Thought I would pass on a recommendation to those of you interested in learning how to Spey Cast. I enrolled in Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company’s Spey Casting Class, organized by Great Lakes staffer and Spey caster, Bob Brindle. Each of us at Riverquest seeks to grow our fly fishing expertise each year, and for me, my 2009 goal is to become a proficient enough Spey caster so that I can effectively share the method with my clients. I had previously learned the basics of Spey casting from Bob Brindle, who is an excellent teacher and whose streamside teaching services with the Spey rod can be arranged through Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company. Bob taught me a ton and set me up for what proved to be an excellent half day of learning on the water with our teacher Pete Humphries. We met at the New Bridge landing on the Muskegon. Pete, too, is an excellent instructor and taught us four casts: the Roll Cast, the Switch Cast, the Double Spey Cast, and the Circle C. After lecturing on the principles of each cast, Pete would demonstrate and explain the techniques of each cast. Then, off to the stream we would go to practice what he taught. Pete and Bob tirelessly waded up and down the river encouraging and coaching us. They worked hard and had to be a couple of tired puppies at the end of the day, given the speed and power of the Muskegon River current. All in all, it was an excellent experience, which I recommend to novices and to more experienced casters who wish to work out kinks in their casting. Pictured is Pete teaching and demonstrating the Circle C, as well as some of the members of the class practicing the casts. Contact Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company at (616) 866-6060 for information about the class and the next upcoming Spey event in September.
Captain Tom Kuieck
