Comments on: Roll/Spey Grass Leader

By: JB

JB — Tue, 05 May 2009 22:47:46 +0000

Steve—If you simply want to work on roll skills themselves, a clip-board, a brick, a rock, etc., can at least give you an anchor (an immobile one, true, but you can still work on the stroke itself, without a full roll-out). Some instructors like to use a stick or stake in the ground, angled away from the caster. Using a looped leader, it provides a way to get some anchor, and (hopefully) have the leader slide off as the line-loop passes.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:55:23 +0000

I agree. Snake rolls seem to go quite well. I have the most trouble with the static roll cast on the grass.

By: JB

JB — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:43:22 +0000

Steve—I’ll take water for Spey when I can get it, but if I just want to play in the grass, this is another way to make things easier. Some Speys also seem to lend themselves better to grass than others (Snake Rolls, for example, are pretty slick on grass, even if the anchor doesn’t behave exactly like it would on water). I’ve had to teach Switch casting and some Spey-style stuff (like Snake Rolls) on grass. Not the most fun, but certain tricks (like Al’s grass leader) can at least get clients into the groove before hitting the water.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:18:45 +0000

Hi Jason. I can’t always practice spey casting on water (I live by a tidal stretch of river and you’ve got no chance at high tide) so this could well come in handy!