Spey Casting Glossary of Terms

When getting on board with Spey Casting there is a new vocabulary that constantly has you asking "What the heck are they talking about". 

You can read and study this glossary to better understand the jargon for the principles of spey casting. 

180  Degree Rule - The fly, the leader, the "D" loop and the casting plane are in alignment at 180 degrees of the forward cast and the target.

Anchor - The fly, the leader and the front tip of the line being secured on the water surface, provides the tension or resistance needed to form the "D" loop and provide loading for the forward cast.

Anchor Point - The location point of the anchor. As a general rule, this location is slightly forward and a rod's length to the side the cast is being formed.

Casting Arc - The angle of the rod butt in relationship to the start and finish of the stroke.

Casting Stroke - The length the rod butt travels from the start of the straight-line path to the stop.

Center River - A directional term that refers to a point mid river, adjacent to the caster's position

Circle Cast - A two directional cast the positions the fly to the upstream side of the caster and utilizes an oval to reposition the line, Used for an upstream wind.

"Circle Up" - The "circle-up assists in forming the back loop and transits the rod into the "Key" position for the forward cast. The rod drives back opposite to the forward stroke, curves upward to the start formation of either the "D" loop or the "V" loop shape, arriving at the "Key" position.

Constant Tension Method - A curved path movement that loads the rod through continuous motion during the movements of the cast all the way through to the stop. An example is the "Skagit Casting" method.

Creep - Creep is bad. The movement of the rod not under pressure. This commonly happens at the start of the forward stroke reducing the length of the rod-loading move.

Crescent Lift - A lifting move that uses a curving rise of the rod.

Crossed-tail Loop - A casting fault. A forward loop where the upper leg collides sideways into the lower leg. This is a result of misaligned anchor point that is not aligned to the path of the forward past. No 180 degree rule applied.

Forward Cast - The forward stroke from the "Key" Position through the final forward delivery.

"D" Loop - A rounded back loop of line that forms behind the rod tip with the aid of the anchor and is the load for the forward cast.

Dangle - The point at which the fly or is at the end or completion of the swing. Also the amount of line, tip leader etc. that remains outside of the tip top of the rod prior to commencing a spey cast.

Double Spey Cast - A two directional cast the positions the fly to the downstream side of the caster; used for a downstream wind.

Downstream Wind - The wind in a downstream direction, traveling in the same direction as the river current.

Drift - The intentional movement of the rod in the sane direction that the line is traveling after the stop. This rod re-positioning increases the length of the casting stroke following the cast.

Excessive Lift - A casting fault. A lift motion that is too great resulting in an anchor placement too far from the caster's position.

Grass Leader - A leader that consists of a series of blood knots that will be entrapped in the grass barbules, forming the grip for Spey Casting on the grass. The blood knots are tied about 3 - 5 inches apart. The tag ends are clipped about 3/8" to 1/2' long. The leader is approximately 10'- 12' long.

Grip - To hold and provide resistance from the anchor placement on the water surface.

Head - The body section of a line including the front taper, the belly and the back or rear taper.

Insufficient Lift - A casting fault. A lift motion that fails to lift the fly clear of the water surface and set to the desired anchor point.

"Key" Position - The rod position at which the forward stroke or the forward straight line cast begins.

Left Bank or River Left - The left side of the river when facing downstream.

Level line drop - A casting fault. The line setting down at the anchor point falls parallel or flat to the water surface. The entire line contacts the water and creates too much line stick or excessive drag.

Lift - A vertical rod movement the re-positions the line.

Line Drag - A casting fault - A level dragging motion of the rod that provides no lift of the line nor an energized loop.

Line Stick - The resistance from the amount of line nested on the water surface during the forward stroke.

Loading move - The bending of the rod under power.

Overhead Cast - A straight-line cast that has an aerial back loop and front loop. It is a basic, simple and efficient cast.

Piled Anchor - A casting fault. The line piling into the anchor point due to the belly of the line contacting the water surface prior to the leader.

Perry Poke Cast - A line position move that is added during the formation of the cast. This move can be adapted to any cast to enhance the cast performance.

Pushing over the top - A casting fault. An excessive use of the top had that disrupts the shared work between the upper and lower hands. A rotation of the top wrist will often appear. This is a circular push of the top hand that kicks the rod tip downward at the end of the stroke, resulting in a loss of power, rounded forward loops and a slight tail at the end of the cast.

Right Bank or River Right - The right side of the river bank when facing downstream.

Rolling the Shoulder - A casting fault. A circular rotation of the shoulder during the casting stroke that results in a loss of power and inefficient round forward loops.

Rhythm - The pace and speed of a single movement or line-positioning move during the cast.

Shooting Line - A small diameter running line that is attached behind the body of a shooting head. For example - Rip Slickshooter or Airflo Ridge, or Airflo Miracle Braid.

Shotgun Lift - A vertical lift that provides a smooth lineal lift.

Single Spey Cast - A two directional cast that positions the fly to the upstream side of the caster; used for an upstream wind.

Skagit Casting - A sustained anchor style of casting, which uses a continuous motion throughout the sweep, turn up to the "key" position and then the forward stroke. This is often referred to as the "Ed Ward" style.

Snake Roll Cast -    A two directional cast that positions the fly to the downstream side of the caster; used for an downstream wind.

Snap "T" Cast - A two directional cast that positions the fly to the upstream side of the caster; used for an upstream wind.

Snap "Z" Cast -  A two directional cast that positions the fly to the upstream side of the caster; used for an upstream wind.

Soft "D" - A casting fault - An undersized back loop and/or one that lacks the energy for the length of line given.

Spiral Cast - A two directional cast that positions the fly to the upstream or downstream side of the caster. The rotation of the lifting oval may be rotated in either direction to adjust for wind.

Stance - The position of the caster in relation to how the feet are positioned

"Stop" - The movement of the rod butt momentarily stops forcing the rod tip to turnover, transferring the energy of the bent rod to the line, forming the forward loop.

Straight -line method - The movement of the rod that tracks a straight path, directs a straight momentum and ends with the rod unloading.

Straight-line path - A course the rod tip tracks during the stroke that is in alignment on a common plane from the "Key" position to the target.

Switch Cast - A single directional cast that has a dynamic "D" back loop and a forward loop that rolls out above the water surface.

Tailing loop - A casting fault. When the rod tip drops below and ends above the straight-line path, the upper leg collides with the lower leg of the unrolling loop. the rod tip tracks a concave path during the stroke.

Tempo - The pace of the overall cast, from start to finish.

Timing - The length of time each movement requires, arranged within the scope of the entire cast.

Tracking - A casting fault. The dropping of the rod tip low behind the caster when forming the back loop. This results in the "D" loop dropping too low behind the caster and contacting the water surface, causing excessive line stick.

Upstream Wind - The wind traveling in an upstream direction, opposite to the direction of the current flow.

Underhand Cast - A casting technique developed by Goran Anderson. This cast is best accomplished with shooting head from 24 to 46 feet. It relies on a string pull of the bottom hand.

"V" Loop - a wedge shaped "V" back loop of line formed behind the rod tip that, with the aid of the anchor, is the load for the forward cast. The most efficient back loop.

Working line - The line that extends beyond the rod tip during the formation of the cast.

This Glossary of Terms came from studying the book Two Handed Fly Casting - Spey Casting Techniques, by "Al Buhr"