Spey Casting Instruction

Patagonia, Rio Gallegos, Land of the sea-run browns.

First, a confession. I am a full-on spey-casting geek.  Casting these big rods is so much fun that you almost don’t care if you catch fish! I started playing around with a spey rod one day and quickly became obsessed with learning all the casts.  Spey casting – named for the River Spey in Scotland – has been used on the other side of the Atlantic for a few hundred years but has only gained popularity here in America in the past two decades. 

Spey, or two-handed casting is a very effective fishing method, especially on large rivers where long casts and precise line control are the norm.  Spey casting requires very little back-cast room because the loop is anchored on the water and not unrolled behind the caster as in overhead casting. And, because the spey rod offers considerable gained leverage, the caster uses very little energy to fling out the line 80 feet or more.  High winds are much easier to manage when using spey techniques, making spey casting the standard casting method used in windy places like Patagonia.

Our Classroom

For the person new to spey casting, there are many points to consider.  Techniques vary dramatically, and everyone has a reason why a certain technique is the best one for you. For example, the traditional Scottish casters use very long-headed lines – typically 90 feet – and don’t shoot line. The Scandinavians cast a line with a 35-foot head and shoot the rest. Here in America, you find most spey casters use a line with, roughly, a 60-foot head.

I believe that selecting rod, line and reel is more critical in the spey world and that your choices can dramatically affect your success early on.  So, there are many points to learn and to discuss besides the actual casting techniques.

The Aspen Anglers’ School

We teach a balanced blend of the traditional spey casts (i.e. single spey) along with the newer casts, including the snake roll and the snap “T.”  I’ve been fortunate to have studied spey casting with two of the “grand masters” – Englishman Simon Gawesworth and Al Buhr from the Pacific Northwest – and I’m one of only 10 instructors in the United States who is certified by the Federation of Fly Fishers to teach spey casting.

Beginners

We start instruction with a brief discussion on the principles of good spey casting and also cover the basics – grip, stance, left hand up/right hand up, and safety.  Then, we quickly move to the river and begin learning the casts on moving water. I’ve found that most people need two full days of instruction to build a solid understanding of the casts and to learn enough to be able to continue refining the casts on their own.

Intermediates and Experts

Many of my spey students come to me to learn a new spey cast or for help in correcting a problem. I also have spey casters who are preparing for an excursion to Russia or Patagonia and need a “tune up” before leaving on their adventures.

FFF Certification

I’m very familiar with the Two-handed Casting Instructor (THCI)Certification Exam and the examiners’ expectations. If you’re preparing for the exam, I can help you with your casting and will also run you through a mock exam as a tune up for the real thing.

Upcoming Classes

We teach throughout the summer and look forward to scheduling a custom class for you or your group. For class details, please call Jay Cronk at 970.274.1391 or send him an email.

The tuition for each two-hour casting class is $45 per person for group lessons with a three-person minimum. We also offer private instruction for $45 per hour, or $275 for a full day, including lunch.