The
rule for this cast is: keep the fly downwind.
Scenario: true left bank, downstream wind.
Everything as for the
right-shoulder is now reversed. You have two
ways of executing this cast: you can either
cast with your left hand, or use the right
hand - if you can use the left: then use the
left, otherwise the cast is slightly more
awkward. If you have to cast using the
'wrong' hand, good tips are: rotate your grip
on the rod so that the back of the hand is on
top, and emphasise the waist movement.
Make a lift, sweep the rod
tip upstream to your right, switch the line
downstream using the half-moon dip, hit the
roll.
If you find yourself
practising these casts on a stillwater, put
the wind behind you and alternate the casts,
so that you cast right shoulder, left
shoulder, right shoulder etc. and remember to
reposition your feet for every cast
(this really helps).
Casting further with the
double-spey:
You can make the double-spey
more efficient by either shooting line and/or
hauling. There are three places you can shoot
line:
upstream: at the end
of the upstream stroke, try shooting
a couple more yards of line, which
you will then send back round into
the D-loop (as you start sending
greater amounts of line back into the
D-loop you will have to start
finishing the switch with a more
pronounced upwards flick (which will
give you a pointed D-shape))
For seriously big
D-loops you are going to need (a) a
double taper line and (b) to lift the
arm as you send the line into the D -
if you lift the arm into the stop,
you must then drop the elbow to get
your thumb level with your ear before
you start the roll cast (otherwise
all you will end up doing is casting
the line down on to the water,
immediately in front of you, with an
impressive, but not particularly
effective, crash)
into the D-loop
itself: it is possible but the timing
has to be precise
into the forward
cast; as in all roll casts
The obvious place for the
haul is in the forward cast just as we are
building up to the stop. However, you can put
short hauls into all parts of the cast: the
lift, the upstream reach and the switch.
Frankly I have never found all of these to be
absolutely necessary - but you never know...
