Task 9 Discussion 4

Walter & Group...

[GH] Attached, please note messages about and from our BOG, Tomonori Higashi (Bill) of Japan following the devastating earthquakes and Tsunami, yesterday.

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[GH] Here are some hints on performing Task 9 (single Spey) :

# On the exam, you will be using a single handed rod.

a. Some teach the single Spey with a single haul made during the forward delivery. I suppose this to be a variation which has practical application.

b. Those of you who read Simon Gawesworth on the single Spey done with a one hand rod will note that this is the method he teaches. *

c. While this works very well when fishing or going for distance, the haul is not permitted when taking your exam.

d. Even though you are using a single handed rod, and the concept of "top hand" and "bottom hand" is not addressed in either the Task 9 description or the Expectations, a Master candidate should be familiar with this. He/she should have a basic understanding of when to use one or the other and the advantages & disadvantages of making Spey casts cross-body ("cackhanded") vs. placing the non-dominant hand on top. This information may emerge if the examiners ask for an in depth explanation you have performed the task.

# Re. Wind direction :

When I'm out fishing from my skiff, or wading a lake or bay, I speak of a "north wind" as wind which comes from the North... not to the North. By the same token, I (and most others) speak of wind from the South or from the East as wind coming from those directions.

When Spey fishing a river or stream, it's done differently :

a. The wind direction is usually named with respect to its direction in relation to the current flow.

- A downstream wind is a wind which is blowing downstream in the direction of the current.

- An upstream wind blows upstream in the direction opposite that of the current.

b. The primary consideration when deciding which cast to use is based upon safety.

c. By placing your D-loop on the downwind side, you negate the risk of having it blow into you.

# Performing Spey casts on grass :

For me (and I think most others) placement of the anchor is very difficult when casting on grass or a gym floor. This is one reason the wording, "Allowances will be made if casting on grass ". You may not be perfect with your actual anchor placement, but you must know its proper placement and alignment with respect to your presentation "target" and D-loop.

Accomplished Spey casters may scoff at this oversimplified set of explanations. I assure you, however, that I've come across several MCI candidates who are not regular Spey fishers or Spey casters and yet can perform Task 9 just fine...... then get confused when queried as to when to use this or the double Spey on which bank and which wind.

This confusion is most likely to be a problem if this candidate tries to memorize the algorithms as to when to use a particular cast rather than learning by actual experience on the river and the safety issues.

Gordy

* SPEY CASTING by Simon Gawesworth, 2004, pp. 201-204

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