Modern Spey Fishing

Rick Kustich

Fly Fisher/Fly Tyer/Author

Spey fishing has evolved from being traditionally used for salmon and steelhead to a wider scope of species including inland trout, smallmouth bass, and even saltwater game fish. Rick Kustich discusses presentation techniques for both two-handed and single-handed approaches to spey as well as lines and heads. Join us and learn about spey techniques and methods, and how spey fishing could fit into your fly fishing future.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:

• Where and when did spey fishing start?
• How did you first decide to learn spey casting and how did you go about learning the various spey casts?
• Other than distance, please list the advantages of Spey casting vs one handed casts?
• Can these techniques be adopted to small waters and smaller fish. This seems to be a big water technique?
• For someone starting out with Spey Fishing and an experienced fly fisher, what would you recommend in terms of equipment?
• What are the basics of spey casting?
• What’s the difference between single-hand and two hand casting?
• How does trout spey differ from “conventional” spey?
• What are the differences between Spey fishing for trout and the traditional wet fly swing?
• Are there practical applications for spey casting when musky fishing?
• What technique would be best for casting in a pond that has no current?
• Can you use a spey rod to fish saltwater from a beach?
• In what circumstances if any, do you use a stripping basket? Are they useful in Spey fishing?
• What type of flies are commonly used for spey fishing?