headscan

Yeah, short high break strength leaders. I go 2 feet, but I'm sure shorter works just as well. Usually the sink tip part of the line is black, gray, or clear so it isn't as much of an issue as a bright green floating line. I've found most of my takes fishing this way are pretty violent as well, so the high test is important. 99% of the hits have been on the dangle or during the first strip in my experience.

I think it's obvious he was taking people out to fish your water. The driver was watching you fight that big boy instead of the road, thus sliding off it. Fortunately at the same time everyone's rods broke from the impact, leaving them all to think it a bad omen so they packed it in never to return.

I fish an 8 wt rod with a sink tip line and use it on the Bow for streamers. It's definitely easier to cast than a floating line with split shot attached to the leader since you don't get the twisting effect. I can also get pretty decent distance on my casts because of the extra weight in the line tip. Instead of a tapered leader, I just use about 2 feet of level 10lb Maxima. If you fish it with a weighted streamer it will get your fly down deep fast. I really only use the rod for streamers, so I haven't had to bother getting a separate spool for floating lines.

Ah, I think I was looking at that today. Around the bottom of the back wall?

I guess the first question would be where exactly? Hull's Wood? Elsewhere?

Like Colin said 55 yards should be plenty, but if you wanted more backing you could always chop a bit of the running line. You can shoot backing just as well as line as long as your knot is streamlined with a bit of UV knot sense or something. My concern would be if you have that much line out consistently is the diameter (arbor) of your reel large enough to wind it back in effectively?

Could you use a switch or roll cast to bring a sinking line to the surface then start your single/double spey or whatever? I have a sink tip (I realize a sink tip is different than a full sink) line for one of my single handed rods. If I have enough line out that lifting it straight out on the back cast would cause the fly to "pop" or suck all the line speed then I roll cast it to bring it up. As soon as the roll reaches my fly I begin my back cast. Could you do something similar to this with a Spey cast? I'm also glad to see a couple other people cast weak hand up. Was getting worried that I was the only freak of nature. I think I will try to work on my cackhanded casting though. Can't hurt to have that extra option if the situation calls for it.

Would that be something like having some hoops around here and there that you have to cast into from a certain spot?

So I pulled out my Orvis Madison reel that I bought way back in 1991 at Country Pleasures. Funniest thing I never realized about it until today is that there isn't even a foot of backing on it. Just the fly line. I think you may be onto something with the whole excessive backing thing...

Isn't that the same weekend as Gordon's Spey casting clinic?

I think a great advantage of the casting pools for practicing is that you're only thinking of your cast and not about catching fish. How many people actually go down to the river to practice casting without a single thought of catching fish? Even if you tell yourself you're only there to practice/improve your cast you'll usually have a fly tied on and there'll be that little something in the back of your head thinking about fish. Next time I head down that way I'll have to make sure to bring a rod and reel along.

Was just curious how many people cast cackhanded vs with their weak (non-dominant) hand on top. I've tried both and it feels more comfortable to me to have my weak hand up. My right bank, left hand up casts seem smoother (though a little more awkward) than my left bank, right hand up casts as well. Maybe since my left arm doesn't have the muscle memory from single-handed casting? Anyone else experience this?

I live in the far NW (Citadel) so I usually fish this stretch if I only have two or three hours in the evening after work. There are some decent spots and good sized trout. I have yet to hook into a white up there but maybe I just haven't tried hard enough. I don't think the dry fly fishing is quite as good as the lower portions. Haven't seen any caddis hatches that were dense like the ones down south. Nymph and streamer action has been good for me up there. Since I usually go in the evenings the rafters aren't as bad as during the day. I have had more people throw their dog a stick or ball into the water I'm fishing than I have at Southland or Fish Creek, though.

At the show Francois from the Whistler Fly Shop helped me correct a Spey casting fault but only had a single hander rigged. Granted it had a fighting butt that we used as a lower grip, but it would still be easy to do without. The biggest difference I found was the timing since the rod isn't as long and I didn't have as much line out. But if you go by feel of the line loading the rod and watching your anchor then you're fine.

Hey Courtney, Great to finally meet you and Val. Glad to hear you guys made it home without incident. Marc

I'd be up for it provided work doesn't interrupt - I have a big project deadline on April 8th. Otherwise I'd be happy to help out where I can.

I have a friend who isn't on this board but is interested in the clinic as well.

Yeah, you can use a DH rod for small rivers and such - I had forgotten about the dapping techniques Speyghillie talked about. I myself bought a switch rod for high sticking and Spey casting streamers into deeper pools on the Highwood and other smaller rivers. The Bow is definitely large enough to use a DH rod. I was watching a few Spey videos and a lot of the rivers they're on don't look any wider, deeper, or faster than the Bow.

Isn't that May long weekend? Hopefully it doesn't snow

Very nice. Courtney had a lot of good things to say about the Tamar and Torridge.

That's great news. Always good to have a local pusher. I mean dealer. Uh, let's go with salesman

Nice vid. Great soundtrack too. Now I want to get out of here and do some fishing. Too bad it's minus stupid degrees...

Ok, you've convinced me. I'm in.

Was that the line you and Colin were talking about in the Sharkskin thread? Snowbee seems to have a pretty wide variety of lines available. I think I counted about a dozen single hand lines on their site...

Yeah, it's all about the situation. You're obviously not going to use a DH rod to present a size 20 mayfly to rising trout 15' away on the Highwood. It's like using a sledgehammer on a finishing nail. Use the right tool for the job, and obviously the more tools you have the more you can do.