[Matt Henderson]

I fished at kintore today with a sink one head a fast sink tip and a conehead. I had to roll it up to the surface but the upstream wind meant it wouldn't go out. Thus it was difficult to sweep back for a single spey because theine was slack.  I tried a circle spey but the line was blown straight upstream so when I swept round for the forward cast the head wasn't straight so even before the wind got hold of the forward cast it was already doomed!

Any suggestions for what else I could have I tried?

Cheers.

Matt

[Ben Dixon]

Hi matt,

Pull more line back into the rod before making the roll cast downstream to lift the line prior to the Spey cast, make sure there is about 18" - 2" of head inside the tip and fire the roll cast low to the water so that as soon as the loop has unrolled it is on the water.  It may take two roll casts to get it straight, one to lift the line and one to straighten it fully, you can shoot a foot or two into the second roll cast but you must lower the trajectory so it does not get blown back at you.

With the circle Spey, it is unlikely that the wind alone is carrying the line too far upstream, it is probably something that you are doing when making the circle that is responsible. 

Think about the circle as a U turned on its side with the bend pointing up and slightly outstream,  (you will be making a C shape or circle but the U gives better reference points for analysis).  With the line fished out and on the dangle, lift the rod straight up and go into round the bend of the U, do not drift the rod upstream before coming under (round the bend of the U) with the tip, make the top leg of the U as short as possible.  The bottom leg of the sideways U should be longer than the top leg, by that I mean bring the tip further in to your own bank when completing the circle than it was relative to where you started from.  Does that make sense?  If not drop in past the shop & I'll get the MPR out.  Once of the best things about the circle cast is that the anchor / end of the line can be placed with great accuracy.

Cheers

Ben

[Matt Henderson]

Thanks ben,

Excellent reply!  I have one question though where exactly should the line land when performing the circle spey?  Straight out across the river to the opposite bank or slightly upstream and towards the opposite bank?  I'll have to practise the circle part as described.

Matt

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Matt,

The end of the line should land approximately a rod length off the casting shoulder.  Where the bend of the U is relative to up & down stream and how far the rod is returned back in to your own bank will determine how far up or downstream the end of the line lands.  If the bend of the U is directed straight upstream then the line will land quite close to your bank, this will give the largest D loop and is good when you have plenty of space behind you, by lifting the tip of the rod in bank before you take the tip into the top leg of the U and make the bend of the outstream towards the far bank, the end of the line will land further outstream, good if you have limited space behind you.  I have digressed a bit here.

The end of the line should land about a rod length off your casting shoulder, get this right first then play about with landing it the desired distance from your shoulder relative to up & down stream every time then have a play with landing it in the right place but in bank and out stream.  I may do a demo on this at the Don Open Day at Castle Forbes on the 30th.

Cheers

Ben