Spey: Two Critical Casts

For many spey casters, myself included, there are certain critical casts that become your go-to casts. These are the spey casts that you end up making the majority of the time and become the building blocks for future progression. They are the easiest to make and are effective at addressing most fishing situations. I am going to list the casts that are my critical casts based on my personal experiences and interaction with other spey casters. I am sure there will be people that disagree, but these are the casts that have worked for me on hundreds of days on the water and that I use the most. I am not going to give step-by-step instruction here or discuss hand positions and which hand should be on top for which side of the river. Without diagrams and demonstration, it would be too difficult to portray. I just want to touch on the casts, explain what situations to use them in and give you a foundation to build on. First, is the “double spey”. This is usually the first cast most anglers learn after a basic understanding of the rod load and how a spey cast works and one of the more forgiving and easier casts. The rod is swept upstream across the body, doubled back on itself until the line is anchored opposite the target and then directed toward the target completing the cast. This cast typically is made with broad strokes of the rod and works best when you have slightly more backcasting room to allow a large D loop to form behind you.Second, is the “snap t” or “circle spey”. This is one of my favorite casts. It looks far more complicated than it is and actually is one of the easiest once you understand it. This cast is made by lifting all of the line from the water, forming a large circle in the air, placing the anchor opposite the target, sweeping the line back against the anchor and, finally, directing it toward the target. It requires a moderate stroke of the rod and can be adjusted. This cast works well in most situations and can be made with less backcasting room. As you become more proficient at spey casting and begin to understand the fundamental principles, there are even some “homemade” or hybrid casts that are combinations of casts completed either by accident or on purpose. No matter the case, as long as the fly gets out there, what difference does it make?