Walter & Group....
On finding more information on Spey lines from Tony Loader (I edited his text but not the link.):
Hi
Gordy,
I appreciated Lou?s
comments re Spey lines. The questions I contributed were deliberately posed to
explore experience and practical knowledge, the answers to many of them would
not be found in books and those who answered them correctly demonstrated a clear
knowledge of Spey fishing. Those who found the questions difficult have
hopefully learned from the answers. Now go out with a rod and experiment to see
if you agree with them. I love fishing books, especially old books, but there is
a great danger of people studying to pass exams rather than learn the subject
properly and there is no substitute for doing a task well in order to learn it.
My advice is that next time a tricky question comes up go outside with your rod,
try to replicate the situation, observe and solve and if the answer comes back
different go outside again and look at it from another angle.
Students ask all sorts
of questions and you must be ready to respond. Often if a student asks me a
?what if? question I don?t tell them the answer instead I demonstrate the
problem and ask them for the solution leading them along if need be, if they
solve it, they remember it!
Best
wishes,
Ally Gowans
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Ally .....
I understand. That is why I didn't even try to come up with those questions ..... because I didn't have the years of hands-on two handed casting experience.
Reminds me of a well known quote : "The essence of learning is doing. The essence of teaching is inspiration" - Mel Krieger.
When I learn something new and then use that information while casting or fishing, it seems to solidify it in my mind. If I fail to use it, I stand a good chance of forgetting it.
Having said that, few have the luxury of owning a wardrobe of various Spey lines with which to practice. I do recall spending time with Dennis Grant as he brought out several different Spey lines for us to try on our rods. Great way to learn.
Probably the very best way is to do what Jim Green and Al Buhr did as they experimented by making up their own lines for two handed casting. As I understand it they did this by splicing various segments and altering lengths, "tweaking" to perfection, etc. I'm sure that others have done this on your side of the pond as well.... certainly we know that this was done by Alexander Grant. Rick Whorwood noted that the Swedish Spey casters were cutting and modifying their lines during his trip to Scadinavia. When fishing the Skeena system back several years ago, I found some of the steelheaders doing that as well.
Gordy
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