everything” two-handed rod, it would more than likely be a seven weight. With that said, there are a few things to consider when purchasing your next Spey rod.

To begin with, how big are the fish you intend to chase? A seven weight will easily handle steelhead in the 8 to 14 pound range. Matched with the proper line, a seven can handle anything from floating lines to sink-tips. However, if you plan on fishing rivers with large steelhead, you’ll be under-gunned with a seven weight. On many Canadian summer rivers and most winter rivers in the Northwest, hooking a 15 to 20 pound fish is an everyday reality. You’d be better off using an eight or nine weight rod. Furthermore, if you’re faced with fishing conditions that require throwing heavy sink-tips and big flies, an eight or nine makes it easier.

On the other hand, if you plan on fishing summer steelhead where the average fish is 5 to 7 pounds, a six weight would be more applicable. These rods are great for fishing floating lines and surface presentations. Most folks will start with a seven weight, then build their arsenal of weapons to fit their specific fishing needs.

Length

The length of a rod equates to casting distance. Simply put, the longer the rod, the longer the cast. The shorter the rod, the more finesse in tight casting conditions. A good all around length is 13' to 13'6. This will allow the caster to reach a lot of water without fatigue over a long day of fishing. However, there are times where a longer or shorter rod comes in handy. For example, if you primarily fish large rivers that require monster casts, a fourteen to sixteen foot rod is the tool of choice. Conversely, small coastal streams are often very limited on back casting room. More so, these rivers don’t usually demand the length of casts big rivers do. An 11' to 12'6 rod makes life a whole lot easier when you’re limited on space. When selecting your next rod, base your decision on the rivers you intend to use it on the most.

Rod Action

Action can be best described by how deep the rod flexes during a cast. A slow action rod bends well into the butt section during the casting stroke. This allows the caster to really feel the rod load. A slower action stick is great for casting with limited space because the rod loads with minimal D-loop speed. The disadvantage is you can’t generate as fast of line speed as a quicker action rod. Furthermore, it is more difficult to lift heavy sink-tips and large flies out of the water. Just like single-hand fly rods, slow action Spey rods work well for light line systems and minimal wind, but suffer with heavier setups and gusting breezes.

A medium-fast action rod is the best option for most casters. As Spey rods advanced, this has become the most common action on the market. Medium-fast rods allow the caster to easily feel the rod load, yet retain the ability to generate higher line speeds. This lends well to delivering heavy sink tips and flies, or punching through the wind with a floating line. This particular rod action tends to be the most user-friendly and efficient for a variety of lines and casting strokes.

Fast-action Spey rods are best-suited for situations that require lots of lifting power and high line speed. For most anglers, rods of this action come into play when using extremely heavy sink tips and very large flies, or fishing floating lines in extreme wind. Fast Spey rods allow anglers to get the job done in particular situations, but overall, perform best in the hands of expert casters. Even with a perfectly matched line, each step of the cast needs to be mechanically perfect, or you blow it! Fast Spey rods allow you to fish under the most demanding scenarios, but require the user to be on point to achieve ideal performance.

With all this said, how does one choose the right rod action? Most will find a medium-fast rod to be the best fit. It's generally recommended to go that route and add slower or faster rods for different situations along the way.

Next >> Modern Spey Lines