From the Archives: North Umpqua (Fall ’08)
I’m slowly getting my act together on the grasshopper tying piece, but in the meantime here’s another pic from the archives. This is one my personal favorite fishing “snapshots” from Kel last year, taken on Oregon’s North Umpqua (I was working on a project at Steamboat for a couple of days—squint hard and you can see me down by the river). It was early fall, forest fires were burning nearby, and the light was just surreal. Combined with the rough-and-tumble landscape and the gorgeous water, the conditions were about as good as it gets for dramatic shots. No big steelhead this day, but a nice helping of smaller fish, all taken on an October Caddis.
![FF&W [art] - DF52 Grayling](http://fishfliesandwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/df52_16-grayling-sidebar.jpg)
what are the advantages and disadvantages of single handed rods and double handed rods when steelhead fishing? it seems like single handed can shoot and strip more than double handed? is double handed more efficient with that long belly type line? can you shoot and strip with a double handed like a single handed?
what type of system do you like (Jason) when fly fishing for steelhead?
how can one learn how to cast with a double handed rod?
best,
novice–That’s just about a book’s worth of questions ;-) , but I’ll try to provide some succinct direction in a few lines (and if any other FF&W readers have some additional input, feel free to expand on my quick thoughts with your own comments).
(Advantages/disadvantages) Singles are light, easy to maneuver, well-suited to smaller/overhung waters (or smaller/tighter sections of big waters), well-suited to relatively lighter lines. Can be harder to Spey cast at longer ranges (or at least with longer lines, light shooting heads can be a game changer), and while hauling can be used, they are dependent on one hand for the casting motions. Doubles (when properly set-up) can be quite nice to handle (though physically longer and bulkier), allow easy longer-range Spey casting (and heavy heads), can allow for better long-line control, allow for some extensive big-water coverage. Switches are in-between and offer versatility in many situations, unless you are in a situation that is more intelligently handled with either smaller or bigger gear.
(Shoot/Strip) Singles and doubles can both be set-up with systems that range from long-bellies (less shoot/strip) to heads (more shoot/strip). Depends on what you want to do (and that’s its own book).
(Efficiency) Long bellies can allow for less line handling in the shoot/strip department, but heads offer other advantages, so don’t automatically think that double-handed=long-belly only/best, that’s just one fishing method. Skagit, for example, is a method built around heads (serious heads), and is very successful at what it does. Any of my Euro friends care to comment on the successful nature of heads and double-handers? I think that there must be a few of you… ;-)
(System) Whatever I need to get to the fish, but…My ultimate preference (only if conditions are right, of course): A switch rod with a dry fly or light streamer (who wouldn’t like that, really?). A fave from my Great Lakes haunts: single-hander, floating line (or floater with a short piece of lead core looped on) and sight-fishing a streamer (perhaps with a small amount of weight). I’ve also heaved nasty-heavy heads in icing conditions for the better part of a day, feeling shivery and gloomy—until the line suddenly stopped swinging and all was forgotten in a moment…
(Learning) Fastest/most direct: Competent instructor (emphasis on the “competent” part). Comfort of your own home: DVD. I often recommend Spey to Z for introductory use since it is well-tuned for transitioning from single-handed to double-handed (and if you want a pile of info, check out Simon Gawesworth’s 3-DVD set). For reference: Simon’s Spey Casting book is a strong choice, as is Dec Hogan’s Passion for Steelhead (from a fishing perspective).