It gets its name from Scotland’s river Spey, where anglers can’t get too far into the river to create backcasting space, yet behind them are trees lining the banks just waiting to catch their flies if they throw their cast back before getting their lines into the water. And productive. 17) Have a friend video you casting and watch it. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Thanks for your consideration buddy and for visiting the Site! You have to get “down and dirty” for the colossal steelhead and other massive fish in deep rivers. It’s very satisfying. 19) Lose the weighted fly until you are comfortable casting a non-weighted fly. It’s very satisfying. I like the Switch cast, which is a cross between single and two-handed rods. You raise a good point about the 180 Degree rule. Rio has just announced a new line of sinktips for Skagit-style spey casting called ‘Rio MOW Tips’. You can check them out at Pure Skagit. 21) Limit the rod noise. Yes, videoing is a great way to analyze our casting. 20) Start with a lighter sink tip. amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; When you’re fishing and your casting starts to fall apart, reel in some running line and limit yourself to a rod length or two and stick with it. Don’t kill it with your top hand. My setup is a trout Spey with Skagit lines on a lightweight 3 or 4 weight 11’ rod. However, an important distinction to make is that spey is a style of casting, not necessarily a type of rod. Modern Scandinavian Spey Casting. If you’re still struggling, try 8-12 feet of T8. It’s a whole line setup that allows you to use both hands for casting, while the handles remain switch-style. OPST has just launched the new Pure Skagit Two-Handed Spey Fishing Rods, in addition to their line of Micro Skagit Rods, both designed by co-founder Ed Ward himself. There are many different types of Spey casting, characterized by the rod used. Skagit is a fly fishing technique that uses large flies on heavy sink-tips. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Since they basically invented the Skagit technique, their products are just as innovative and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The photos were taken by his son Steve Holt. Spey Casting – The Lift: Crescent, Spiral, Shotgun, with Heavy Sinktips or Floaters. I would love to talk with you about your journey and share it with all of the new fisherman trying to improve their spey cast. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Take a video and email it to me. It’s also a reliable fly fishing technique every angler should know, especially beginners wanting to catch their first big ones. Happy to have you commenting on it. I really appreciate the insight! Also, check out “Skagit Revolutions” by Tom Larimer and Rio’s Modern Spey Casting. Thanks so much buddy! New KonneticHD technology means the rod blank is crafted to. Skagit casting isn’t really much different than any other style of Spey casting. Traditional Spey casting methods … Hi Tim check out http://www.flyfishinginxs.kiwi/blog/21-tips-improve-your-skagit-spey-casting-%E2%80%93-courtesy-tim-rawlins and tell me if it’s okay. Its line-up is ideal for large catches like trout and bass, as well as monstrous Canadian and Alaskan King Salmon. Skagit casting is ideal for catching large fish, particularly steelhead, in conditions with limited backcast clearance. These lines are perfect for single-hand spey casting and for anglers using ShortSpeys and switch rods in places with minimal casting room. Thanks for bringing that up. As with any fly fishing technique, your rod, lines, and flies make or break your trip. Angling for large fish? So instead of casting the D loop behind me at 6:00 Its more like 4:30. It has the veritable who’s who of Spey casting instructors, featuring the likes of Simon Gawesworth, … It will cover roll casting, the snap-t and double spey cast from both sides of the river. 9) Hold still. Strive for consistent, straight, uniform casts. I also use all the Skagit intermediate lines and tips, and their Lazar Shooting Line on all my Spey and Skagit setups. Dear Doctor Linespeed, What are aproximately fifteen things I should know before purchasing my first Spey rod? 3) Keep your anchor, which is your fly (and maybe a few or more feet of sink tip) close to you. 10) Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Eat a snack, drink water. I absolutely love this painting…. Hi Joe! Spey Casting – Anchor Position Affects the D Loop. Absolutely Barrie! Not too close, or you’ll be wearing it. Watching my videos from behind revealed that sometimes I overshoot the 180 degree rule especially when I’m not warmed up. Join the conversation via an occasional email, Greg Holt Single Spey cast and commentary including Photographing Spey. When in doubt, go back to #1). They are easy and fun to cast. Required fields are marked *. Traditional Spey casting methods have evolved slowly over the past several hundred … Hi Tim, I’d like to say thanks for the website, and sharing all your knowledge. If you’re Skagit casting, hold still, don’t lean and rock and thrust and move your center of gravity everywhere and all that stuff. One tip to add: Focus on the 180 degree rule! Skagit isn’t just a river in the Pacific Northwest known for its massive steelhead and salmon. This is also effective for smaller rivers to be able to use the Spey style casting technique, or when the river is so wide you can only go. It kills your cast. Here’s a great video demonstrating the technique: As a fly fishing guide, I focus on Spey casting, or Trout Spey, using Skagit techniques. It should be slow, smooth, fluid, effortless, beautiful, efficient, and effective. Looks good Barrie! A spey cast is deemed a spey cast when the fly line is cast under the rod tip on the back cast (as opposed to over the rod tip in a traditional fly cast), AND is allowed to anchor onto the surface of the water (near or slightly in front of the angler) before makin… Maybe I need to rename this 22 Skagit casting tips! These casts give a significant advantage where the angler is confined by the terrain along a river or where very large flies are used. In short, Skagit lines have done to Spey fishing what shaped skis did for skiing. 7) Your cast should feel heavy throughout the entire cast. I videoed myself on the river yesterday is there any chance you can look at it? This is common with people switching from single hand overhead casting to Spey casting. Seek the help of an experienced caster or fisherman. I get most of my stuff from OPST, the OGs of Skagit casting. 12) Your cast should be relatively slow and fairly continuous but if you need to pause a little after the sweep that’s no big deal, just don’t stop, for too long, or everything will sink, and the cast will require extra effort in order to launch it effectively. Hey Troy, thanks for commenting. Single Spey Cast: Four Parts, Six Simple Steps, Twenty crucial tips for casting Spey lines. 15) Take a break. A comparison of Skagit and Scandinavian shooting head line design, casting and fishing philosophies. Thanks for sharing this on your cool blog. Competition Spey Casting Videos: Interesting View and Open Stance Comparisons. Skagit uses shorter, lighter rods with long heads and almost untapered lines as shooting heads. Depending on the length of your rod, your fly should be within a rods length away from you, I dunno, like 8 to 12 feet? The rest of you should be like a statue. 5) Pull with the bottom hand. 13) Skagit Casting should be relaxed, efficient, and effortless, within reason. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Hold still. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Single Speys with Heavy Skagit and a Bullet weight. I’m really loving the interview with Brian, it is so awesome and inspiring. I use shorter and lighter rods than the average Spey, called Switch and Trout Spey rods. Thanks, Dave, I would be thrilled to be on your show and share with your audience about my Spey fishing/casting Journey and help new fishermen with their Spey casts and get them pumped about fishing and casting. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. 14) Let the rod do the work. Sorry. I appreciate that buddy. Skagit casting is a combination of Spey style casting techniques and short weighted Skagit shooting heads. This rod takes the best of Spey fishing rods and makes them more suitable for Skagit casting. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; How do you know if your D loop is big? While most traditional trout anglers envision Spey casting, they are likely to … It’s amazing what another pair of eyes will do to help you cast. Don’t set your anchor too close or you may end up … It's a matter of being there … Switch Rods for Steelhead – a Really Confusing Look. This also happens in small rivers where there’s not much room to maneuver, as well as rivers that are so wide and powerful, you can only wade so far down the river safely. The Machine Like Precision in Greg Benciviga’s Longbelly Single Spey Cast, Three Casting Tips to Help you help you with your Single Spey, Zack Williams Casting a Bruce and Walker 15′ 7/9, Spey casting – upper body rotation and abrupt stop on forward delivery (slow motion) Janusz Panicz, Scandi Casting & Underhand Experiments On The Clark Fork, Favorite videos….again: TellisKatsogiannos, Game plan for Developing my Underhand Scandi Spey Casting Technique. I mostly use switch rods 5-8 weight with Skagit lines and multiple tips for different fishing situations. Just flip the tip, like you’re throwing a ball for your dog with one of those dog ball throwing things. Cast with your hands and forearms. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. From intruder shanks…, >> Related: Best Trout Flies And How To Tie Them. Your email address will not be published. Beginners guide to Spey fishing for Steelhead, Fly fishing for Silvers…and Education (for me), Airflo Skagit Scout- Late Season Trout Tactics, Big Trout on Big flies take 3,472 Update with Chad Johnson and Kelly Galloup. Learning to Cast left Handed using Pantomime Techniques. But when you’ve tried everything else, it’s time to get “down and dirty” with the Bucket Series. Here’s what Skagit is and why I focus on Spey casting using Skagit techniques. For sink tips, I like the Pure Skagit Commando Sink Tips and Pure Skagit Commando Micro Tips. … The InTouch Skagit Trout Spey line is a very easy casting, short head style line that will throw big flies and fast sinking tips with exceptional ease. But keep your tip down to avoid your fly smacking your rod if its weighted. Your email address will not be published. This DVD gives step by step grass casting sequences demonstrating the various Skagit casts, Skagit Double, Perry Poke and C-Spey. Ian Gordon: 2 Minute Spey Casting Masterclass, Intro to Basic Spey Casting- Great Casting advice on the Trailer, Jon Hazlett talks about the Forward Spey Cast, Longbelly Spey Distance Casting- Tellis in a Man Bun, Note to Self…Long Belly Practice… Bloody L, poor anchor, non Epicness Warning…, Oldie but Goodie: Loomis Greaseliner 15′ 8/9, Proper Spey Casting Technique- the Golden Rule of Spey Casting, Robert Gillespe and The Incline Excercise. Check it out on our website! Thanks for commenting and adding it to your site. Instead, after the sweep, using your forearms, wrists and hands, effectively drawing the letter U with your rod tip, in the sky, not laying it back and pointing at the bank behind you. Skagit casting … Hot off the Press: 23 tips to improve your Skagit Casting Power and Distance. Have you struggled with spey casting sink tips and heavy flies or do you want to take your Skagit casting to the next level and catch more winter steelhead? Podcast: Interview with Brian Chou and Single Spey Cast clip, 5 Key things to remember when Casting Midbelly Spey Lines after Micro Scandit Debauchery, Casting Advice for more Efficient Skagit, Scandinavian and Spey Casting. They are awesome people with an awesome line of Skagit products. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Yes, use your top hand, but always remember to pull with your bottom hand, this principle applies to all Spey Casting techniques. Rio Skagit Mow Tips as Skagit lines (shooting heads) for Short rods. Its good stuff and easier to cast. The problem most anglers have is where to start. Part 1, Oliver Sutro Skagit Casting with the TFO BVK Spey and a TFO Warranty Review, The Best, Cheapest, Favorite Mono Running lines: Use and Disposal, Spey Casting Youtube: Circle up, or Drift. A Scandi Casting and Underhand How To Video, Brand Ambassadors and Social Media…Ryan Hudson, 15 tips for Teaching a Kid (teenager) to Love Fly Fishing, Streamer Fishing Techniques with Ard Stetts, Tactics for Swinging Flies for Winter Chrome in all Types of Water, Videos and advice about setting the hook on Steelhead. What I’ve learned about Scandi Casting Part Duex. Thanks. What Is Skagit? Lets get One Thing Straight….That’s not me casting in the Header photos. amzn_assoc_asins = "B07FYHP8XR,B013VO9GH4,B0781CXZFW,B00PBLZE68"; I would love to see your videos! It will happen on its own, you just kinda “peel” it off the water. The most traditional method using two-handed rods that are 14’ to 16’ long. Those are regularly called the Traditional, Skagit and Scandinavian methods. It may be better or worse than you think. Use your bottom hand to help you throughout the entire cast. Allow yourself to shoot only one rod length of shooting line if you are in a slump or if you’re just starting your Skagit Casting career. Keep your hands in front of you. By Rene Vaz 07/17/2009 I get asked about Spey casting a lot these days and there is certainly and upweling of interest in this great part of the sport now here in New Zealand. It is fundamentally different in important ways from traditional Spey casting: The rod does not remains loaded throughout the cast … 1) Cut the hook off of your fly, stand in one place and practice for an hour, minimum! When you’re fishing and your casting starts to fall apart, reel in some running line and limit yourself to a rod length or two and stick with it. http://www.flyfishinginxs.kiwi/blog/21-tips-improve-your-skagit-spey-casting-%E2%80%93-courtesy-tim-rawlins. Spey Casting and Fishing Lesson by Water Time Outfitters. Cheers Barrie http://www.iloveflyfishing.kiwi.nz. Thank you and cheers! May I add this to my website with of course the appropriate recognition to your self as Source and Author. With a Skagit head, I use intermediate and heavy sink-tips for the best results. As I mentioned earlier, today’s traditional Skagit heads, such as the Airflo Skagit Compact. Jeff Layton offers private Two handed - Spey casting, Skagit sytle lessons. A wrap cast is almost a combo of a poke and a Skagit double spey, an out and around sweep is mandatory. Great set of tips! Have questions about Skagit techniques and Spey casting? Spey casting is for conditions where is little to no backcast, a fancy name for the space behind you to throw your cast. How to Have a Really Awesome Heart Attack. Please send me a link when you get it posted! Your email address will not be published. 11) Don’t “rear back” and Lay your rod parallel to the water before your forward stroke. 16) Take a lesson or let a friend help, or at least get your wife to watch you. My favorite line is the Pure Skagit Commando Groove Intermediate Skagit Head. While this disk is truly about the basics, intermediate and advanced casters will walk away with a new perspective on the minute elements that enforce strong casting. consistent, straight, uniform casts. You can email them to me timmyrawlins@gmail.com and I will be happy to evaluate your casting. Your email address will not be published. A short, sweet, Scandi casting lesson: Lift, sweep, bottom hand, tailing loop. Derek Wiley Video…Some Dandy Chrome Hookups! Let’s talk Skagit technique and how it works. The INTOUCH SKAGIT TROUT SPEY SHOOTING HEAD is a very easy casting, short shooting head that will throw big flies and fast sinking tips with exceptional ease. It’s the most important and best way to get down where the fish are, deep in the pocket runs. Focusing on the lift. 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