Two-handed Rods and Spey Casting: A Brief History

        The roots of two-handed rods can be traced to mid 19^th century salmon rivers of Scotland. These rods ranged in length from sixteen to twenty feet and were made of Ash, Lance, and Greenheart woods then later Bamboo. They were dense, extremely heavy, and tiresome to cast. Two-handed rods have also been referred to as: double-handed, salmon, long, and most recently spey rods.

       Central to the development of the spey method of casting was the fishing technique used to catch salmon in the rivers of Scotland. To be a successful angler required covering the greatest amount of water possible while keeping the fly in front of the line so as not to spook the fish. Limited by back casting room and often to only one side of the river (due to the fact anglers were often confined to private “beats” or sections of river access) the best way to accomplish this was by casting downstream on an angle and swinging a fly on a tight line in an arc across the river through the target into the bank. Faced with these challenges and the desire to catch salmon, the spey method of casting was born.

       The first spey cast evolved from the roll cast. The fittest of anglers on their best day could cast/roll a length of line 20-30 yards. Though possible, it was inefficient, tiring, and difficult to change direction. Through much trial and effort, this “crude” roll/spey cast evolved into two “true” spey casts that accomplished three things;

1) facilitated a change of direction from the bank to the target

2) maintained a relatively smaller back cast to stay out of tangles behind the angler

3) increased the size of the D-loop to better load the rod and make the forward casting stroke and distance cast much easier.

These first true spey casts are the Single spey and Double spey. Both of which are still very much in use today.

      From the 1970s onward as two-handed rod design incorporated newer carbon fiber materials and pattern designs, spey casting became more efficient and effortless. Yet, spey casts remained limited to the traditional Single and Double spey. Interest in two-handed rods and spey casting remained confined to the cognoscenti of the fly fishing world. With the growing popularity and of the Canadian and North American West Coast steelhead fisheries, however, and access to newly established salmon and steelhead camps in Russia in the mid 80s to early 90s, a new interest in two-handed rods and spey casting was sparked. With the introduction of  mass-produced spey lines in the mid 90s the current “spey craze” was born. Where fifteen years ago relatively few manufactures and product choices existed, today every rod and line manufacturer offers a full selection of two-handed rods and spey lines. And with the advances in technology, “modern” spey casts were developed to take full advantage of the action of the newer rods and unique head lengths and tapers of the new spey lines.

Today, the use of two-handed rods and spey casting is no longer limited to catching anadromous fish. The beauty of the cast, the feel of power in the rod, and the efficiency and effectiveness of both the rod and method of casting has captured modern anglers’ attention. Trout anglers are using shorter, lighter rods on large rivers for casting big dry flies, streamers, and indicators. Saltwater anglers are using stiff, powerful rods for casting huge flies long distances over the surf. Warm water anglers are using two-handed rods from boats to cast large wind resistant flies and heavy sinking lines long distances for maximum length of retrieve. The application for two-handed rods and spey method of casting is limited only to an angler’s imagination.

Why should I learn spey casting techniques?

• In situations where a back cast is difficult, water becomes accessible to the fly that was previously only accessible by bait or float fishermen.

• Once learned, spey casts can produce distances of 75 to 100 plus feet with much less effort, and less back cast room than with a single-hand rod.

• The effort to produce repetitive casts of the same distance is lessened and made more efficient through the use of a long fixed length of line, two-hands and a longer lever.

• Once the cast is made, the degree of mending and line control is greatly increased by the length of rod resulting in longer drifts and more effective presentation of the fly.

• Change of direction, from the bank to the target, is fluid, quick, and effortless allowing the fly to spend as much time in the water as possible increasing the odds of SUCCESS.

• Greater chance of a landing a large fish using two hands. Fish stress is reduced allowing a successful release for sport fishing.

• Fishing a two-handed rod and learning to spey cast is interesting, challenging, and fun.

• Spey casting techniques work EQUALLY well with single hand rods!!

What is a Spey Cast?

A spey cast is any cast that:

1.      Forms a belly of line, known as a “D-Loop” underneath the rod tip during the back cast similar to a roll cast. NOT over the rod tip as in overhead casting.

2.      Has a portion of line and/or leader, that is not part of the D-loop, which remains on the water and is called the” anchor”. The anchor holds energy and weight in the   D-loop and allows the rod to load by pushing against it on the forward cast.

3.      The cast and presentation of the fly to the target incorporates a change of direction, typically from 30-90 degrees from the start of the cast straight downstream along the bank to the target across the river.

4.      The forward cast forms an aerialized loop similar to the overhead forward cast.

NOTE: Not all casts made with a spey rod can be categorized as ''spey'' casts, just as spey casts are not limited to being performed only with ''spey'' rods. Overhead casts can be performed with two-handed rods as easily as spey casts can be made with single-hand rods. Remember, even though “spey rod” and two-handed rod is used interchangeably by many fishermen “spey” is a method of casting that can be performed with ANY rod.

All spey casts can be divided into two groups depending on the type of anchor that is formed during the cast: Airborne anchor or Waterborne anchor.

• Airborne anchor spey casts form an anchor AND a D-Loop with a single movement of the rod. The forward casting stroke begins the instant the anchor touches down on the surface of the water. Airborne anchor casts are also know as “splash and go” or “touch and go” casts. Examples of airborne anchor casts are: Single spey and Snake roll casts.

• Waterborne anchor casts use two separate rod movements to form the anchor and then the D-loop. The first movement jumps the anchor into position, leaving slack line lying dead on the water. The second movement rips the slack line off the surface of the water by moving the rod tip in a wide arc, pivoting around the anchor, and redirects the slack line into a D-loop on the back cast.  Examples of waterborne anchor casts are: Double spey, Circle spey  or Snap-T, and Skagit casts.

NOTE: Generally, airborne anchor casts are more difficult to execute because of the precise anchor placement and timing needed to complete the cast. Waterborne anchor casts are easier to learn and execute due to the slow unfolding and timing of the various stages necessary to complete the cast.

Regardless of anchor type, spey casts fall into one of three categories:

• Crude spey cast was the very first cast developed through use of two-handed rods. Aptly named, the Crude spey is little more that a series of rough roll casts to achieve a change of direction. Crude spey cast is seldom used today.

• Traditional spey casts developed from the Crude spey cast with the help of newer materials and rod design and advances in casting technique. Traditional spey casts include the Single Spey and Double spey. They are very much in use today.

• Modern spey casts have been developed over the last twenty-five years or so with the help of significant improvements in rod materials and fly lines designed specifically for spey casting with modern two-handed rods. Modern family of spey casts includes: Circle spey, Snap-T, Snap Z, Wombat, Snake roll, Jelly roll, Spiral Single, Spiral Double, Andersson Cast, Perry poke, and Skagit casts.

Deciding which spey cast to use when fishing

The most commonly used spey casts are: Single spey, Double spey, Circle spey, Snap T, and Snake roll. With so many choices, it can be confusing for the beginning angler to decide which cast to use. Really, it's much easier than it appears.

Remember, spey casting is based on the roll cast:

1.  Each cast forms a belly of line underneath the rod tip that loads the rod. Therefore, if you use your right hand to make a roll cast with a single-hand rod, the ''D'' loop is to the right side of your body. (Unless you are casting backhanded).

2. The loop of line that is formed on the forward cast rolls to the outside of the rod tip. Right hand on top, loop rolls to the outside of the right side of the body.

3. The side of the body the roll cast is made on, similar to any spey cast, is directly affected by the direction of the wind - upstream or downstream.

For example. An angler is roll casting with the right hand, and the river is moving from right to left (left bank) with the wind blowing the same direction. Since the loop of line on the forward cast will roll to the outside of the rod, upstream, the wind will blow it into itself and tangle causing a collision loop. Fortunately, the solution is easy. Move the rod tip to the downstream side of the body so the ''D'' loop and loop of line formed on the forward cast is blown downstream and away from itself by the wind. 

There are two ways to move the rod tip to the downstream side of the angler;

1. Continue to use the right hand on top and simply move the rod tip to the left side of the body, this is known as a back hand cast

2. Switch hands and make a normal roll cast. Of course, it the wind is not a factor then the angler can choose to use either hand with equal effectiveness.

        The very same thing is true for all spey casts. When determining which cast to use, the spey angler must first know where each cast places the anchor, either upstream or downstream of the angler. The ''D'' loop must be on the same side of the body to cast properly, with preferably the same hand on top.

NOTE: Each spey cast will either place the anchor upstream or downstream NEVER both. Therefore to be an proficient spey caster you must know at least two casts – one that places an upstream anchor and one that places a downstream anchor.

        Assuming there is no wind, the angler on the right bank has a choice of using whichever hand on top of the rod handle is most comfortable. If the angler decides to use the left hand on top, the anchor MUST be placed on the left side, upstream of the angler. The spey casts that accomplish this are the Single spey or Snap T. If the angler decides to use the right hand on top, the anchor MUST be on the right side, downstream of the angler. The spey casts that accomplish this are the Double spey or Snake roll. Unfortunately, wind is often a part of the fishing equation. When confronted with wind, the spey angler has a limited choice of spey casts that will place the anchor on the correct side body so the ''D'' loop and forward loop are always being blown away from the angler, never into the angler. Being proficient with only one hand on top of the rod can limit the selection of casts, limit an angler to only fishing from one bank of the river, of force an angler to cast back-handed across the body! This a great reason to practice spey casting with each hand on top .

Which Spey casting style is right for me?

If Airborne and Waterborne anchors and Crude, Traditional, Modern spey casts are not confusing enough, there are three distinct styles of spey casting each subscribing to a particular choice of rod action, head length and tape, choice of spey casts and fishing techniques.

• Traditional or UK. This style uses rods 15-16 feet in length with very progressive slow to medium action rods and long bellied lines. Little to no shooting line is used to achieve distance during the forward cast. Traditional spey cast are preferred by this casting style. This style is most often associated with fishing full floating lines. While most anglers start out learning Traditional spey casts, carrying a long fixed length of line requires practice and skill.

• Scandinavian or European. This style uses rods 12-15 feet depending on the amount of back cast room available. Stiff medium-fast to fast tip action rods are required for use with the short, heavy shooting heads of 27-45 feet that are the cornerstone of this casting style. Shooting running line is required for distance casting. This style uses a distinct spey cast called the Underhand or Andersson Cast. This style and type of rod action is also associated with overhead casting of shooting heads. Since nearly all the spey casts performed with this style are Airborne anchor casts, this can be a difficult style of casting for beginners to learn.

• Pacific Northwest or Skagit. This style uses rods 12-15 feet with progressive medium to medium-fast actions and short to mid-length shooting heads 27-65 feet long. Depending on the head length of the line either Traditional spey casts, Scandinavian style underhand casts, or Modern spey casts are used. This style is most often associated with large, heavy flies and fast sinking lines. Since many of the casts performed in this style are Waterborne anchor casts, this is a good style of casting for beginning anglers to learn. The only drawback is that shooting/managing running line is required for distance casting.

NOTE: While there has been some borrowing between styles, each style is a unique product of the fisheries and species of fish targeted particular to the region in which it was developed. So remember, when you are trying to settle on a particular style of your own let the river and the fish help guide your personal preferences

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