The more spey dudes I spend time around the more I realize that casting and fishing are often two different pursuits.

I just really don't see the need to consistently make long casts for steelhead if catching them is your ultimate goal. More and more it seems like for many two-hand rod toters, casting well and enjoying the motions thereof is primary, and the catching is secondary. Nothing wrong with that. I just had this conversation at length with a friend while on an extended float trip for steelhead. It took a while but eventually he was able to admit that he would rather cast well and far and limit his chances of catching fish than make smaller, less interesting casts and fish more effectively.

With regard to the catching, if you find yourself casting farther than say 40' regularly you are either a) not fishing to fish, b) on the wrong side of the river.

I can perhaps see the need in more of a true summer run/warm water fishery where you might get an active fish to chase something down from a mid-river holding spot, but in most cases, they are holding close to one bank or another even in tailouts.