But I can't do it well with my 9wt. Its a 9foot 9wt Echo classic with WF9F Rio Clouser line + a shooting basket. I understand that one needs to have moving water, but is there anything else to consider? Is my gear too heavy? Do I need a particular type of line taper? More casting lessons?
its a whipping type of roll cast that people use with their very long fly rods. it would seem very useful in Putah when you don't have a lot of room behind you. check this out on youtube:
Two weeks ago I was seriously wishing I had a spey rod. The river was up and I simply couldn't punch enough line, even with the shooting head. I have a great episode of flyfishing America where these guys are spey fishing up in Wash. state. Apparently there is specific "spey" lines and lots of guys are using rods up to 13 feet long. That's a big gun. Pretty much everyone on the show is swinging flies be it dries or underwater big stuff. They talk of making casts 125-130 feet no problem. What JT said is true about single handed spey casting. The roll cast is taken from it but it's much more efficient with a two handed rod.
I just bought a switch rod and am signed up for a spey clinic with Bill Lowe at AR...keeps getting rescheduled due to weather. My rod is 11 ft, 7wt. Very managable length for me since the 6wt I use is 9 1/2 ft. I bought it so that I could get my cast a little further out there like you big boys and to take a little stress off my elbow since I can cast it with two hands. I have only fished with it once, but really like it. I am anxious to learn some of the spey casts because it just so fun to watch and to do....like a dance.
Yes there are specific spey lines and different lines will maximize the output of different spey rods. But all rods will be maximized with the correct line.
Switch rods are a great way to do single hand and spey casting. Imagine highsticking with a 11' rod! Also you can get longer drifts and better mends, not to mention long casts. You can throw mends at 70+ feet with a switch. I am looking to get one myself.
Speys are most useful for larger bodies of water: Lower American, Lower Yuba, Klamath, etc as that is type of water they were designed for and evolved around in Europe/Scandanavia.
Putnam's video is pretty cool if you are looking to learn single hand spey casting.
Bill Lowe is a great instructor and nice guy. I met him one time, and he gave me some pointers on my casting because casting nymph rigs all the tiime makes you suck at casting dries. At least in my case.
Single hand spey or trick casting can be done with any weight rod. I have done it on different weight rods. The key to doing it right or smoothly is to understand that while doing the spey cast, one must use the water as an anchor. To do it all from my own personal perspective, one must learn the SWITCH CAST. The switch cast is a hybrid of the roll cast. The different between the SWITCH and the roll cast is that, the roll cast rolls on top of the water and the SWITCH cast fly or extends into the air like the forward cast. After learning the SWITCH CAST, all other spey cast or Trick cast such as CIRCLE CAST, TRIPLE LOOP CAST, (CAD) CAST-CAST ALL DIRECTION CAST, VOODO CAST, SNAP-T CAST, then can all be accomplish. The bottom line is to practice because practice brings unison in fly casting.
__________________
THE RIVER IS IN MY BLOOD, THE RIVER IS CALLING, I FEAR NO FISH THAT COMES MY WAY..........