Spey Vato

Spey fishing and casting is addicting and adding steelhead and salmon to that and it’s downright obsessive. There is no doubt that this has taken at least the Northwest by storm over the last decade and has added a new niche in this small world of fly fishing. Some might even say that in this countries economy today, it has helped to keep many of the fly fishing manufacturers and fly shops around.

Now most fly guys who never casted a spey rod find them intriguing even if their ego tells them that they can cast as far with a single hand rod, but gear flingers it’s a different story. Well that was until a buddy ran into this vato from the valley and later introduced me. Now this wasn’t any other gear guy, but a brother who not only never casted a single hand rod and of all things was Mexican. Now I know all that stereotypical bullshit is bullshit, but just like many others that caught plenty of salmon and steelhead with gear he did not go the normal route of the single hander and an indicator, rather went from the jig to the two hander. In fact he has never casted a single hander. And seriously how many Mexicans or even Hispanics do you see spey fishing in this country?

It goes to show you how diverse this style of fishing is. After seeing a few people cast, cover water and even catch a few fish, Jiggin Jim was hooked. And it didn’t surprise me when I got the call last month when he not only swung his first winter of the season but two on an undisclosed river somewhere in the realm of your inner imagination.

This sport, obsession, hobby or whatever you call it never ceases to amaze me and it’s one of the many reason why I enjoy it. So the next time you see a Simms wearing, Nautilus reelin, Echo casting, ugly thug looking sombitch named Jaimie' on the river that doesn’t look like you, remember he didn’t steal his gear and you are no different then him. Well, you could be just as ugly……….