Fly Fishing Insider Newsletter featuring Spey Fishing, Alaska Flies, Comparaduns

The angling arts migrated to America with the Northern Europeans. By the time of Columbus, fly fishing for trout and possibly salmon was already a past-time in the British Isles. The favored approach was a fly tied on a hook made from a reforged needle, cast on a braided horse hair line with a two-handed rod. By 1800 the British Empire spanned the globe. Home rivers teemed with salmon. Furs, tinsels, silks and exotic feathers from far away places found their way to English, Scottish and Irish rivers as dressing for flies. Most were cast with two-handed rods. In southern England many river banks were landscaped so that the angler needn't worry about snagging his back cast. Salmon were regularly caught off the lawn.

Scottish Rivers on the other hand were larger and wilder with natural vegetation along their banks. Long back casts were out of the question on much of the water. Most notable of these wild Scottish rivers was the Spey. Here anglers devised a change of direction roll cast which became known as the Spey cast.

By the 1800's anglers were using fifteen to eighteen foot two-handed fly rods elaborately carved from Greenhart or the new technological breakthrough; laminated bamboo. Some rods weighed nearly three pounds. Men were men in those days.

This type of tackle has remained very popular in Europe where ever salmon still exist. The first rods used for American Atlantic Salmon were likely made in Europe. However the lively Americans were too busy damming, logging and netting their watersheds to develop much of a sporting tradition until their salmon were mostly gone. They did however, retain their interest in trout and pursued them vigorously with light tackle.

Fly fishing had become a popular sport in America by the 1880's. Because of the more mobile American life style and thousands of miles of trout streams open to the general public, lighter single handed rods became the vogue. This tackle was adapted to West Coast rivers as steelhead fly fishing became popular in the 1930's.

There is little doubt that there was also some experimentation with two handed fly rods during this same period. Rodrick Hague-Brown mentions catching Vancouver Island steelhead with a spey rod in the 1940's. These early two-handed steelhead rods were still made of split cane. Some fiber glass spey rods were built from 1950 to 1970 but they were too heavy and sloppy of action to gain much following except by some tournament casters. Graphite changed the two-handed fly rod forever, but it was not until third generation graphite that the spey rod became the versatile, practical, comfortable fishing tool that it is today.

Today a fast recovery fourteen foot spey rod may weigh as little as seven ounces. It develops the power and speed to deliver a wide range of fly lines to long distances with little back-cast room. On winter steelhead rivers these rods allow the angler to cover much more water than a single handed rod, with less fatigue.

In many types of water the modern two-hander can be as efficient as a spinning or casting rod . It does, however, take more river time to master. The spey rod is the great equalizer for fly anglers covering medium and large rivers. It is the superior tool for water that is six feet deep or less. This is the depth most preferred by steelhead. This is the travel band.

The rebirth of the spey rod has destroyed two highly ingrained myths: Winter steelhead are easier to catch on bait or lures, and desert river summer steelhead won't take flies in the middle of the day. In fact they will usually take flies if they are in the taking mood.

The spey rod is great for systematically covering large amounts of water at depth.

Variable sink-rate launcher lines are an indispensable part of the tackle system. They are specifically designed for two handed fly rods. Most popular are floating weight forward lines with easily changed sinking tips. The floating belly is comparatively short and is usually two weight sizes larger than the rod is designated for. The basic concept is a line that turns around quickly and builds enough kinetic energy to turn over large heavy flies with a minimum of back loop.

The interchangeable sinking tip sections are looped to the floating launcher. Many types of tips may be used. The highest line speeds are achieved and the best accuracy occurs when the tips are two line sizes smaller than the launcher. These tips actually accelerate as the loop unfolds assuring that the line will land straight and mend easily. The best systems incorporate tips that are the same length and weight, but vary in density so that the casting rhythm doesn't change when different water conditions are encountered. These tips may be carried in a wallet with the appropriate leaders and flies attached for minimum tackle change time.

This fly line design casts comfortably close as well as long, bucks the wind with authority, and facilitates precise control of the sinking portion.

The keys to catching steelhead are focus and efficiency. Most steelhead are found in snow melt rivers where water conditions change dramatically in short periods of time. Steelhead are adapted to these fluctual rivers and can migrate long distances quickly. They are always on the move, travelling in scattered populations. Often a lot of water has to be covered to find a few. The spey rod with a launcher system allows the angler to cover large amounts of water efficiently. Out to ranges of eighty feet it is one of the most practical casting tools ever made for fishing moving water of moderate depth. You don't have to reel in line and you don't have to false cast....both acts take the hook out of play. The fly has to be fishing to catch fish.

Most importantly, these long two handed fly rods provide the angler with enough leverage to easily mend line at all distances. Fly speed and proximity to the fish are important factors in producing strikes. Easy prey brings the attention of predators. The closer and slower the fly, the more vulnerable it appears. There is little doubt that steelhead are more prone to grab a fly that is moving at current speed or slower than one which is traveling faster than the current, and that demands control.

Knowing this, we were some of the first to use two handed fly rods for winter steelhead on our local rivers. They instantly created a lot of interest. People would actually pull their boats to the side of the river, anchor-up and sit and watch. That was only a few years ago.

Now most spin fishermen take us for granted, unless we're catching fish and they are not. Then everyone pays close attention. This is happening often enough that fly fishing for steelhead with a two-handed fly rod is a growing sport. It is a sport that will feed on its own catch rate.

Mighty Mouse Alaska is noted for its outstanding Rainbow Trout fly fishing. In many of the best rivers these Rainbows are large enough to eat the tundra's most prolific rodent, the ubiquitous Lemming. Offered here is the most proven Lemming pattern.
Item	Description	Price	To Top Alaska
ALAF-MM2	Mighty Mouse, size 2	3 for $10.75	-->SALE ENDED

Mini Mouse Some times certain trout will refuse the full size mouse (Lemming). A follow-up with a smaller fly will often bring a solid hook-up. The next time you go mousing, bring Mini along.
Item	Description	Price	To Top Alaska
ALAF-MM6	Mini Mouse, size 6	3 for $6.75	-->SALE ENDED

Pink Pollywog This is the surface fly for Alaskan Silvers and Chums. Try waking this fly across a school of bright fish. Be ready for heart pounding excitement.
Item	Description	Price	To Top Alaska
ALAF-WOG	Pink Pollywog, size 2	3 for $7.95	-->SALE ENDED

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