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About the time I think I have a handle on the different weight fly rods, the corresponding reels along with floating or sinking line and all the whatnots and wherefors I decided I need to learn to spey cast. THEN it starts all over again. They tell me a #5 spey rod is like a #7 9' and they don't rate line to match the rod they measure it in grains and the ranges overlap between rod weights. Then there's skagit line and scandi lines. It's akin to running a 60 year old through modern math and being told, IT'S EASY!

I'm so confused I'm going to dig out my sinkers and go buy some worms!

April Vokey is as good at it as anyone Ive seen...might check her out for instructional videos....

She's a real pleasure to watch...









Course, I like to watch her do anything

Holy my! I ain't seen nothing like that on the Missouri!

For sure wonderful implements on big rivers, and it's easier for a new caster to master than one with time and experience as a single hand user. Much less tiring to cast, and the spey techniques let one blast out line in near any situation even standing beneath trees or back up against a cut bank. Not exactly a tool for small fish and delicate presentations, however.

It is frustrating when the companies abandon the typical specs and hit one with new lingo. The varied environments one fishes, however, dictate to a large degree what one must use in the way of lines. My frustration is the cop out of not putting out dedicated lines. Now it's almost entirely a meshing of running line, shooting line, shooting heads, and tips all looped together. OK on a peachy day, but frustrating on cold wet days when one is fighting icing conditions with loops refusing to go through icy guides.

No idea what locale you're in, but attending one of the several spey claves around the county is a great place to start. One can try out any number of rod/reel/line combinations to no end (even meshing things with your gear), and typically get a few hours of instruction on the water with established casters as well. I'd venture there's a 1/4 million $$$ in equipment around at the Sandy River Spey Clave for 2 full days for one to try out.

Have 3 on hand and am building a 16 ft 9 wt at the moment. Can't wait for our summer steelhead season to get here.



This is one of Cookie's pics

I made the jump into the gear after trying several combinations. I'm starting with a 12' 5wt, 7/9 reel with backing tied to 90' of Airflo 20LB running line, followed by 420 grain Airflow Skagit Switch then I'll see where it goes from there. Now just to spend some time on the water and see if I can get the whole thing figured out.

One of my rods has a Skagit setup. It casts well, but I'm adverse to wasting time stripping in line between tosses to get the head back. With damned near $100 into the line, head, and tips though I'm going to wear that thing out before going to a longer (perhaps super spey) line that I can just pickup and throw.

Another of my big rigs (16 ft 10 wt) has a double taper floater. With its fat belly it takes a lot of reel space leaving little room for backing. It casts well, however, and one can mend all the way to the fly.

As to casts...there are any number of techniques, but the simultaneous push/pull is tough to master if one's been throwing single handers for 50 years. Whether needed or not, switch hands between casts as that will eventually help one handle a greater array of challenges. Last, get that tip and leader lined up with ones target, and things will really fly.

What will you be going after?

I'm going to start on Missouri River rainbows and browns. Then from there on, who knows

If you get April to join you, count me in! Besides the obvious, she's also funny....something the vast vast majority of women aren't....

Might be a bit much as a trout rod. Ok for swinging streamers or big nymphs though. One will reach water, however, that most single handers can only dream about. Good luck,

P.S. Miss April would be welcome to fish ahead of me any day. Likely I'll have to find some warmer waters though.

Last spring April came to AK to teach some and give a talk to the Alaska Fly Fishers. She did well, very well.

After the meeting a small group of us went to the bar at the hotel for a long round. She talked about her new project, the fact she was getting married, and not sure about the baby thing. She had heard from several folks about me and realized I was the Art they were talking about.

I was flipping her grief about the marriage and the fact she would be knocked up in no time.

She changed the subject and pulled out a pad and pen and said "Prove you can write..."

So I wrote "Hickory Dickory Dock, Your biological clock, Is whirring around at the speed of sound, Hickory Dickory Dock!"

So she immediately interrupts the whole table and says she has to read my poem...

"Hickory Dickory Dock, I have a very big coc..."