Until Recently, fishing two handed rods was never really associated with our local trout rivers.  Those days are over & the two hand revolution is here!

I remember when I first began spey casting and fishing two handed rods.  My initial draw to it was all the cool casting.  What I have come to learn, is it’s not just fancy casting.  It’s casting that makes sense.  It’s about quickly taking your fly from point A and making it line up to point B to make a good cast.  This also crosses over into single hand casting. Fly Casting is Fly Casting!<
Welcome to the New Age!
The beautiful, borderline gaudy flies were also very intriguing to me.  Without a doubt, flies designed to be fished on the swing are beautiful.  It’s more than just aesthetics though.  It’s often said that swing flies are not tied, they are engineered.  By that I mean, there isn’t a feather or wrap of thread on these flies that doesn’t have specific purpose.  Example being the use of “props” in the underbody of flies as a way to help the material tied around it keep it’s profile in the water.

But Does it Work on Our Local Trout Streams?

As two handed fly fishing has become more and more popular, the gear and lines have evolved to make sense around home.  We now have switch rods wich are basically rods that can be fished in either a single hand or two hand capacity.  They are light enough now (down to 4wt) where a 16″ trout is still going to put a good bend in the rod.  The lines, sink tips, etc have also followed suit.
Flies Are Next To Evolve

I have fished all the commercially tied and store bought steelhead flies you can think of on our trout streams.  While these flies work, the size, color schemes & overall action of the flies are not the same as what will come off your own vice.  I still keep all the same techniques and concepts in spey designed flies, but I simply tie them in colors, sizes & with stinger hooks that won’t go through a trout’s skull.
Why You Should Try It
1. It teaches you how to cast & will make you a lot better with your single hand casting.
2. It will force you to rethink they way you tie streamers
3. The tug is the Drug! There is simply nothing like a fish hitting a fly at full speed racing across the current.  It’s absolutely electric!