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Teaching Spey

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Lee Cummings
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Teaching Spey

#1

Post by Lee Cummings »

Ok guys I’ll try again

How do instructors here go about teaching Spey casting when the emphasis is on the client being able fish that day?

Also, how do you deal with groups of anglers, all with mixed abilities under the same circumstances?

Cheers
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Paul Arden
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Re: Teaching Spey

#2

Post by Paul Arden »

Hi mate,

First question - I don’t. The vast majority of my lessons for Spey casts has been in my one day clinics. I also gave instructor workshops in the US many years ago on this topic. I teach individuals as well but in preparation for using it somewhere else. The only exception is aerielised change of direction Snakehead Shots - there are some Spey moves in these.

Regards mixed abilities in Speys is not such a problem. It’s usually new for almost everyone on my courses!

Would love to hear what others do. I can imagine with DHD and Salmon Fishing courses it’s very different. For me it’s a necessary cast you sometimes use, whereas for Salmon it’s a necessary set of casts that you mostly use.

What percentage of Salmon Fishing courses are casting vs fishing instruction? Do you alter the course depending on how the river is fishing? If someone is experienced and they are working on their casting do you allow them to practise while fishing flies? Are barbless hooks mandatory? :)

Cheers,
Paul
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Graeme H
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Re: Teaching Spey

#3

Post by Graeme H »

I would like to hear the opinions of others on this, not because I ever expect to teach and fish Spey casts in the same session, but because it's essentially one of the tasks in the FFi MCI exam.

(Nobody fishes with spey casts around here. We have no running water, but I use them myself for changes of direction and coz they are fun! :) )

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Graeme
FFi CCI
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Lasse Karlsson
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Re: Teaching Spey

#4

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

Hi Lee

Interesting one! Like Paul I would prefer not to do them, but have had clients who came shortly before going in their first salmon trip.. and e few who just wanted to learn enough to swing a fly in a river...

Short lesson and of to the river? Very short head line and a roll cast with a change of direction over each shoulder.


Little longer lesson, a short head line, teach snap C and double spey over both shoulders.


Both covers safety in wind as well as both sides of the river.
And of cause an introduktion to how to fish the casts.

Cheers
Lasse

PS. Spey has nothing to do with how many hands one need to hold the rod, something people often miss, sadly :glare:
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Paul Arden
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Re: Teaching Spey

#5

Post by Paul Arden »

The topic being in FC instruction and not DHD forum I felt OK to answer :D I never teach double handed casting. Firstly I can’t do it properly, secondly I have no qualifications in it and thirdly (and the reason for the first two) is that I’ve never had any use for them fishing!

Spey casting on the single handed rod however I teach regularly. Anyone who does any river fishing needs to learn basic Spey casts, but I also use them when loch style fishing and here I have use for them in change of angle Snakehead shots. In this last case I have taught them on the lake while fishing. But it’s slightly more complicated because they are aerielised (and so not really Spey casts as many would think of them) and line needs to be slipped at every opportunity without sacrificing the functioning of the cast.

Cheers, Paul
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Lee Cummings
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Re: Teaching Spey

#6

Post by Lee Cummings »

Thanks Paul and Lasse!

Yes, should have stated Spey lessons for fishing with any rod :D

Hopefully out of the dozens of instructors here, they will chip in and we can have a good crack about this.

Cheers
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Paul Arden
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Re: Teaching Spey

#7

Post by Paul Arden »

Little longer lesson, a short head line, teach snap C and double spey over both shoulders.
Ditto. In fact Double Spey is how I would teach someone to go from downstream dangle to upstream repositioning with dry/nymph - so that will come in as a necessary cast very early on. With intermediate casters I teach the Snake Roll as part of the set up when sight fishing upstream - eg NZ. A very strong upstream wind will mean I teach Circle C.

When fishing is the main event it’s about teaching the casts that get the job done and expanding on those during breaks. No short head for me however :D Mind you in the cases I’ve just outlined the Speys are being used to facilitate angle changes which are then followed up by an overhead cast.

Cheers, Paul
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Tangled
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Re: Teaching Spey

#8

Post by Tangled »

I can tell you how it worked from the point of view of someone being taught.

It was straight into the river making sure wind wasn't an issue and river flowing left to right (for right hander). Nothing at all behind so you're not worrying about vegetation and it was then roll cast, roll cast, roll cast until you got used to this double-handed nonsense. Then shoot a bit of line.

Because you're in the river, you have to immediately learn the crossing arm move to get the line back into the right place for the roll.Two of us were taught together and it took about an hour to get us sort of fishing. I think we both found it useful to also have a go at overhead casting for a while to get a bit more satisfaction out of it when it all goes wrong. The fun started for me when we changed banks and had to use the circle C. But after a day with the guide/instructor we both had it at a basic level. What was important for me was the constant help throughout the day. Not just an hour then get on with it and not someone looking over my shoulder all the time.

That was a few years ago now, I'm far from expert but I can cast a decent line off both shoulders. (And that's another story too- how weird was that the first time I tried it...
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Lasse Karlsson
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Re: Teaching Spey

#9

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

Lee Cummings wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2020 10:40 am Thanks Paul and Lasse!

Yes, should have stated Spey lessons for fishing with any rod :D

Hopefully out of the dozens of instructors here, they will chip in and we can have a good crack about this.

Cheers

You're welcome Lee :D

And come on guys, that wasn't targeted at you, but all the mci and others that think spey is for two hands holding the rod ;) neither of you qualify :p

Cheers
Lasse
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Re: Teaching Spey

#10

Post by Flybye »

Roll cast, jump roll, jump roll to 45degrees, single spey, Double spey.
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