Did you learn all the Speys with the single handed rod first, Morsie, or did you start learning them with the DHD? I learned them with the single handed rod because they were part of the instructor exams that I took when I first started teaching – at least Single and Double Spey were in there; Snakes and Snaps were being figured out at the time and only appeared in exams later.
Because it wasn’t really part of the MCI exam, and really is still glossed over to a large degree, that Single-handed skill set is often absent. At the FFF conclaves I used to give single handed Spey courses for instructors back in 2004/5 and they were pretty much unknown then in that part of the world. Consequently it was always introductory level stuff and never advanced.
I don’t know how it will be for me going from the single hander to the DHD but at least the casts are second nature. The real issue will be, I think, figuring out the force application!!! I know how long I spend on that, and all it’s permutations, with the single handed rod, so I can imagine that’s really where the time will be spent for me, especially with two hands and both sides…
Perhaps in about ten years I might even be able to halfway cast the thing! I will probably start thinking about Salmon. Looking forward to another fly fishing world!!
Cheers, Paul