old age, wrinkles and stubble

        Barton Park~Clackamas R. (G. Muncy)

Fly fishing & Quisisana (A “place where one heals one’s self.”)

Spey Casting with Matt McCrary

 (D Perfect Example of Why a Two Hander Works)

Matt McCrary~Clackamas R. (2009)

This is the perfect example, real world, of up against the wall with an immediate drop off, so no wading out. The good single hander will roll cast or try the single handed spey movements to what?… maybe 40-50 feet with a steelhead fly (picture trying to do that all day). Here, I watch Matt make numerous gentle casts to a purposefully limited 70′ (like all these magicians, he can bomb it when necessary). That’s more water covered and more opportunities to encounter fish. The D Loop is gently created with an ease that only facilitates the propulsion of the Skagit + Head + Fly. The notable things learned today at the side of a master caster (Matt McCrary) was slow down- let the rod work or load- don’t pause too long & high on the D, but rather shoot sooner than you think you would- use that bottom hand to propel and the top as more of a fulcrum (pull that bottom hand in as much as you are tempted to forcibly push away with the top hand). My new Echo rod became ever more easy to manage. I did well, then I would lose focus and collapse the cast (this usually happened because I paused, rod too high, when forming the D Loop and/or I muscled the the cast, there by pulling the anchor out of the water and then the cast would slop out maybe 50 feet. When the timing went as it should, then the casts extended out to surprising lengths, for a flogger like me.

Matt McCrary Working that Bottom Hand

       I appreciated Matt taking time to work with me. He spends much of his time on the water with clients (Action Anglers (503) 927-3676) and little time spent actually fishing. It was rewarding to watch him and see the way it should be done.