• December 1, 2024

Single Spey Cast

Although many Spey casters are familiar with the fact that Spey casting was designed to give the angler access to those difficult to reach areas due to obstacles behind such as trees and high banks etc., some anglers still fail to realise that these casts should also be wind orientated to be both safe and efficient. All Spey casts can be executed in a non wind situation, but where wind exists, why not use it to your advantage.

The single Spey is simply a jump, or accelerated Roll cast with a change of direction. This cast allows us to re-position our fly to create an anchor point on the water facing the direction in which we wish to cast, at a safe distance away from our body. In a windy situation, this cast can only be executed safely if the wind is blowing in a general upstream direction. This is because the wind will not only help to keep the fly line, and fly, away from you, but it will also assist with the formation of your D loop on your upstream/upwind side, as well as making the cast much more efficient.

It is important to point out at this stage that the above rule is always the same whichever bank you may be fishing from, regardless of whether you are predominantly left or right handed. The only difference being that you must first make sure that whichever side your D Loop is being formed, the hand on that side is uppermost on the cork handle of the rod when setting up and delivering these casts.

I.e., in this particular cast, if you are on the left bank you should have your right hand uppermost on the handle and if you are on the right bank you should have your left hand uppermost on the handle, this will afford you room to open up to the cast prior to the delivery without restriction. Remember if the wind is blowing upstream, it’s blowing upstream, regardless of whichever bank you are fishing from.

To define which is the left bank and which is the right bank, simply turn your body to face downstream, the left bank is on your left and the right bank is on your right.

You can view a more in depth article on the Single Spey cast on the following link: