Madison River Trout Spey

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The casting styles/techniques are what define Spey fishing.  Spey casting doesn't involve a traditional back cast, another reason it was developed on the River Spey- lots of vegetation right behind the angler that inhibits a long backcast.    

For the inexperienced Spey angler, Spey casting can appear to be a complicated series of roll casts. In reality, the basic Spey casts are easy to pick up.  But, just like when you picked up a single hand for the first time, it takes practice.

When first starting, you need to learn at least two casts.  Depending on which way the wind is blowing, you'll need to get comfortable with the line on either side of yourself while casting.  Casting while the wind is pushing the line into your side can result in a hook in the back of your hat- all part of learning.

For starters, we recommend learning the Snap-T and Double Spey casts.  These casts are great building blocks for the foundation of your Spey fishing.  If you really want to start right, learn to become comfortable with either hand in the top position.  If you make an effort to do this early on, you won't become as dominant with one hand or the other.  

Movement is key when swinging the Madison.  Unlike swinging for steelhead, trout tend to prefer faster, broadside swings with intermittent movements such as sawing, tip bouncing, and false stripping.   Find creative ways to move your fly without actually stripping in line, instead of taking line away- make it work for you out there.   

As water temps and levels change throughout the year it is important to be versatile and continue to try different speeds and depths while swinging.  In much of summer, you can get away with lightning-fast swings on a floating tip, while most Februarys you'll want a deeper/slower swing to give those cold fish (who don't always want to chase) a slightly better look.     

With the Madison generally moving at a pretty quick clip, setting the hook is as simple as "Let 'em Eat It!"  Once you feel the full weight of the fish on the line, Then it's time to pull your elbow back and set the hook.  Too many swung fish are lost on the Madison due to early hook sets on the first bump/feel.  

Whether fishing a single or two-handed rod, you'll need a solid understanding of how to set up your line; a missed section, or (even worse) backward head or tip can make for a frustrating day.    From reel to fly, the components are; backing, shooting line, shooting head, tip, and leader.  Where traditional single-hand lines come in 1 continuous piece, there are a few steps to setting up a Spey line.   

Shooting Line 

From the end of your backing, you'll need to attach your shooting line in a loop-to-loop fashion.  The shooting line is generally a thin, but very strong monofilament line (25-35 lb for trout).  The purpose of this section is to reduce friction for the shooting head as you send a cast.  Most companies now offer a continuous shooting line to shooting head combo, but we always recommend going with a separate monofilament shooting line.  The combo lines just never seem to shoot as fast as they should.    

Shooting Heads 

There are two different shooting head styles to become familiar with; Skagit & Scandi.  Both have their important niche in the world of Spey casting.  Skagit heads are generally shorter and thicker, while Scandi's are longer and thinner.  Skagit heads are ideal for throwing heavier streamers and sink tips, Scandi's are best for lighter flies such as soft hackles.    

Tips 

For Skagit head set-ups, you will need some sort of tip, whether floating or sinking.  For trout, these tips usually come in lengths of 8-10 feet and connect to your shooting head loop-to-loop.  The type of tips you'll need depend on what kind of water you'll be fishing, and how deep in the water column you want to swing your fly.    

For example, on many summer days swinging the Madison, we rarely need to be heavier than an S1 or S2 tip (S1 = sink rate of 1 inch/second).  This works well as the Madison isn't too deep and fish will move up towards the surface for a swung fly.  In the winter while swinging the same runs, we may need to use an S3-S4 to get down deep to the fish's nose as they are less willing to chase in cold water temps.    

Leaders 

Keep it simple, keep it strong is the best advice we have for trout Spey leaders.  Using too light a leader/tippet is one of the most common mistakes while swinging in this area.  For streamers large and small, don't hesitate to pull out the 12-15lb Maxima.  On the smaller side of flies like soft hackles, 0-2X is just right.  Remember, the Madison River is fast, the fish are strong, and when they eat the fly your line will tighten up quick, fast, and in a hurry.  

Rods 

Modern trout Spey rods have changed the game.  No longer do we have to toil with overbearing 5-7 weight rods that were designed for Steelhead fishing.  The new 1-4 weight rods are light, reactive, and built to cast modern shooting heads.    

The sizing on Trout Spey rods is an item that can confuse new Spey anglers who are used to fishing 5 & 6 weight single-hand rods on the Madison.  It is important to remember the extra length of two-hand rods makes up for the lighter rod weight.   

For the Madison River, we prefer fishing 10-12' 2-4 weight rods.  This size range matches up great with the size of fish we typically catch, the current speed while fighting fish, and the weight of our most commonly used sink tips and flies.   

A good rule of thumb is to subtract 2 rod weights from your standard single-hand rod to determine which two-hand rod is right for you.  For example, on the Madison our standard single-hand rod is a 5 weight, for Spey, our standard rod is a 3 weight.    

Reels 

You can make just about any style of fly fishing reel work for trout Spey, you just need the right size.  Unless you are buying a reel specifically designed for Spey rods, remember to subtract two sizes, similar to rods.  For example, a 5 weight reel meant for a single-hand rod is a great match for a 3 weight Spey rod.  Most anglers prefer a large arbor reel as shooting heads can take up a lot of spool space, but it isn't required by any means.