A long time ago, some smart Scottish people living on the river “Spey,” found they could cast farther, easier and catch more Atlantic Salmon using both hands. End of the History Lesson!
Today Spey fishing is world wide, and rapidly gaining a huge following in North America, Patagonia, Russia – yes all who are chasing CHROME
Take a cold, deep river, swollen wide by rain and snowmelt, and you have the perfect combination for unloading the big gun. Starting at the top of oversized runs, long rodding veterans will often attribute their abnormal success to that extra 50 feet of casted line. Especially used water (already fished), or runs where there is zero back cast room. Imagine waking up at 8:00 am and still fishing as much fresh water as the single handers, who got up at 3:00 am! When 98% of fly tossers are incapable of throwing more than 50 feet, without a dozen false casts, it is easy to see how a hundred foot cast gives you an extra 50 feet of fresh water on every cast, every run, and at any time of the day.
A Spey cast is essentially a roll-cast. A Spey rod is just a very long and limber fly rod. The combination of long rod + roll cast allows you to fish where many others are unable, like in front of cliffs, brush and other areas where break casts are impossible. The long rod also enables awesome line control, especially in tricky currents and long swings. A simple flip can mend a ton of line under any conditions.
Still not convinced that Spey action is the way to go? Well let me not forget the casting possibilities, the most enjoyable aspect of a Spey fisherman’s day. You can fish all day without a take and still have a great time laying the long line cast after cast. It is the rhythm of step & swing that most anglers fall in love with long before their first fish. One would think that levering 15 feet of rod would wear a guy out after a long day of casting, but in reality the contrary is true. The rod is so long, that any movement you make is magnified through the rod. Think, if you move the rod one foot at your hand, the rod tip will move 15-20 feet. Compare this with a single hand fisherman, who has to move his rod 2-3 feet (impossible) to reach the same casting stroke. Add in the work of stripping and hauling with the other hand and it is infinitely less fatiguing to lift lumber.