fly fishing with Philip Krista: Why Use a Spey Rod

With a “classic” spey rod (like those offered in the Krista's Long Rods fly rod series) designed to perform in the age-old tradition of spey fishing, the art of spey casting is beautiful to watch and intensely satisfying to perform. You reach the very pinnacle of all the angling skills and can enjoy a lifetime of lasting pleasure.

A classic spey rod requires very little effort to cast and thus is physically easier on your body than some other rods. Making a spey cast of less than 60 feet takes little to no power. And thanks to the casting style, wind becomes your friend because it doesn't wrest control of your fly line away from you as other rods and casting methods allow.

The Krista classic spey rod has a butt action to slow the tempo of the rod together with a strong and steady power all the way through to the tip to project easy power and control over both long and short lines. Classic spey rods cast shooting heads with far less efficiency and do not easily cast overhead.

These are traditional “Greased” line fly fishing tools specifically designed for casting double taper floating lines.

Casting in tight quarters can be more easily achieved with this classic spey rod, especially when your back cast is restricted by terrain. This is difficult for other long rods like a two-handed Overhead European Hard Rod longer than 13-foot-6-inch because the rod action is so fast.

Accuracy and continuous control over your cast are both hallmarks of a classic spey rod and good spey casting techniques. You can pick up your line more easily and quickly and send it off in a new direction to your liking. Other traditional rods and two-handed Overhead European Hard Rods require you to complete each element of the cast, wait for the loop/line to catch up before moving to the next element of the cast, then finely making your presentation before picking up line to make a new cast in a different direction.

Getting to the best and biggest fish requires going beyond the average cast of a one-handed fly rod. A classic spey rod can help you properly cover the water which takes on added significance on hard fished water. Thanks to its length and action, the classic spey rod allows you to mend a large amount of line as well.

Once you “hang” a good size fish, the supple nature of the classic spey rod makes it a great fish fighter and thus allows you to land more fish than harder rods. It gives when you need it to and doesn't break delicate tippets.

Finally, the classic spey rod and the casting method used with it tends to make it safer than any other rod. The casting, which takes place away from the body (and those of your friends) makes sure that you won't hook anyone's body parts.

Want to read what a recent student has to say? Just click here to read what a joy it is to learn about such a rod.

Man and animal gravitate toward efficiency. The least effort and the biggest result equals survival. Spey fishing fits this model perfectly.

Nature has a rhythm. Rivers have a rhythm. It's not the 46 million modulus rhythm or the ultra-fast tip rhythm. It's more like a 3/4 waltz time. Spey casting is done in a 3/4 waltz time.

And that means that it is in synchronization with the river.

—Philip Krista

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