I had my first spey casting lesson with Leland at the Orvis Wednesday evening casting classes. This going to be interesting. I noticed Leland spent most of his time out of my sight so I couldn't see how entertaining I was for him.
Thanks to Terry for giving me the nudge (shove) to get me started, I'm looking forward to standing waist deep in some freezing river, with a steady downpour of cold rain and sleet, swinging flies to the one fish that probably won't be there and if it does take I'll miss it because my body is frozen solid.
Cool. Practice in the warm(er) water and sun and it'll make you appreciate it much more quickly. Then, at least when you're waist-deep in the cold and snow, you'll have those happy memories...a funny grin on your face and talking to yourself...you'll fit right in!
No probs Karl, Evan gave me that rod, so I figured I'd past the love on. Besides I couldn't cast a Cleardrift float and nymph set up for shit with it, so I wasn't using it anyways. Ha!
Went up to the Snoqualmie River at Fall City this morning and joined Aaron Reimer's spey fishing session. What a great opportunity with another excellent instructor. Between Aaron and Leland I might be able to make a switch cast. Seriously, what an incredible resource and the lessons are FREE. Of course, I figured out that I need a reel, a Scandi 525 grain line, etc...
Took the training wheels off, strapped on my new spey and hit a river with a friend this morning. No SH but got in some good practice and more instruction from my friend. My latest observation: there is a difference between a spey cast and a spey lob. One day I'll make the former more than the latter, if the force is strong within me. (re: Fredevans).
By the way, this was the first time I fished targeting steel.
Well, let me 'edit' the above a bit. Yes, some of us can fling a fly 120' feet, know some that can easily do same to 150 foot and over. The odds (specific odd offs) of you hooking, landing (well, hell, even knowing he's there short of fish hooks himself) is close to zero over 90 feet. And that odd one off would be fishing for Atlantic Salmon. Veerrry different kind of fishing from our Steelhead/Pacific Salmon.
Are there a few times where 'reach out and touch somebody' is necessary? Yup, but I can count them on the fingers of one hand. Lower Deschutes river comes to mind; fish could be anywhere.
So don't get caught up in how far I can cast, but do get caught up in 'I've cast, now how do I handle my line/fly.'
Just trust me on that one. That's what "Separates the Man from the Boy,'' in mho.
Fred, that is exactly what my buddie was telling me this morning. But, I'll tell you, I watch someone like him make beautiful casts, not overly long, but graceful and its just beautiful, sort of "zen". I figure any cast that didn't get a strike from a fish is just "kata" like Shotokan karate forms. The "zen" is on the inside, the balance.
Oh so yes on the first one you hook. I'd flung a fly for close to a year which gave me a lot of 'practice,' to put it mildly. Line almost "down on the dangle" and raise rod tip to re-set an anchor for the next cast .. rod bet over and wouldn't move.
NUTS! I'm hung up on the bottom/chunk of wood/what-ever ..... Couple more hard jerks to see if I could free up the fly ... and the line moves off towards the center of the river.
One of the few times I was damned glad to have 12# Maxima for leader material; I needed it!
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