This fall on our bushcraft and guide training trip on the Allagash we had two people with us from Scotland. We did a fair bit of fly fishing, and I watched with great interest one our Scottish friends Spey cast. I had read about it but had never seen it before. He showed me a few things and coached me through the basic differences between Spey and regular casting, and it was enough to plant the seed.

Last week I picked up a copy of Jeffrey Pill’s dvd titled The Art Of Spey Casting and have really enjoyed watching it. I’ve seen a few fly casting videos over the years, and I think this one is the best of the bunch. If you’re interested in learning how to Spey cast it would be a good start.  Of course, there is much more to fly fishing than casting, but there is sense of satisfaction in putting your fly exactly where you want it, especially if there’s a wind or a good distance to your target.  To achieve this, Spey casting is another tool in the fisherman’s toolbox.