Switch and Spey Casting Primer - Shooting Line

When selecting the option of using a running line with either Skagit heads or Scandi Heads the question will soon filter into your brain "How do I shoot more line? How do I gather and hold line to prepare to shoot it.

When fishing with a switch or spey rod, the ability to shoot line into your cast becomes critical in reaching common fishing distances. Line tangling on the shoot, or being ripped off the surface of the water will seriously effect your casting. To maximize your casting distance, a simple line management strategy must be used.

One basic technique for managing your extra line in using the pinky finger of your lower hand. Once you practice this for a while it should become second nature.

How to Do It
Here's a step by step line management system that I found at www.questoutdoors.net Get out on the river and practice this system and hopefully your casts will be furling out further.




Once your swing is complete with your line on the dangle, take 4 or 5 good strips and place the line over your little finger as shown. You should naturally be holding the rod with your upper hand, but the loops must be held in your lower hand for this to work properly.




With the line still trapped under your pinky, take 3 or 4 more strips. It's important that you make one less strip than the first time, so that your loops of line are getting progressively smaller.





Place the line over your little finger again and trap it. You should now have 2 large loops of line with the bottoms of the loops dangling in the water. It's important that the loops are not too short. Having the line touching the water helps keep them from tangling.




You can continue to strip and create loops until the lines head has reached the tip of the rod. Just remember to make the loops progressively smaller.





Now form a ring with your thumb and index finger of your line (or under) hand.






Grip low on the rod using only your thumb and index finger. Your remaining fingers should be free.






As you wind up for the cast, you can see how the line is hanging in loops off the pinky and is well clear of the reel, rod butt, or any other potential tangles.








Once you stop the rod on the forward cast, open up your little finger to release the line.






You can see how the line is pulled off your fingers in tangle free loops, greatly increasing your casting distance.






Let'er Rip!