ESN to Single Hand Spey // Near Instant System to Change Strategies 

Glad you enjoyed it

Oh that is so cool, I have used it before but never done a decent "Fishalong" video with it. Thanks for the order, so appreciated!

Glad you like them! Thanks for the order. On the Carbon waders I like a set of long johns as my base, thin for the win on that wader model. You'll feel like you're wearing your favorite hiking pants.

That’s exactly what I do…wear some 250 Smart Wool now and feels exactly like wearing a pair of hiking pants…even had to layer up this past weekend in Western Carolina, and was super comfy in 23 degree weather

Thanks so much, I do like to tie but our shop is focused on gear unfortunately not tying materials so I stick to reviewing hardware. We need a bigger warehouse so we can stock materials too. Someday.

Thanks for the nice comment, I'll have to go test drive that 2109 - we do sell that rod. For what you described that sounds like a very fun rod to fish and cast.

Caved in and purchased from @@redsflyshop

You bet, get the 150 grain OPST head for that rod - start with no more than a 10' tip max 80 grains. Not sure what you have a for a "fly line" but if you are using mono like the RIO Slick Shooter 25# your Euro line becomes your shooting line. Rod/reel are just great. Be careful with the tip on that rod, it's not necessarily made for slinging tips but will do it. Just don't abuse it.

I've done it with my T and T rods, even the 2 Weight is good with a 150 grain head. As you said, that is a light tip on those rods. Be careful with it, start slow and make sure your power transitions are smooth and subtle. I've never broken a Euro rod doing this (tested quite a few), but the Beulah just sends it in comparison to others so it's my choice for a hybrid rod.

I would say you are always in danger of breaking the tip on any lightweight ESN rod haha. I would start with really little streamers, no coneheads.

Great question. I simply take 1X Sighter Material and "loop to loop" it directly to the 25# Slick Shooter. I use about 3' of that, about 5' of tippet or so. I like a Tippet Ring at the end of the sighter (typical), but have also been using the smallest RIO for my (2) fly junction.

love my 10.5 3wt for Ebor on our local rivers. No problem with up to 20:fish

If you knew "for sure" you were going to fish this rig then get a #4, especially if you are out west and plan to slide stonefly nymphs along the bottom. The tip on the #4 moves big bugs better.

You can use a Skagit head on just about any rod, but it won't be a "tight line" or ESN style rod or presentation. That delicate working is really reserved for rods that are purpose built for light line, tight line.

@@redsflyshop Gotcha, thanks for the reply! I’ll need to pick up a lighter wt rod to run this type of setup then. Still a super cool concept.

Good question, yes I am, full spool of backing like normal.

That would work, I tried their "Drift Rod" but didn't feel it had nearly the touch.

@@redsflyshop got it. Thanks

Very nice! Good plan, well organized. Does the Single Spey line shoot a bugger pretty well or is it more of a static, pickup and lay down shot with minimal shooting?

A bit of trial and error, but they will all run with 150-200 grain heads and it's easier to tweak your sink tip to custom tune it.

Good rod, not "great". I did like that it was very reliable. We saw the least amount of tip breakage with the STRIKE, but... it isn't nearly as sensitive as some other rods in class. Trade off.

I’ve had a Strike for about three years and I really enjoy fishing it. For $300 the price was right. Since moving back to Colorado last spring, from OR, I need a smaller Spey style rod. I’m going to put a shooting head on it for working downstream.

I would go with the 150 and here is what I would do, use Versileaders on Rod 2 (lighter grain weight), and use T-8 or OPST 96 Grain Tips on Rod 1. I think this will work just fine! The additional weight of the OPST tips should load up fine.

Great question, I was using a 15' T-8 which is actually 120 grains so I totally mis-spoke there. I reccomend 10' of T-8 at most for casters getting into this as the 15' tip requires a lot more nuance to cast it. I don't snag much, I use flies that are very light and I keep the line pretty tight other than the initial drift to sink it. Not much junk on the bottom in our river, hook stays pretty clean.

Current speed (walking) = 4mph × 1mile/5280ft × 1ft/12inches × 3600seconds/1hour. The current speed = 5.867 inches/second Effective sink rate of T8 would be 6 inches/second − 5.867 inches/second ≈ 0.133 inches/second His swing is about 15 seconds, so the line sinks about 2 inches total at a perfect 0 degree (perpendicular to the river) with a tight line. The T8 will be like an intermittent in stillwater. When he walks down stream he walks for about 6 seconds, the line essentially will sink at it's sink rate (36 inches total). Because the swing comes in at a 45 degree angle from the current, the effective would be 6(T8)*cos(45radian) - 5.867, the line will be moving up at 1.62 inches per second at 45 degrees. It has a negative sink rate and the sink rate will become more negative as the line becomes parallel with the current. When it is completely parallel the line will be lifting up at 5.87 inches per second, the current speed. In his swing the fly should be moving vertical for most the time. Maybe the best part of the swing is the first 10 seconds or so after walking for 6 seconds. This is a simplification because there is more friction towards the river bed, it will create an stretch out "s" shape, with the tip of the sink tip in the the slower current giving it a higher sink rate than the butt end. Also the edges of have more friction, making the effective sink rate closer to the T8.

@@heavenknowsimmiserablenow14 Thanks for the calculations. However, I did not understand your math: How and why are you subtracting two vectors like they are scalars. Current speed and sink rate are magnitudes along two different (and for a good approximation orthogonal) axes. As you also acknowledge 6ips*6sec= 36inch = 3 feet = half a person. Since he was wading into the middle of the river (as seen towards the end of the clip) I asked the question above. He answered meaningfully, saying he is using light density flies.

Cos(theta) is the scalar, T8 and the current are the vectors. The current will proportionately offset the sink rate by a cos(theta). So what ever angle theta you're casting it's going to effect the sink rate. If the derivative is taken with respect to theta, then the rate of change should be -T8*sin(theta). But when you look at the derivative it looks like theta is from 90 (perp) to 180. A 45 degree cast would be 135 degrees and the rate of change would be -4.24ips so it loses quite a bit of sink rate initially, making the effective sink rate 1.62ips. @@self-taught_angler

Yes, it's the Beulah G2 Platinum 10'8" 3 Weight Rod

@redsflyshop sorry I had to ask, I want able to watch the whole video. That is one of my dream rods

Where are you from? I’ve never heard of those rivers. Im surprised your authorities choose to regulate fishing techniques because they deemed European style nymphing too effective I assume? Or was it for another reason like preventing snagging / flossing fish?

@@Nik-gh6gzHi, I am fortunate to live in what Zane Grey the great American author and angler called The Anglers Eldorado! We call it Aotearoa or in English New Zealand. Our brown trout came from Scotland and our Steelheads from the Russian River in California and our Salmon are the Pacific Salmon from the North Pacific. We just need two licences to fish all of our rivers and lakes. We have a law that states that we have a right of The Queens Chain on all rivers that means we can legally step on any bank so designated up to a length of 22 feet from the edge of the water. Fishing for trout and salmon is considered “sport fishing” and originates from England where the regulations were enacted that one has to have a gentleman’s approach and not try to cheat. The act of catching a fish on the natural is the target. If you allow straight out Euro Nymphing without regulation you would not need a fly casting line. In fact all you need is a pole, thinnest line, split shot and a fly blob. Whilst to angle for a trout you need a reel, a rod, a casting line, a tippet and a imitation fly tied on a hook. Our system works for the grater good of all anglers. The problem for us is that there is not sufficient food for the fish, not that there are not enough of them. We have been told in the Taupo fishery to kill all fish we catch as there is too much stock for the amount of food for the trout in Lake Taupo to sustain them. As to where is Lake Taupo, well it’s on the volcanic plateau of the central part of the North Island of New Zealand in the Southern Pacific. Fishing licence for foreigners for both islands would cost you NZ$380! I think thats good value, don’t you? Cheers mate. Harera

@@pierevojzola9737 wow thank you for the detailed reply! That makes more sense. I’m from California right by the Russian river but fishing New Zealand is certainly on my bucket-list. Fishing for trout inland in rivers and streams and maybe yellowtail kingfish in the ocean

@@Nik-gh6gzHi Nick. The fishing here is second to none. I have worked in 38 countries and this is the best. There are no dangerous animals or snakes to worry about. What you need is time and lots of learning. I have caught beautiful marlin, GT’s, tuna, Kahawai and snapper of the east coast, brown trout (as well as huge 20 + lbs salmon in the canals )and salmon in the the South Island and of course big trout up here in the central North Island. The lucky blokes were the ones who got stuck here during the Covid shutdown and had to spend the year fishing and hunting. Cheers mate. Harera

@@pierevojzola9737 sounds great! Cheers!

175 on this rod, 150 for most Euro rods is a better choice and some fine tuning with sink tips 10' or shorter. I can cast 12-15' tips with my experience but 7.5' - 10' is a better choice.

@@redsflyshopthanks. Seems like a great setup.

Yes, 25# RIO Slick Shooter. Very stiff, good for ESN and shoots like a dream.

So true. So much goes wrong when the camera rolls. I should save the crappy ass outtakes as a joke and share someday.

I would like to yes, good suggestion.

Yes, thank you. Totally mis-spoke there. I would typically run 10' but had a 15'er sitting in my bag so I gave 'er a go. Worked well for me but probably tricky for most casters.