I watched this video few times. it's more about roll cast.

There are two style roll cast: stagnant and dynamic.

Spey cast is more like direction change cast, focusing more on anchoring your line. That's what I learned so far.

It sounds like you might want to look into a shooting head setup if you are looking for distance using an overhead casting style. You can buy shooting heads and running lines, or make make your own, or there are lines such as Rio's Outbound line that is an integrated line with the head and running line already together.

With a shooting head, you pretty much make one backcast and then let it go on the forward cast.

Search for some of George Glazer's posts on here if you want to make your own.

I just keep hearing about the D Loop when watching videos.



Seems they all refer back to it as the basic of the Spey Cast or Skagit Cast.

This was one of the videos I watched. I have this down fairly well. Occasionally I get a pop of the line in the back of my D Loop, but figured out I was coming behind me too far. I could see myself doing this cast from the front of the boat when fishing off the left (port) side of the boat. Looks effortless compared to traditional casting...especially with a bigger rod.

9 weight will flat wear you down casting, casting and casting all day long. And you never get it as far as you wish you could.

I guess when I saw the distance they get Spey casting I thought....that would be idea there.

As you can tell I am not a traditionalist. When you are stuck at home/work with baby, you brain tends to roam and thing on its on!

Sounds like good info there! My buddy argues with me about Shooting Heads....what exactly is that? I said it's for casting heavier flies longer distance. I notice Allen specs their reels out with the Shooting Head size. I told my buddy that is the size they can handle...he just wants to argue. LOL! Can you clarify?

There are basically two primary ways to actually cast the line forward with a two handed rod; an overhead cast and a switch cast.

An overhead cast is just a regular cast using two hands. It is often used in surf fishing or anywhere else where a LOT of backcast room is available.

The Switch cast is used when backcast room is limited. A Switch cast can also be called a dynamic roll cast since the line keeps moving. Pretty much all of the Spey style casts; double spey, single spey, snap T, etc., are all just techniques to reposition the line so that you can use a Switch cast to delivery the fly on target. For an efficient cast, the D-loop needs to be placed 180 degrees from the target you are casting to and that is not as easy as it sounds in fast moving water.

To answer the original question, learning the D-loop and Switch cast is critical Spey casting - you can't do it without knowing how to make a Switch cast. But, mastering it will be a lifelong challenge.

Again, I'm over simplifying this explaination.

FYI, Saturday, you were casting the 6 wt TFO Pandion rod.

Great information Rex!!!

Gee, you folks were busy while I was at lunch. I'll watch the videos this evening and will try to comment on them. I gotta go now.

Complicated stuff! 3 Months ago before watching Bumcast, I thought there was just a few casting methods. LOL! Roll cast and regular cast. I've been doing them for years.

Sounds like I need to research switch casting. I haven't watched any of them. Thanks!

Sounds like I went and skipped an integral part of the casting. The Switch Cast. I went from D-Loop/Roll Cast to Spey/Skagit style.

I'm joining the local fly club so I can learn more.

Fly fishing makes all other fishing seem very simple and downright...unsophisticated as my buddy says.

LOL! Thanks for the help!

I stayed through lunch hoping to nail down a couple emails so I can go home and tie flies, practice a few cast in yard and clean baby diapers.

Hey, Mike Hawkins and Jerald Lewis are two instructors in Longview that are part of that club. Not sure how strong either of them are with two handed rods, but they are good single hand instructors and will be able to help with some of your questions.

Yep, I know Mike, and I met Jerald last month. Mike has been trying to get me to join for years.

I plan on hitting them up more for help...now that I got the BUG!!

Did some more You Tubin.

Looks like the following...

Switch Cast is creating a D Loop to cast back at the same target.

Single Spey Casting is changing the direction of the cast.

Makes a little more sense now.

I like that rod very much. I want to try the 9 weight, to see if it's too stiff or not. The only thing about that rod is the lower hand grip is a bit long for me. I wish it's a little bit shorter.

You will like skagit cast also. Skagit shooting head is shorter, just lift your line, lay it down gently, swipe and cast in continuous mention. I think i will be good at that.