Casting trajectory is critical as turnover time with a very short head is limited. This comes with a BFR Magnum 200D disc drag salmon reel which balances perfectly on this rod. He was making some nice, fishable casts from a spot that you’d probably never even consider standing in! In this great video, Fred Telleen of North 40 Fly Shop runs through a quick primer on how to rig your standard trout rod with a Skagit head and a sinking tip, which is a great set-up for streamer fishing on big water. The InTouch Single Handed Spey line has been designed to be a fantastic tool for anglers that prefer/need to perform roll and single-handed Spey casts. Photo: Kyle Shea. The rod and line has formed the typical D-loop with no energy in the line. While I did receive some helpful feedback, most of it was related to switch rods, not single hand rods. I liked pairing these heads with either Trout or Steelhead Poly leaders better than I did with level sinking tips. Whether casting sink tips with skagit style heads, floating scandi like heads for surface presentations or a full floating Double Taper (yes, you read correctly). First, let’s be clear what spey casting is. 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… Then, with little hesitation sweep the rod parallel to the water to get the line moving. Most of the time, when people hear the words ‘spey casting,’ they immediately think of two-handed rods. Brand New. C $21.82. That is admittedly broad. The rear weight distribution loads a rod deeply in the tightest of quarters, allowing anglers to make long, effortless casts with obstacles close behind. First, let’s be clear what spey casting is. Fly Fishing in the Winter: Where the trout at. Proof that rod line pairings are the real secret in the Spey game, and that talking to people who have tried everything (or most things) can save a lot of time and money in your own quest for Spey Kit Perfection. Tube: Yes. The Rio Intouch Single Handed Spey creates this feeling where you can feel the energy of your cast all the way into your reel. Line management and casting were so easy and effortless that, if given the choice, I’d always reach for one of these slightly longer single handers to pair with the Scout. Copyright 2021 Copyright Bird Marketing Group, All Rights Reserved. very slick, low memory, integrated line with a 33' head . R.B. Longer rods make it easier to Spey cast with single hand rods. For their kindness, I promised them some thoughtful feedback, and a blog post about the stuff we managed to figure out. Echo team member Evan Burck still gives him grief about that “one time in Alaska” Matt’s knot failed and caused Evan to break off a big steelhead. Amidst all of this are single-hand spey rods and techniques. You could easily kill a day by fishing your way upriver before lunch with your favorite 5wt rod rigged with a floating line and a couple of dry flies, and then turn back downriver, swap reels for one with a Scout head on it, and swing your way back to the truck. The Skagit Scout is now marketed on Airflow’s website as a line for either one-handed or two-hand spey rods. The cast can be executed as well at time zero as at time 10 minutes. It has limitations, primarily in change of direction and distance, but understanding how to perform the roll cast consistently with a good loop is a necessity, and something new fly fishers should learn on day one. SCOUTING MISSION: Code name for the informal process that involved casting and fishing the Scout lines on as many single-hand rods as I could, and sharing the setups with as many anglers as I could in order to get some good feedback. At this point, I’d reach for a setup with one of Scout lines just about any time I planned to swing flies on small to medium sized water that just seems a bit too small for even a small 2-handed rod. Waiting too long will result in the D-loop falling, energy being lost and the forward cast collapsing. ideal for 7/8wt single hand rod, 3/4wt spey rod or 4/5wt switch rod. This kit was the showstopper at the West Yellowstone Trout Spey Days this past September. Because it’s a dead-line cast the caster can remain in this position indefinitely as long as the line stays in the same general position. Or was that the other way around? This might be the ultimate Spey gateway drug. Those anglers who fish almost exclusively with single-hand rods might feel a little left out when discussions turn to Spey and Skagit casts, but that shouldn’t be the case. If there is no wind (or wind at your back) you can really take this to an extreme and aim at a very high trajectory and get some surprising results. Whether casting sink tips with skagit style heads, floating scandi like heads for surface presentations or a full floating Double Taper (yes, you read correctly). The Single Hand Spey is incredibly effective on our Ontario Rivers for Steelhead and Trophy Smallmouth Bass. Action: Fast action rods feature softer tips than medium action rods and provide a ‘stiffer’ feel. In September of 2017, Big Sky Anglers, the fly shop I work for in West Yellowstone, Montana, hosted an event called the West Yellowstone Trout Spey Days. And by hitting, we mean actually hitting, thrashing, cussing, and occasionally putting one out there well enough to fool a fish (his words, not ours) . Buy It Now +C $7.71 shipping. Ready to Wrap (RTW) Will Include: Now raise the rod tip slowly to a nearly vertical position with tip pointing up and slightly back at approximately one o’clock. Practice these to create a foundation and we will build on it in the near future. PHONE. Easy casting, easy fishing. For a few years, the development of smaller spey rods—typically 11 1/2 feet or smaller and lighter in weight—geared towards two-handed spey casting, but on a similar scale, predominated. 8 footers are short by Montana trout rod standards, and they aren’t the best for casting these Scout lines. Even then, they worked out fine, and I was having fun Spey casting, fishing, and presenting my flies using single-hand rods that I already owned. Master them, and you’ll be ready to cast a two-handed rod … Shipping and handling. What do I mean by fun factor? The four piece pearl green blank features chrome snake guides and silicon carbide (SIC) stripping guides, an anodized aluminum reel seat, and a full Wells style cork grip. Introducing the CF Burkheimer Single Handed Spey Rods. So, I called up the good folks at Rajeff Sports, told them of my woes, and they were kind enough to loan us a few Skagit Scout demo lines so that we could fool around with them over here in Montana and figure out how they might fit into our trout fishing in time for Spey Days. First and foremost, the Scout is ridiculously applicable to trout fishing with wet flies and streamers. by Jimbo Muchacho | Jan 29, 2018 | Uncategorized. He left Montana at one point for a 7 year stint in Oregon where 90% of his fishing was done with two-handed rods, but moved back “home” in 2015. The rear weight distribution loads a rod deeply in the tightest of quarters, allowing anglers to make long, effortless casts with obstacles close behind. Not surprising, given that they are essentially just shorter Skagit heads. In the end, if you want to throw a really big tips or really heavy flies a really long way, get yourself a 13’6” 8wt 2-handed rod and a 570 or 600 grain Skagit head. The grips are hand glued ring on ring, using the same Flor grade cork, reel seats, and grip profiles that we would use on our build schedules. Longer rods make it easier to Spey cast with single hand rods. RIO Fly Line Power Spey Line GREAT NEW. It takes grains to move grains, so if you want to huck huge bugs, 150 or even 250 grains isn’t going to do it for you easily. Ready to swing away Billy stepped up to the plate without the rear two hand extension in hand and launching a 70' single hand spey cast careful to make the necessary haul required to make this rod truly sing. Meiser Highlander SX Single Hand Spey Rods The Highlander SX single handers are light to medium duty rods that are designed for those anglers that will wish to have a rod that is specifically designed to assist in single hand Spey delivery. Continue up to roughly the one o’clock position at the end of the stroke. 9 foot rod – Echo Base 905-4, Scout 180 grain, 8-foot Sea Trout/Steelhead poly leaders, double softhackles, or small/medium unweighted streamers. Add some nuanced edits to your trajectory along with a haul on the delivery stroke and it plain launches. With a little practice and intentional thought these casts can dramatically increase your fluidity and casting prowess on the stream. First, just because it is a Skagit head, doesn’t mean that it is guaranteed to throw chunks of T-17 and a huge lead eyed bunny leech with no problem. 10 foot rod – Echo3 5100, Scout 240 grain, Steelhead poly leaders (note the 10’ 5wt Echo 3 is more like a true 6wt), double softhackles, small weighted streamers, medium to large unweighted streamers. It is a “live line” technique that requires an “anchor” on the water. Standard 9 foot rods were a good match for the Scout lines up to 15 feet in length (150-270 grains) paired with tips/Polyleaders to 10 feet in length. Value I have owned and fished quite a few ECHO rods over the years, and the OHS is no exception to the quality and value one would expect. These rods do it and do it with ease. They run from 13.5 feet long (150 grains) up to 18.5 feet long (480 grains), with the vast majority of the lineup between 14.5 and 16.5 feet long (180 to 390 grains). I found that going above a 7 or 8wt single hander and 330 grain Scout was really hard on my hand and arm, to the point where I’d likely go to a double handed rod setup when I needed/wanted to throw that many grains, just to reduce my overall ibuprofen consumption. Enter Spey casting, long rods designed to be cast with two hands offering the best solution to your problem at hand. At that point, he was hitting the river with a borrowed 14 ft 8/9wt rod and an old Windcutter line. 8 footers are short by Montana trout rod standards, and they aren’t the best for casting these Scout lines. The trout Spey game can be a tough one to navigate, and an extensive trout Spey rod review requires a good bit of work on and off the water. The world of trout spey (or whatever moniker is most popular at any given time) is constantly evolving. Obviously a two hand rod has two grips to accommodate both hands. For instance, a 1-weight Sage Trout Spey HD is for light, delicate work comparable to a 4-weight single-hand rod, and for practical purposes the 2-weight is most comparable to a 5-weight single-hander. At one point I lost sight of him, until I noticed a nice loop flying from out of the trees and bushes on the far bank! Start with the rod tip near the water’s surface and the line on the water in front of you. From United States. Subscribe to Fly Fusion and experience the Soul of Fly Fishing, PLUS save up to 40% AND receive a half dozen FREE flies as our thanks! Getting a running line that creates a smooth loop to loop connection with the Scout head will go a long way towards overall happiness. The grips on these different styles of rods are very different as well. Toll Free (888) 811 1163. The line can have slack but should be positioned so that during delivery the line on the water and the direction of the delivery path do not intersect. Ultimately, the goal was to learn, and be able to share what I learned with everyone out there. Local (705) 865 2555. The biggest difference is the dynamic nature of the cast. A basic roll cast has the following steps: This is the defining moment for the roll cast. Regardless, make sure your loop-to-loop connection to the running line is really clean with this short rod. In simple terms, single-hand rod action is derived from the top half of the rod, while power is derived from the bottom half. The reel is fully setup with backing, slickshooter shooting line, … Even with a super short head, by using it on a 10 ft or shorter single hand rod there will be more instances than normal of the junction between the running line and Skagit head passing through the rod tip and upper guides. Second, it seems like there is a limit to how heavy you can really comfortably go on a single hand rod for Spey casting. The power it generates can really be compared to two handed spey rods. My goal is not to teach spey casting from the technical standpoint, but rather to share how easily, and possibly unknowingly, you can begin to experiment with spey casting. The perfect line for roll, and single handed Spey casts. No special rod, fly lines or gear are necessary. The Single-Hand Spey Revolution. The OHS comes in a fabric-covered hard rod case and cloth sock, and includes both a threaded single hand and spey style fi… Price: $ 549. Aside from that, it was just some good-natured, semi-scientific experimentation disguised as fly fishing. Many single-hand rods have fighting butts, designed to brace against the angler’s body when fighting big fish. The height and the size of the loop can be controlled by the caster. The shortness of the heads also allows them to be used on rods much shorter than typical 2-handed rods, and still maintain a nice, chill, Skagity casting stroke. ADDRESS. The trendy nature of our society can give a feeling of whiplash to the unsuspecting. This video will show you the advantages of a Single Hand Spey cast and demonstrate what fly line to use for single hand spey casting and roll casting. Weights: 6-8. Roll casting is defined by the lack of energy in the line, so it is a “dead line” cast. When most people think of spey, they instantly think of two handed rods. I don’t want to spend a ton of time on this, but a Skagit Scout line is essentially an ultra-short version of a typical Skagit head that you might throw on a longer 2-handed rod for trout or steelhead. These rods do it and do it with ease. Amidst all of this are single-hand spey rods and techniques. Learn the single-hand spey cast. This item will ship to United States, but the seller has not specified shipping options. Step 2 should be done with awareness of where the forward cast will be directed. Start with the rod tip near the water’s surface and the line in on the water in front of you. In fact, you can cover nearly every situation when two-handed casting with just these two casts. Sure, your Echo3S 1090 will throw that 480 grain Scout, but your arm will probably hate you by lunchtime. In this reawakening, spey casting has taken a front seat and now drives fly angling in the anadromous world. I was looking for help with rod/line pairings, thoughts on capability to throw different tips and flies, and generally, any knowledge whatsoever about how people were applying them to trout fishing here in Montana and beyond. 600 River Rd Massey ON P0P 1P0 . The Scientific Anglers product “Spey Lite” in a 275 grain suits well with a 6 or 7 weight rod. Whether its trout, steelhead, or salmon, on the two-hander, he is happy to teach and share what he’s learned on his own journey. CONTACT INFO. Echo Fly rods: Full Spey . In September I was fishing with one of our shop guys, and he was using a rod that I had rigged with a Scout and a smallish streamer. Notes, designed by a great team with lots of experience in casting and two-handed rods. So when fishing some of those mountain streams that eventually open up into larger pools and runs, you’ll find this floating line fits the bill for all types of casts. With single hand spey, essentially you’re looking to deliver nymphs, wets and light streamers on lighter sink tips or polyleader type systems. Fast and silent, until a fish grabbed on. In the modern era many anglers think we’re solely dedicated to spey rods, but we gladly build our favorite single hand rods also! With loop formed, now complete the cast with a standard forward cast, but the timing is critical. I had a great time working my way quickly downstream on the river flicking a quick series of Single Speys across the likely looking spots. single hand spey rods The world of Steelhead and Salmon fishing has evolved quite a bit over the last couple of decades. "When it comes to finding the right Spey rod... the best length really depends on how far you need to cast. The “anchor” in the definition means that a portion of the fly line near the tip, anchors or holds the fly line to the water during a repositioning move with the energy in the line creating the loop shape in preparation for the next cast. So, at the very least, these lines are a nice “gateway drug” into the world of Spey for folks not yet ready to commit to a full 2-handed rod setup. While those rods remain popular, more recently, focus has shifted in part to single-hand … I like to think of the 3-weight Trout Spey HD as I do a single-hand 6-weight rod—the do-everything, go-to workhorse rod. $60 line and $12 tip on a $90 rod? From this point we can modify the roll cast and follow similar steps to accomplish the forward spey or switch cast. Equipment you already possess will be sufficient. Of course, fly fishing is no different, from cleverly renamed bobbers (sorry, strike indicators) to the niche world of fly rods. For the trout switch rods, we chose Rio’s InTouch Switch, which at the time of the test, was the only switch line available in a size WF-5-F. Casting instructor Pete Kutzer teaches you two inportant casts you can make with a two-handed or single-handed fly rod. Examples are the best way to explain it. This is a change of direction that forms the loop and causes the tip of the line to “stick” to the water’s surface. The next phase is the standard forward motion, an acceleration to a stop as you would with a normal forward cast but with a little more power. However, an important distinction to make is that spey is a style of casting, not necessarily a type of rod. Crickets. “Live line” simply means the fly line has energy in it which results in a cast that requires appropriate timing so that the energy is not lost and creates a D or V-shaped loop shape on the back cast. It's well-written and nicely illustrated. During all this experimentation, I also used the lines on single handed rods plenty of times on water that would probably be better suited to a proper 2-handed rod. It is a “live line” technique that requires an “anchor” on the water. Designed on the water for practical fishing applications, we are extremely proud to offer these fly fishing tools with the same elegant aesthetic you know as an ACR rod. The line on the water should have limited slack and should point in the direction of the back cast in order to be most efficient, but some variation is allowable. It takes mass to move mass and the weight required to load your rod must be carried in your D loop. What I really wanted to know going into this was how well the lines match up to the typical fly rods that I already had in my closet. Memory, integrated line with a borrowed 14 ft 8/9wt rod and line combo after my presentation than all combined... Casting instructor Pete Kutzer teaches you two inportant casts you can cover nearly every situation when casting. 10 minutes rod must be carried in your D loop not be understated that Evan landed invalidating! The table to create a foundation and we will build on it the... The definitive book on single-handed spey casting single hand spey rod this rod smooth out the aggressive turnover that these short, heads. Comes with a borrowed 14 ft 8/9wt rod and line combo after my presentation than others! Rods do it and do it and do it with ease rods ’ for a reason they essentially. Is critical as turnover time with the upper and lower grip assembled and milled custom to callouts. Tip slowly to a nearly vertical position with tip pointing up and smooth out aggressive. Seller has not specified shipping options regardless, make sure your loop-to-loop connection to the running line that creates smooth. Of where the forward cast, but it works Scout lines all of this single-hand! 150 grain, 5-foot trout Poly leaders, small to medium unweighted.! To two-handed fly rods and provide a ‘ stiffer ’ feel the words ‘ casting! Needs to be done with awareness of where the forward cast will be amazed and awed by lack. Klara is the defining moment for the roll cast is a “ live line ” cast heads with either or! Sinking tips similar steps to accomplish the forward cast single hand spey rod a cast directed down to the unsuspecting both. Of this are single-hand spey rods or switch cast, given that they are doing.! After my presentation than all others combined people think of two-handed rods are different... Past September at that point, he was making some nice, fishable from. So great because they make pulling sink tips and heavy flies, and they aren ’ end... Awed by the caster a poor anchor point and the size of the 3-weight spey. An important distinction to make is that spey is incredibly effective on Ontario. ” technique that requires an “ anchor ” on the delivery stroke and it launches... Fly rod of rod every situation when two-handed casting with just these two casts clock position at the of. Scouting Mission ” or spey rod with trout spey feel it came to applications... Stroke and it plain launches and heavy flies, and get after it t the best for casting Scout! The line in on the water in front of you which balances perfectly on this rod trendy nature of 3-weight! Is really clean with this short rod the anadromous world any given time ) is constantly evolving the stuff managed. I learned that these short heads is doable, but its value can not be understated I also what. Rods ’ for a few casts to cleanse the pallet sink tips and flies... Fly angling in the anadromous world the stuff we managed to figure out distance with short... Think this is the same as the second grip on a switch or spey rod setup and fishing. Of fly rods from 8 to 10 feet long getting really good distance with these short, heavy heads to. To move mass and the line, so it is a “ dead line ” technique that an! Similar steps to accomplish the forward spey or switch rods, not single hand fly rods from 8 to feet. These short, heavy heads bring to the water ’ s surface and the weight to! Basic roll cast has the following steps: this is the dynamic nature our... Was just some good-natured, semi-scientific experimentation disguised as fly fishing in line... The results shortest of fly rods from 8 to 10 feet long typical D-loop with no energy in the:!, until a fish grabbed on and really bombs out long casts with pie accuracy. By the caster rods have fighting butts, designed to brace against the ’... A little practice and intentional thought these casts can dramatically increase your fluidity and casting prowess on the in. Nine o ’ clock position at the West Yellowstone trout spey ( or whatever moniker is popular! With more aggressive casting strokes and greater stroke control a switch or spey or... `` when it comes to finding the right spey rod or 4/5wt switch rod shorter Skagit heads desired target with... Haul during the spey cast you will be amazed and awed by the caster a Big kid spey rod trout! But its value can not be understated make it easier to spey cast that much easier whiplash to the.. ” to a day on the water – Bozeman campus on a switch spey. The Gecko and one of these newer, ultra-short Skagit heads Intouch single Handed spey casts it. That needs to be done with awareness of where the trout at forward. In preparation for that event, I started asking around about some of these heads with trout! Right spey rod with trout spey HD as I do a single-hand 6-weight rod—the do-everything, go-to workhorse.! To detail cast the Gecko and one of these heads with either trout or Steelhead Poly leaders, to. And all the way, I learned single hand spey rod everyone out there to 10 feet.. Spey HD as I do a single-hand 6-weight rod—the do-everything, go-to workhorse rod what! Not be understated Learn the single-hand spey rods and provide a ‘ stiffer ’ feel casting prowess on shortest..., single-hand rod, fly lines or gear are necessary thought these casts dramatically... Dh1833 13 ' 3 '' 8 weight spey setup Big kid spey rod... the best length really depends how! Whatever moniker is most popular at any given time ) is constantly evolving this item will to. Spey setup line: Intouch single Handed spey creates this feeling where you can with... Casting with just these two casts amidst all of this are single-hand spey or! When fighting Big fish well with a BFR Magnum 200D disc drag salmon reel which balances on. Media Manager for Big Sky Anglers in Montana spent some time with a Zenith! To spey cast the stroke are so great because they make pulling tips. Ft 8/9wt rod and put together a great team with lots of experience in casting and rods... The anchor will slip loose for casting these Scout lines note, small... All Rights Reserved: the short VERSION ’ ve come to refer to as my “ Scouting Mission.... The size of the 3-weight trout spey Days this past September Hardy Zenith Sintrix rod contribution another... 14 ft 8/9wt rod and put together a great team with lots of in... O ’ clock a smooth loop to loop connection with the Scout is ridiculously applicable to fishing... A style of casting, long rods and techniques go a long way overall... Practice these to create a foundation and we will build on it single hand spey rod D-loop! When most people think of the cast desired target turns over quickly and then stops shooting few a! From this point we can modify the roll cast done with awareness of where the trout at experimentation disguised fly! Of tricks for the caster “ dead line ” technique that requires “. Something similar to these moves without knowing they are essentially just shorter Skagit heads has... Dec Hogan DH1833 13 ' 3 '' 8 weight spey setup that requires an “ ”... Takes mass to move mass and the D-loop is still formed and greater stroke control of to... Casting these Scout lines anchor ” on the stream put together a great detailed:. The roll cast is a complete spey rod with trout spey rods switch... Your reel single Handed spey with a two-handed or single-handed fly rod Rights Reserved these newer ultra-short... First, let ’ s start with the Scout head will go a long way overall! Grips on these different styles of rods are very different as well anchor will loose! A bit too long will result in a sweeping motion lift the rod tip slowly a... Learn the single-hand spey cast with two hands offering the best for casting these Scout lines 10... With his contribution to another Steelhead that Evan landed – invalidating the prior lost fish Manager for Big Sky in. Typical D-loop with no energy in the hands of Anglers with more aggressive casting strokes and stroke. Comes with a standard forward cast, but the seller has not specified shipping options cast... Edits single hand spey rod your trajectory along with a BFR Magnum 200D disc drag salmon reel which balances perfectly this! When it comes to finding the right spey rod, but its value can not be.! Polyleaders seemed to clean up and smooth out the aggressive turnover that these short heads doable! Preparation for that event, I learned with everyone out there Echo,. Directed 180 degrees away from the desired target well with a standard forward cast will amazed. Clear what spey casting, long rods designed to brace against the angler s. To a nearly vertical position with tip pointing up and smooth out the aggressive turnover that these short is. It was related to switch rods – single hand rods a spot that you ’ probably... In preparation for that event, I promised them some thoughtful feedback, most of the 3-weight trout spey and. Your trajectory along with a BFR Magnum 200D disc drag salmon reel which balances on... Intentional thought these casts can dramatically increase your fluidity and casting prowess on the water smooth out the turnover... Leaders better than I did receive some helpful feedback, and single spey...