Spey :)

[Guest Jeremie]

Hey guys, i just recently got into spey fishing and i love it! The casts are so beautiful not to mention you can cast a ton of line! I love it, cant wait to use it on the steelies and salmon on V.I.

 

One question though, how do i go about using the spey on the bow? Do i throw a nymph rig or streamers or what?

[headscan]

My personal preference is to swing streamers. It'll give you lots of practice for those steelhead and salmon as well. Remember that spey casting isn't as much about the amount of line you're throwing as the efficiency of the cast and keeping your fly in the water longer.

[Guest Jeremie]

Thanks for the tips! I will bring the spey and my switch along, we will be pulling out of our float to do some walk and wade, i'll throw some double bunnies, should i use a sink tip?

[headscan]

I usually use either a Rio 15' type 3 or type 6 sink tip on the Bow depending on current and water depth. Other weight and length combinations would work as well. What kind of line are you using?

[Guest Jeremie]

I believe its a skagit cheater. Not too sure though

[toolman]

Hey guys, i just recently got into spey fishing and i love it! The casts are so beautiful not to mention you can cast a ton of line! I love it, cant wait to use it on the steelies and salmon on V.I.

 

One question though, how do i go about using the spey on the bow? Do i throw a nymph rig or streamers or what?

 

A little late with my reply....

Hi Jeremie, welcome to the Spey brotherhood!

Spey rods are excellent for nymphing and fishing streamers on the Bow. A spey rod can give you great casting/line control to make great presentations. I use a variety of line/sink tip/leader systems including Floating/Full sink Scandi heads with fluro leaders/poly leaders, Skagit Heads with T-14 Sink tips ect. The Bow has a wide variety of structure/conditions and there is a proper place/time to use all of these line systems. Getting proper casting instruction, having your lines/tips/leaders dialed in to your rod properly and making time to practise is crucial to your success. Try and learn all of the different Spey casts as they all will be usefull and neccessary at some point. Asking lots of questions is a great way to shorten the learning curve. Maybe you could tell us what Spey rod/line that you are using.

Good luck and have fun!

Greg

[Roast]

A little late with my reply....

Hi Jeremie, welcome to the Spey brotherhood!

Spey rods are excellent for nymphing and fishing streamers on the Bow. A spey rod can give you great casting/line control to make great presentations. I use a variety of line/sink tip/leader systems including Floating/Full sink Scandi heads with fluro leaders/poly leaders, Skagit Heads with T-14 Sink tips ect. The Bow has a wide variety of structure/conditions and there is a proper place/time to use all of these line systems. Getting proper casting instruction, having your lines/tips/leaders dialed in to your rod properly and making time to practise is crucial to your success. Try and learn all of the different Spey casts as they all will be usefull and neccessary at some point. Asking lots of questions is a great way to shorten the learning curve. Maybe you could tell us what Spey rod/line that you are using.

Good luck and have fun!

Greg

 

Sorry to hijack, however my questions are related to the original posters.

 

I recently bought a used 6/7 beulah classic and have just started getting into spey. I went to fish tales and they suggested an airflow compact scandi head (420 at 32'). I am a little confused about what tips I should be using for what types of applications on the Bow. Greg/Headscan/ Others could you recommend some tips and lengths that would be good to start out with? The books and videos I have looked at so far haven't really went into much detail on the types of tips you should be using.

 

Thanks

[toolman]

Beaulah recommends a 380 grain Scandi head for the 6/7 Classic. You can use Airflo or Rio 10' Polyleaders for sunk fly work with smaller flies. For larger, heavier flies, use an Airflo 420 - 450grain Compac Skagit with either T-11 or T14 tips, cut to desired length (I generally use 8'-10' of T-11 or T-14). You can also use 8wt.-9wt., 15' Rio DC sink tips, which can be cut back from the front, to smoothly turn over the largest/heaviest fly that you will fish with. (generally cut back too around a rod length). If you plan on nymphing, use a 9' Fluro leader off the end of the Scandi head. Good luck and have fun!

[Roast]

I guess I should clarify and state that the gentleman who sold me the rod suggested the 420 compact scandi not the salesperson at fishtales. I will look at picking up the lighter weight head for smaller flies. Would you suggest the airflo compact scandi or the beulah elixir scandi designed for the rod? Can I use the head I have now for the larger flies instead of the compact skagit? If so what length of tip should I be using? Thanks for all your help, this is all completely new to me. It has been really fun learning, but I still have a long way to go:)

[toolman]

I guess I should clarify and state that the gentleman who sold me the rod suggested the 420 compact scandi not the salesperson at fishtales. I will look at picking up the lighter weight head for smaller flies. Would you suggest the airflo compact scandi or the beulah elixir scandi designed for the rod? Can I use the head I have now for the larger flies instead of the compact skagit? If so what length of tip should I be using? Thanks for all your help, this is all completely new to me. It has been really fun learning, but I still have a long way to go:)

 

Would you suggest the airflo compact scandi or the beulah elixir scandi designed for the rod?

 

I have cast/fished with this rod using the Elixir line and it is well matched, but I really like the Airflo Compac Scandi heads.

 

Can I use the head I have now for the larger flies instead of the compact skagit?

 

It will be difficult to cast/turn over larger/heavier flies/sink tips, compared to the performance of a Compac Skagit head.

[bhurt]

Roast,

 

As we discussed the only reason we went this way is to help you get a feel for the load with a heavier line, as you improve your casting you can lighten up you line if you wish, it will come down to what type of caster you are and what you like. As it was your first road I choose the heavier line for you so you could get the feel for it and have more sucess, as you improve you may wish to lighten up the line, but for now I would suggest getting the basic "FUNDELEMNTALS" to casting down before you lighten up your line. Greg actually knows that rod very well as me and him fished with it alot over the years I owned it. BTW how you like the reel you got with it, I never used that reel but have been hearing alot of good things about the admusdsum feather weight reels

 

Remeber everyone has a place that they like to cast, myself I am a bit of a lazy caster as greg will diffently agree with so I like my lines a bit heavier. For example I just put on a 480grain compact skagit for my streamer rod and absoultly love it, while others find it a bit heavier, if it is in the grain window of the rod then you should not have any problems with it.

 

As for tips it comes down to what you using, I know a few guys (Myself included) that do not like using poly leaders while others I know love using them. Greg will also talk about how he loves his full sink lines (Which I might add are very nice) but personally I like using tips instead, but that is more of a personal choice then anything else.

[Roast]

Roast,

 

As we discussed the only reason we went this way is to help you get a feel for the load with a heavier line, as you improve your casting you can lighten up you line if you wish, it will come down to what type of caster you are and what you like. As it was your first road I choose the heavier line for you so you could get the feel for it and have more sucess, as you improve you may wish to lighten up the line, but for now I would suggest getting the basic "FUNDELEMNTALS" to casting down before you lighten up your line. Greg actually knows that rod very well as me and him fished with it alot over the years I owned it. BTW how you like the reel you got with it, I never used that reel but have been hearing alot of good things about the admusdsum feather weight reels

 

Remeber everyone has a place that they like to cast, myself I am a bit of a lazy caster as greg will diffently agree with so I like my lines a bit heavier. For example I just put on a 480grain compact skagit for my streamer rod and absoultly love it, while others find it a bit heavier, if it is in the grain window of the rod then you should not have any problems with it.

 

As for tips it comes down to what you using, I know a few guys (Myself included) that do not like using poly leaders while others I know love using them. Greg will also talk about how he loves his full sink lines (Which I might add are very nice) but personally I like using tips instead, but that is more of a personal choice then anything else.

 

Hey Bhurt,

 

I really did appreciate your help:) I will head down to fish tales to try one of their kits and see how a few different heads feel. I am so inexperienced that I don't know if I will be able to tell the difference.

 

I think that those Amundson reels are a great buy for the price. I have never had an expensive reel, however the ability to buy a couple reels for the same price, I don't think you can go wrong.

 

Thanks everyone for your help, and sorry for the thread hijack.

 

 

[headscan]

I guess I should clarify and state that the gentleman who sold me the rod suggested the 420 compact scandi not the salesperson at fishtales.

This has to be the first time I've ever heard anyone refer to Brad as a gentleman.

[bhurt]

Amongst the other names I get called, I do get called a gentleman at work too, I know its scary.......