This is the classic Single Spey cast, with a target to 45 degrees. There are a number of methods of teaching this cast – and I’m pretty sure that I mention them all in this series!
You may have noticed the beautiful save in the middle of the video where I show crashed anchor, blown anchor and crossed anchor. This is what it takes to be an instructor – when something happens unexpectedly just roll with it and pretend it was all part of the plan. In fact it was so smooth that I almost fell for it. 😀
Now look, if you want to get good at this cast you are going to have to practise. It is an extremely useful cast and many instructors will teach it as the very first Spey Cast, immediately after the Jump Roll. There are in fact three tip paths you can make during the Sweep (setting up the D-loop) 1) constantly rising, 2) rise – flat – rise and 3) up – down – up with acceleration.
If I was learning this cast again for the first time, I would start with 1) constantly rising tip path, which is the one I’ve used in this video. If you are constantly “blowing the anchor” I’d move to 2 – I am trying – initially – to give you a serviceable cast here. Â Ultimately you may learn all three… I personally almost always fish using Sweep option 3.
So, back to this video: find yourself a nice piece of water and work on the Pick-up and Sweep, forming the D-loop and positioning the anchor in the correct place and at the correct angle. You can practise this a thousand times – in fact you can practise this ten thousand times – and I very much hope that you do.
Watching the end of the fly line, as you glide it around into position, I think, is the Number 1 Spey Casting Tip. When fishing we pick up different lengths of line and often make some “funky Spey stuff” – believe it or not, this is actually a means of making the cast easier and more stable. But FOR NOW, if this is your first time with this cast, then just work on this simple repeatable anchor placement. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – spending an entire closed season working on anchor points is never time wasted and it will change your fishing.
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Cheers, Paul