As a guide and casting instructor, I have the opportunity to watch a diverse range of casters use a lot of different gear. It’s funny how many of my clients have six different rods in their quiver yet they always seam to reach for a particular one. Typically, it’s the one that works best for their natural casting stroke therefore it’s the sweetheart of the bunch.

I’m also amazed at how diverse the rod actions are in most anglers’ 

arsenals. Just the other day I was guiding a gentleman that had four rods in the boat. One of them was a really slow action stick that bent way into the cork during a cast. Another was a medium-fast rod that turned out to be his sweetheart. The other two rods where extremely fast sticks that he had bought on the suggestion of a friend but really struggled to cast them well.

While it’s great to have a number of rods rigged for different fishing situations, it does you no good if you can cast only one of them with proficiency. Before you spend a ton of money on building your collection of rods, it’s critical to find an action that suites you well and use it as your baseline for future purchases.

If your completely new to fly fishing and decided to jump feet first into Spey fishing, a good starting point would be a medium-fast action rod, something like the Series or TR series. Ninety percent of casters feel the most comfortable in this action.

If you’re new to Spey casting but are already fishing single-hand rods, this part of the equation is simple! Just take a look at the action of your favorite fly rod and try to match it in the Spey world. 

For example, If you like casting soft bamboo rods or slow groovy graphite rods, you’ll more than likely gravitate towards a slow action stick like the Echo DH series. On the other hand, if you like a more medium action trout rod, a better choice would be an Echo TR. And finally, if you’re an aggressive caster and demand high line speeds out of your single-hander, step up to the medium-fast Echo3 series. 

Bottom line; try to match the preferred action of your single-hander to your Spey rods and life will be good.

One of the beauties of Echo is every rod within a series casts the same. This is not the case with many manufactures. However, once you find an Echo that fits your stroke, you can build your quiver knowing that your #6 weight is going to feel the same as your #8 weight. From a fishing standpoint, this equates to more consistency in your casting which in turn means more fish to your fly.

Happy Casting!

Tom Larimer

Airflo Pro-Staffer Rachel Finn is not only one of the most talented fly fishing guides in the country, but also an incredible artist.  Last week the UPS man delivered this awesome piece of artwork Rachel created.  It will forever hold an honored place on our wall here at Rajeff Sports. 

If you are interested in contacting Rachel for art work or a guide trip let us know and we will get you connected.

The first time I watched Dec Hogan cast my jaw dropped…  It was fairly early in the “Windcutter/Delta Spey Era” and short belly multi-tip lines were new to the Spey world.  Prior to meeting Dec, most of my early Spey casting advice had come from two instructors.  One was Scottish the other was Irish.  Both of them beat into my head, “Ya push with the top and pull with the bottom!”  The day I met Dec, he gave me some very sage advice.  “Focus on your bottom hand for power, pull the rod through the stroke” were his words.  After some practice I changed my casting stoke and my loops have been tighter ever since.

That was many years ago.  Now the idea of using your bottom hand is nothing new.  This is partly because of great Spey instructors like Dec, and partly because the evolution of Spey equipment.  The trend in two-handed rods has been shorter lengths and considerably faster tapers.  Additionally, Spey lines are following suite and also becoming shorter.  Lately, I’ve been fishing a 12’6 #6 weight with an Airflo Skagit Switch for winter steelhead.  The head length (without sink-tip) is only 20.5 feet!  That being said, the shorter and faster the rod is, the more bottom hand you’ll need to use to drive tight loops.  The same can be said about shorter Skagit and Scandi style Spey lines.

While a bottom hand dominant stroke is great for chucking long, pretty casts, there is a time to use your top hand to drive the rod.  When you have lots of back casting room, you can drive a big, compressed D-loop behind you.  The bigger the D-loop you form, the more power you’re going to get out of the cast.  It’s easy to make a nice, smooth bottom-hand stoke when the rod is loaded with an efficient D-loop.  However, if you’re in a spot with little to no room behind you, you’re going to have to change things up.  This is where your top hand comes into play.

As you get closer to the brush, you’re going to have to take some speed out of your D-loop.  Slow everything down early in sweep of the rod.  Keep in mind; you still want a slight acceleration into the back cast. Judge your back cast speed by the distance behind you.  The slower you go and the smaller the D-loop is, the less efficient the back cast will be.  As you go into your forward stroke, you’re going to have to make up for the inefficiency of the shallow D-loop.  Instead of trying to pop the bottom hand like you do with tons of line speed; use a little more top hand in your stroke.  In really tight spots you may have to use all top hand to drive the cast.  You’ll also have to lengthen your forward stroke to make up for the lack of line speed. Your loop won’t be as tight but I guarantee the fish won’t care.  -Just as long as your fly turns over.  The next time you get into a tight spot just remember this; The more back casting room you have and the bigger your D-loop is, the more bottom hand you can use.  The less back casting room you have and the smaller your D-loop is, the more top hand you’ll need to get the job done.  

Come join the Rajeff Sports crew this Saturday for the IF4 Screening.  Airflo is a proud sponsor of this years tour and we look forward to celebrating the great sport of fly fishing with everyone.  It’s sure to be a great time.

Saturday March 31st.  Doors open at 5:00 show at 6:00.

Bagdad Theater
3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214
503-467-7521

By the end of day 2, the group had already done the “bone” thing and were ready to take a shot at the big leagues, GT’s!  Knowing only from talking with those who have done it elsewhere in the world such as the Seychelles, I came with what I thought was the correct fire power…we all left realizing we needed to step it up next time we pursue this species at this size!

We landed with 10 12wts from various manufacturers all of which had time with a GT in excess of 70 pounds on it.  While we only broke one rod and exploded, literally, 1 reel, the time it took to land many of these fish that were closer to 100 pounds was around 1 and a half to 2 hours.  This is where next time, it will be 14wts for the sole purpose of landing and releasing these fish in a more timely manner.

The equipment that took the hardest hit were our Airflo lines, just getting shredded on the coral and simply lost at sea with some of these beasts that by the look of them when they took and after landing fish nearing a 100 pounds, they were likely pushing 120 or more!  Hooks by Gamakatsu, Owner, Tiemco and others were opened up enough to release fish prematurely or straightened.  Amazing to see that!

All in all, we will be going back but more to put one of the daddy GT’s in our hands that got away this trip and I won’t go into the 30-40 pound parrot fish that were  not landable in the surf with a 10wt!  Brian O’Keefe said it best to me a long time ago when he was talking about fishing Midway before it closed, he said, “I saw GT’s that were so big I didn’t even cast at them.  I knew they were unlandable and that was scary!”  Seeing a fish in excess of 100+ pounds voraciously take your fly less that 30 feet from you while half a dozen others are swarming around is indeed a bit scary!

Not only does the rod handle the sinking lines but it also works with the Bass floater.

The first perch on the second cast. It was dark out there at 6am!

Another toad to hand. When you can lip them, they have size.

Recently I spent a couple weeks in Honduras at a new lodge and will be going back again in October for another week and while there on the last trip, I spent all my time throwing a 10wt at bones and permit.  Not because the bones are that big (even though there are some 10+ ones here) but because in the flurry of packing to leave for the trip, I packed my 8wt tube which didn’t have my 8wt in it!  A quick recollection placed it hanging in my garage as I had just been doing some casting lessons with it.  Soooo I was left with the 10wt which as it turned out had a broken stripping guide on it!  So this is sort of a multi message with things to learn for the average or even above average reader!  Not only check your rod cases for rods but also travel with super glue and duct tape.

Back to the lines…the saltwater ridge lines were awesome in dealing with the obvious heat and warm water but also in withstanding a 2 weeks of shooting and being drug through the duct tape, super glue and broken aluminum eyelet of my first stripping guide.  Along with the man made obstacles the bottom here in Honduras is either cutting turtle grass or coral, very little sand so while you are presenting a fly to fish the line is taking a beating on the bottom structure. 

Also, for those who haven’t permit fished much these fish are pretty fickle.  Turning big crab patterns over on long leaders in the wind is tough and yet there was no problem.  For much of this region as well, the bottom is often times a very slight shade of beige and the mid tone brown of these lines tends to be very visually unobtrusive to fish that were otherwise spooking with other lines (and presentations) of others on the trip.

I like to know how my equipment can be pushed so for 2 weeks I didn’t rinse rod, line or reel and each day, that line still went through the guides without issue.  I don’t recommend doing this but from someone who has done it and will continue to do so just know they can handle the abuse very easily if cared for even a little bit.

2 weeks and one line later, we were in good shape, that same line is headed back again in October for a reunion.

Any second guesses on how these perform should be put to bed, they are professional lines all the way.  Other lines didn’t fair as well…

The chosen day was perfect for such an occasion, warm and sunny, but not so hot as to bake you. We all decided to wade wet, except our two fearless float leaders Jarrod and Jamie, something about river critters biting ankles? The whole office was present, Tim, Katherine, Jarrod, Jamie, Anna, Lisa, and Randy. Our “flotilla” consisted of four single person pontoon boats and one large party pontoon (had to have the mothership for spirits and food). There is something about floating a river that gives you a much more intimate experience with it, seeing every inch as you quietly slip down her currents and secret waters.

The big challenge of the day was not hooking any splash and giggle tubers as they floated by. Some of whom were having a grand time, and others airing out their drunken marital spats. By the end of the float Lisa and Anna, both of whom had never attempted fly fishing for steelhead, let alone floating a river were old hands. Anna jumped in one of the single man pontoons early on and was not going to give it up; she looked like Mario ANNA-dretti zipping around the river. Lisa had the good fortune of raising a fish to the surface while Tim was working with her on two hand casting skills.

Late afternoon, with the shadows making their way across the surface and the feeling of the witching hour approaching, we all stood around the mothership eating brats, drinking spirits and enjoying the whole experienced. The unspoken word between us all, “life just doesn’t get any better”.

We decided that moving our entire operation riverside would be great for moral. Could you imagine!!!

The next day I loaded the rod with a 225qrn Quickmax and had the same results…hmmmmmmmmm

Here’s some video of the rod in action.

The third day I loaded it with a 8wt Bone fish line, same one I used to land a 35lb Black Drum in New Orleans the previous week. This is when I absolutely fell in love with this rod. It cast that line so easily; well, I asked where you’d been all my life. Look, I cast fast rods with heavy sinking lines and I could never really toss a floater with the same ease I could a sinker and I tried some of the most expensive rods out there. Not anymore boys and girls, I’m home.

Matching the line with a heavy popper version of my Bull Candy Baja fly, I hammered the dorado. Did I say I could cast this easily? If I would have come down with the 10wt version of this rod I’d have never unpacked the ION or ECHO 2 10wts. I’m a creature of habit, I eat at the same restaurants’, drive the same make of car and have been married to the same woman for over 30 years, well you get. When I find something I like I stick with it and this rod is going to be with me for a long time. Think of it terms of that friend that lost weight on a particular diet and thinks everyone should try it. Same with me with this rod.
Run, don’t walk to your nearest ECHO dealer and ask to try this rod out with a floating line. If you don’t like it, email me and I’ll tell you didn’t use the correct line…

I wrote the above before I was finished fishing and near the end of the trip I landed a 30lb dorado on this rod on a 12lb leader in just over 7 minutes. This rod can put the hurt on big fish!

Video of the bigger dorado.