# Two handed rods in the salt



## jonasmagn (Mar 3, 2009)

I assume that this subject is relatively new here. So this is for beginners. The old dogs (like me) know it all, and we do not agree on anything per principle! So I brace myself.

Nomenaclature - there are no Spey rods per se. Those rods are called 2 handed or double handed rods. If we stick to that, it avoids confusion. The 2 handers are currently say 12' and longer. Those are very awkward to cast one handed. Now the one handed rods can easily be managed up to 11'. On this interface there are rod built like two handed rods (grip under the reel seat and above). Somewhere from 9-11' long and they can easily be cast with either one handed strokes or two handed strokes. Hence the name switch rod i.e. you cast one handed or two handed.

So what is Spey? First off it is a river in Scotland, where a certain casting technique was invented. In short, spey is a technique where we use the water surface to load our rods for a roll casting delivery. The various casts that we employ are line reposition moves, when we are setting up our casts. So in order to use spey casts we need to anchor our lines on the surface. If the surface is rough these casts do not work at all. So I do not recommend that. With a one handed rod you can do all the spey casts too. I just taught one caster one this board how to do that. Spey is just a technique.

However longer rods have more leverage and we can use that to our advantage. If I use a switch rod in the salt two handed, I never set my cast up with a water anchor. I cast horizontally back and when rod is at shoulder, sideways I rotate up and over, and out she goes (constant tension cast - oval cast cast - Belgian cast).
We can get long casts out this way, and the line type that is mostly recommended is Outbound Short. This type of line can easily deal with the monster sized flies we like. So no false casting - head is two feet outside tiptop - horizontally back and up and over - 100' cast are possible this way. My 2 cents are that these rods are really useful, cast this way (no water anchors). There is no best way to approach this. Just the way that suits you.

You probably are still confused - but now it is on a higher level.


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## Dunt (Aug 14, 2015)

Good post... Much I agree with, but some I disagree with. I'm sure you've seen my recent posts/responses in the Fly Fishing section, so at the risk of repeating myself yet again, I'll digress. Tight lines.


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## jonasmagn (Mar 3, 2009)

Thx Dunt. We agree, i think, on the basic thrust, that long rods are useful in the salt. We might disagree on how exactly we use them. Tight lines.


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