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Spey and Switch Rod Workshops

Fly Fishing Traditions Spey and Switch Rod Workshops


Fly Fishing Traditions is proud to offer Spey and Switch Rod Workshops that will take place on the beautiful Lower Yuba River. This school is broken into two separate classes. Spey and Switch Rod 101 and Spey and Switch Rod 102.

The Spey and Switch Rod 101 Workshop will review the equipment, gear, lines, heads and tips to rig a switch or spey rod properly. We will cover the basic river right casts, the double spey and the off hand single spey. We will cover the river left casts, the Snap Tee, and the On hand Single Spey cast. This class will enable you to develop the trout and steelhead skills using a switch rod.

The Spey and Switch Rod 102 workshop  will cover the more advanced casts like the Perry Poke and the Snake Roll. You will learn which cast to use when you have an upstream wind or a downstream wind. We will discuss swinging techniques and strategies as well as fly selection.

The Switch and Spey Rod Workshops will give the students the confidence, skills and knowledge to tackle trout and steelhead with a Switch or Spey rod anywhere in Northern California. 

The workshops also gives the students crucial one on one time with the instructors. The course is designed for the intermediate to advanced students.

FFT Spey and Switch Rod Details

The FFT Spey and Switch Rod 102 7 102  Workshops are offered to groups consisting of 6 -10 attendees. Get a group together and schedule your workshop. The cost of the workshop varies depending upon the number of attendees.

6 people - $100 each
7-8 people $ 90 each 
9-10 people $ 70 each

Note: You can arrange for Individual Instruction - $50 an hour or for $425 a day for one one to participants. 


What You Will Learn


The students will progress through a series of practice casts to hone your "Forward Cast". You will learn about "D Loops", "The 180 Degree Principle" and "Line Stick", principals of all spey casting. You will learn the change or directions casts, which one to use from what side of the river, when the wind is blowing from what direction and why.


You'll learn how to rig a Switch Rod, when to use an integrated line like a RIO Switch Line and when you might use a Scandi or a Skagit head on a running line. 


You'll learn how to present the flies in a fishing situation and what flies to use at what time of year.


The List of Casts


The casts that will be taught including the whys and when are;


  • The Roll Cast as a practice and practical cast
  • The Switch Cast as a practice and practical cast
  • The Double Spey Cast
  • The Single Spey cast
  • The Snap T Cast
  • The Snap Z Cast
  • The Snake Roll Cast
  • The Perry Poke Cast.
Table Top Classroom and Educational Handouts


The Switch and Spey Rod School will be structured with table top classroom discussions with educational handouts for each student to follow and take home as references for late.


The handouts to be distributed to all the students are;
  • FFT's "Switch and Spey Rod Basics" which covers the the rods, reels, lines, heads and tips for a switch rod
  • FFT's "Spey Casting Primer" which details the principals of spey casting as well as detailed instrucions of the principals of each spey cast
  • FFT's " Switch and Spey Rod Tactics" which details the how to's and the why's of fishing with a switch rod.
Sign Up for the Switch and Light Spey Rod School

Sign up for the Stillwater School by;

(a) Call Clay at 530-913-1334  to ask any questions or to reserve a space.
(b) Mail Clay at; Fly Fishing Traditions - 13572 Green Lane - Grass Valley, CA 95945
(c) Email Clay at clayhash.fft@gmail.com

 Email Clay Hash  

Thanks, Clay