Poll: Single or double hander ?

Are you single hander or two hander (spey) fly fisherman ?

What else is there?

I use single handers only because I don't have a spey rod. I plan on getting one in a few years though. I need money first.

Well I can understand the money thing, your probably looking at $ 400 - $ 600 to get a starter rod, line, and reel that will hold a spey line.

Need to pick up a couple of spey videos or take a lesson so throw in another $ 100 unless you have a spey buddy that can get you going with the casting.

I can tell you once you learn how to do it you are more effective fly fisherman and it is easier on your body than single hander casting all day. And more fun !

FL

I've got a complete Spey outfit for sale. Rod, reel, Rio line with interchangeable tips, plus an instruction video. Anyone interested?

First Light,

Can't participate in your poll. You discriminate against all us bi-guys. What makes you think most steelheaders are either - or? Some of us have both and use both.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

LOL

Its ok to do both, which one do you primarily use most of the year ?

FL

FL,

I've been using a 12' 7/8 wt most of the time the past few seasons. It seems to do what I need in the winter and is light enough to suit my summer fishing preferences, too.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

How the devil I missed this one ..????

95% 'two hander,' 2.5% single hander, and 2.5% drift or float rod. The 'sticks' only get pulled out for the spring king run (new ... all-be-it I haven't used it yet) or the light float rod with fly's under for a change of pace.

This poll is not really accurate. It should state how often you use a double hander,not what one you use. As you can't use a DH in all situations. I have both and I use them about 60% single handed and 40% double hander. I just love fishing smaller water where a DH wouldn't work.

So there.

Jim

Fred & Old Man

You two are making this sport go down hill!

After looking at the results of the poll 70% choose Two-Hander.
I'll say it again what else is there?

Not everybody is in love with them rods and I ain't one of them. I can take it or leave it and I'd rather leave it.

But then again I'm just an Old Man so what the hell do I know.

Jim

Sigh.... Jim, Jim, Jim .. you haven't been to the "dark side" yet. At 14'ish 'spey rods' and have three more I'm testing out. (Truth be told, two of the three are 'duds,' the thrird...YA BABY!!)

So young (retired or no), so much to learn.

For steelhead and salmon I used DH 100% of time.

For trout and smallmouths use single handers 100% of the time.

So I guess I am a BI-Flyfisher ! LOL

I can go both ways, but really prefer the DH, actually my SH casting has regressed since I switched to the DH 3 years ago.

When I grab a fly rod now its automatically with two hands if that tells you anything.

I was even using the DH on a small trout and steelhead river the other day floating drys and stripping streamers, and drifting nymphs. Mainly because I had just come from the big river and was too lazy to rerigg the SH rod.

Just had to make sure I guided the DH rod accurately through the many overhanging tree limbs on the smaller river. That takes some extra thinking on each cast fellows. Otherwise you will be hearing the BIG CRACK eventually.

Got to get the Old Man into this spey technology its a lot easier on the old body thats for sure than a lond day of SH casting big sink tips and steelhead flys. Maybe he likes pain and exhaustion though, I don't know. LOL

FL

I like to fly fish so I use a single hander, but thought about going to a double hander when I get old. :p

I am old(69) and I'm also retired and I still don't feel like I need one. Those sticks are good on big water like the Sky and the Skagit but not on little water like the upper reaches of some of the rivers around here that I like to fish.

And Fred to me the dark side is using spinning gear or a bait casting rig. I did that and now I'm done with it.

Once an old man always a old man.

Jim

Well, we're closer to "50-50" now with the nod to 2 handers. But, there are time (when you actually have to fish REAL close in where a spey rod is a pain in the butt. (Thinking the Rogue river and a few pools on the North Umpqua here)

Short casting is not a spey forte', but what the heck, that's why I've always got three or four rods rigged and in the auto .. one's my 10' 7 wt Sage XP .. usually lined with a sink tip.

That's great that you can have that many rods rigged up and ready to go. But if you tried that around here,being the greater Seattle area,when you got back to the car your gear would probably be gone along with almost everything the car. Or if the car was new enough maybe the car.


im

Yes it appears Washington has a big problem with fisherman vandalism personnally in 40+ years of fly fishing I was ripped off once when I was a teenager trout fishing we left our tackle boxes on an island in the river and left to fish. Some kids took them.

Spey fishers are a distinct minority in my waters. DNR officers says he has only seen a few and he is on the rivers every day, I'm one of them though.



FL

My car was broken into twice in one week number of years ago. Once at Lenice (by Vantage) came back to my car after a full day of fishing, found one of my car doors open and the lock punch out! They took a bunch of stuff and they left me only one shoe to drive home. I get back home pissed off, go and get a new lock put in the door 3 days later the same thing happens right in front of my own house!

A real bad week $$$