The Double Spey Cast

Downstream wind, double spey, is the easiest way to remember which cast to use on a river, if on the left bank the loop is formed on the left side, on the right it is the right side. The cast is the same as the single spey, except it involves one extra movement, again on the left bank, there is a downstream wind and the line is fished round to the dangle, our objective is to create enough fly-line to be able to form a loop on our left side without the fly coming anywhere near us. As before stand square on to the intended direction of the cast, and as in the single spey the arm goes across the body pointing downstream and the initial lift is done, (in line with the bank), when the rod has reached the 45, the rod-tip makes a sweep upstream on a path that is parallel to the water (keeping the elbow under control). There should be enough flex in the rod in that smooth acceleration, that when it is stopped at around 45 degrees upstream of you, the result is the end of the fly-line has landed in line with the direction of the new cast (about a rod length out and downstream of you), and a loop of fly-line has laid on the water upstream. As the stop is made, the rod is lowered to the horizontal at the same rate the line falls, this does two things, first if there is a strong wind the loop doesn’t get blown away, and secondly, it gives us a lower starting position for the downstream sweep which is coming next. It is this upstream loop that is to be transferred to the left or downstream side.

The loop of line has landed upstream and the rod lowered to the horizontal, if on a Stillwater we will have plenty of time with this part of the cast and timing is not so important, but on a river with moving water the next movement has to be done before the current gets hold of the line and carries it away. The rod now begins a downstream path which is parallel to the water, all the time keeping tension on the line while slowly accelerating, as we reach 45 degrees downstream of us the rod takes an upward (increasing in speed) sweeping movement to the roll cast position over the left shoulder. The loop of line that was created upstream will follow the rod tip around leaving a spray as it does so, it is when this spray stops and you are in the roll-cast position, (the loop that has formed behind is in line with the end of the fly-line and in line with the target) the forward tap is made.

On the right bank it is a mirror image, your rod arm comes across your body on the upstream stroke, and the loop is formed on the right side on the downstream stroke.