Black_Ghost
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Thick Tail
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Spey Line Standards
Finally an attempt at line standards to make it easier for anglers to match lines to spey rods. Wonder how many years it will take to implement and how the manufacturer compliance will be ?
But its a start from demystifying the "spey abyss"
Comments please
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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Kerrys
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steelie
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I think I will stick to hacking up my own lines to my own standards. Nothing I have seen come from the line makers has impressed me yet.
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just another steelheader
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Steelheader69
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I agree Kerry. I didn't read the article above, but would be nice if they went to a "grain" system. That way, you know which "grain" you'd use. But sure the line makers would find a way to "cheat" there as well. Say, weighing them with "x" amount of backing vs. leader on, etc.
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TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Project Healing Waters
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H2H
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I just read the “standards”; I wonder how long it will take. This is a good thing that someone has step up too the plate. My hat’s off too those gentlemen who started the ball rolling.
Oh bye the way I while still be making lines.
Airflo has come out with a NEW “SKAGIT LINE”; they showed it at Denver show. What I know it is 41’ Belly section, can’t wait too try it out!
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Brian
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oldman
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dual red striper
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Spey lines are approved. Who are these people and who choose them to represent to approve these lines??. Never heard of any of them. They need to come out to the West Coast and really see what the line makers out here have to say about making of lines. It seems that no matter what they(the line manufactors) say about lines that the boys on the West Coast make them better.
Just my nickels worth.
Jim
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Black_Ghost
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Well its only a start will have to wait and see what happens. These industry standard groups come together on many other technical subjects (NON fly fishing)they write a white paper have a conference and then all go back to their companies and many times the standards never really get implemented. But they say the industry has a standard.
Guess I will be hacking lines myself until something useful happens.
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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fredaevans
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Brian Simonseth has a major charting of spey lines, head lengths, grain weights, etc. Brian is also the 'Head Meister' of 'he who makes his own lines.' I'll grab his stuff and cut paste over here.
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Fred A. Evans
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H2H
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Jim don’t take this the wrong way but Bruce Richards knows his Spey Lines same with Simon and Jim Vincent. It kind a fun fishing on the Skagit/Sauk and running into these guys, you get a lesson each time you see them.
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Brian
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fredaevans
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Brian, being you've caught this thread, I'll let you do the posting.
Fred
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Fred A. Evans
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REDSHED
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steelie
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"Finally an attempt at line standards to make it easier for anglers to match lines to spey rods."
I'm all for standardizing line weights and head lengths but I don't believe it will really make buying a spey rod/line that "works for you" all that much easier. Everyone has a different style and ability so what really works for one person might be junk for the next guy. If you want to get something that "works for you" go to a shop that has demo spey equiptment and take some test drives.
As to BG's contention that there is a "spey abyss", I somewhat disagree. Maybe a few years ago that would fly but I think with all the info available from Rio, Rajeff, Meiser, Backmann, Aaron, Peter-SC, the Spey Clave, and several other places, the "spey abyss" should about be closed up.
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Black_Ghost
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Well Mike it is much clearer for me then 3 years ago and there is lots more web sites, videos, books etc available. But I can tell you when the fly shops in a major city such as Chicago stock none or maybe 1-2 spey rods and lines you know they are not clued in. I ask them why they say there is no demand to stock many of them they are specialty item for the few who are pursuing spey techniques. In the last three years on Michgan rivers I have seen two other spey rod users. The DNR officer who is on the rivers every day told me he as seen at most 4-5 and I may be a couple of those sitings.
My trout fisher friends are basically clueless on the spey rod for large river trout fishing back east, mid west and down in Arkansas.
There is still lots of areas for growth. I am sure in Idaho with the many large rivers and steelhead, salmon, trout it is probably more widely used.
I am over the big learning curve so its fine with me if spey usage does not advance further. If some one figures out how to tap into all of the big river trout and bass fly fisherman thats a big area of potential growth.
The entry costs to purchasing the spey line, reel, rod, casting information or lessons etc. is also a barrier to entry for many fly fishers.
I guess we will see what happens.
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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Steelheader69
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Well, with the increase of spey fishers out there, I've noticed alot more "lower end" rods coming out. Not as in quality, but in price. After the Speyclave on the Sky, Simon Gawesworth grabbed a reddington and boomed it with ease. He even commented that you'd be hardpressed to find a bad spey rod in current models.
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TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Project Healing Waters
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Black_Ghost
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Hey maybe I can extend my Shakespeare white glass eight weight wonder rod ($ 28 SP in 1980) and make it a spey rod and save some more $$$ ? LOL
I bet I could use that to catch steelhead and salmon no problem as well as my old Garcia Royal glass 6 weight fly rod from the 60s. I can't even remember how much that cost proably less than $ 20 I suspect.
They need to bring down the cost of the spey rods to open this technology to the masses of fly fishers and you don't need an expensive rod to effectively fish, of course your ego might though. LOL
I think the spey rod manufacturers are starting to see that now.
How many people can afford a $ 500 or more fly rod, not many and most that can will not buy more than a couple of them.
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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Steelheader69
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Why I buy mine used Hal. Buy the ones the others upgrade to newer models at half (if not less) the normal price. Think I haven't paid more then $250 for a spey rod (and those were sages). My older loomis and cabelas (made in USA ones) only cost me about $100 each. So you just gotta shop around. Saw some St. Croix speys for sale for $130. So they're out there, just depends if you want to use a used rod. I don't mind it.
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TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Project Healing Waters
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BobK
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True, Jerry - especially if you know how to inspect a "used" rod. It's surprising the original cost of what's out there.
I still think that Eastern trout fishers, with few exceptions, can't use a spey rod simply because the streams they fish are too small. In addition, dry flies are best fished stalking to close range, upstream, drag-free, and without casting or mending a long Spey rod with a long shadow to spook the fish. And what about midge fishing?? Hell, a size 22 BWO is hard enough to see right in your fingers, let alone 100 feet away! Imagine trying to mend THAT drift!! About their only use would be swinging a streamer, or maybe a "cast" of wet flies. (But that would mean having to carry along a 2nd fly rod & reel for dry fly fishing!!!)
For bass, I much prefer a canoe for keeping the range short, and casting poppers. Care to try repetitively popping a popper with a long rod and all that line???
Doubtful, at best.
So, I personally don't think there will be such a great market for new rods, but I can't wait for the "fire sale" and "used rod" sales by disgruntled fishermen.
I am sure western anglers would feel pretty much the same. If what you have works, why look further? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I would challenge Hal to a fishing match with stakes of a cup of coffee or a wee dram of single-malt on some back-east "Holy Water" in May or June. He would use his spey rod, I'd just use my ol' 9' 6-wt. With lots of hatches coming off, and classic dry fly fishing in gin-clear water, I already know what the outcome would be.
BobK 
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Steelheader69
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You are right Bob. I love using a spey, but don't use it as often. I am mostly a boat fisherman. So I'm either in a jetsled, driftboat, or my catarafts. So I fish on the move. Not the best to wield a 13-16' rod while in a boat (though you can). Just hooking and landing a fish in one is a pain. So I normally use my single handers in the boats. Plus, easier to store in a boat as well. But will have the spey taken down in a case in case I come up to a bar we can stop and fish (say in remote areas where walk in access is nil).
Yup, I inspect them quite well. So far, rods have been clean and nick free. Get awesome deals, and am paying one hander prices.
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TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Project Healing Waters
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Black_Ghost
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Quote:
So, I personally don't think there will be such a great market for new rods, but I can't wait for the "fire sale" and "used rod" sales by disgruntled fishermen.
You will have to get in line behind me. I have new information sources and I am zipper lip about them. LOL
Also I saw that comment about the on water competition with BG and as my sons football teams says "We are Ready" , bring it on, etc.. LOL
I should advise you I have invested significant time in the last 6 weeks working on my single hand casting skills so lets throw in a spey and single handed casting competition too in addition to the fish catching. God I love a good fair and square competition. Might even have to use Ms 5120 on you after the big spey rod "fire sale" occurs.
BTW, my single hand casting after almost three years of relative non usage came back after a few minutes, like riding a bike Sir Bobk.
BG
P.S. The Delaware and Beaverkill are fine spey trout water yes indeed,
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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