Review: Spey Casting by Simon Gawesworth. Second Edition.

publication date: Jul 1, 2008

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author/source: Colin Bradshaw. Salmon Editor

Spey casting is very difficult to learn from books alone, yet Simon in his revised second edition of Spey Casting comes the closest anybody has ever achieved to creating a classic reference book on the subject. This large-format glossy book is packed with superb photography and accompanied by clear readable text set in a very welcome large typeface. Simon talks in a straightforward easy-going voice that neither patronises nor dictates and his approach is full of thoughtful common sense.

This second edition has added a chapter on Skagit spey casting which has developed on the Pacific west coast of the US where steelhead fishing often demands deeply sunk lines and heavy flies. Their use of heavy sink-tip lines with shorter heads has resulted in exciting but mind-boggling modifications and variations to the normal spey casts.

It is testimony to Simon’s high standing in the spey casting world that he should command such respect throughout these pages despite wearing a silly hat and the worst fitting chest waders I’ve ever seen (no advert for their manufacturer I can assure you).

Nevertheless, the publisher should be congratulated on their ‘no-expense spared’ attitude when they compiled this book and I recommend it, like the Falkus book on Sea Trout fishing, as a genuine classic reference that should be on every fly-fisher’s bookshelf.