Aside from longer casts, what are the benefits of a 2-handed rod?

I switched because I have bad shoulders. I really only flyfish for steelhead so I found spey casting to be the most efficient way to do that and the easiest on my shoulders. Overhead casting is just hard on my shoulders. I've thrown 5 million pitches in my youth and then impinged them both from different forms of labor and injuries from sports and labor.

Most steelhead are faily close to the bank. You do not need to cast further than the fish. However, I have found that the longer rod gives me a better tool to speed up or slow down my fly. It requires less back cast space. The long rod can also be an impediment if I am not paying attention.

As with all long rods, you have to pay attention to the feedback that you are recieving and modify your technique appropriately. This is a life lesson.

I have never caught a winter steelhead with a single handed rod. I started catching them once I picked up the double. It may be that I had learned where and when to fish by the time I took it up, however I would also say that there is some causation as well. I have hooked many steelhead behind rocks that I simply could not get to with a single or that I could not have presented the fly slowly and deeply enough with a single.
 
Well as my NCOs used to say probably almost daily “Opinions are like “a..holes, everyone’s got one”. That said ( I know) to each his own. I like SH & two hand rods. What helped me was getting a trout size switch rod. I could then feel the rod load that I wasn’t getting from my 13 foot rod. Side note if you never started out gear fishing you may have missed out on just how close to the bank salmon & steelhead can be like upper Kalama etc.
but here’s a question, isn’t this supposed to be fun ? I need to remind myself of that more.
 
As a point of fact - or physics, rather - the flyrod is a class 3 flexible lever. The longer the distance between the fulcrum (top hand) and force (tip of rod), the less efficient it is. There is a reason stand-up tuna fishpoles are 3.5'-4.5' long. The lever arm (distance from fulcrum to force) can be shortened by pointing the rod towards the fish, and this is why a lot of folks think spraypoles are better at fighting fish - if rhe fish is a ways away, they are indeed easier depending on rod angle. As the distance between the weight (fish) and force (tip of rod) shortens, the lever arm distance typically increases and any efficiency is lost.
In short, spraypoles are less efficient at applying pressure the closer you are to the fish.
I use a spraypole in a lot of places, mostly because I like the efficiency and economy of motion needed to deliver a fly wherever I want it, be that 15 or 115 feet. I also use a spraypole because throwing 10'-12' of T-20 and a soggy 6" magnum rabbit strip with a bass bullet weight in front of it on a singlehander for more than, say, 2 or 3 casts is pretty silly.
 
G_Smolt said:
As a point of fact - or physics, rather - the flyrod is a class 3 flexible lever. The longer the distance between the fulcrum (top hand) and force (tip of rod), the less efficient it is. There is a reason stand-up tuna fishpoles are 3.5'-4.5' long. The lever arm (distance from fulcrum to force) can be shortened by pointing the rod towards the fish, and this is why a lot of folks think spraypoles are better at fighting fish - if rhe fish is a ways away, they are indeed easier depending on rod angle. As the distance between the weight (fish) and force (tip of rod) shortens, the lever arm distance typically increases and any efficiency is lost.
In short, spraypoles are less efficient at applying pressure the closer you are to the fish.
I use a spraypole in a lot of places, mostly because I like the efficiency and economy of motion needed to deliver a fly wherever I want it, be that 15 or 115 feet. I also use a spraypole because throwing 10'-12' of T-20 and a soggy 6" magnum rabbit strip with a bass bullet weight in front of it on a singlehander for more than, say, 2 or 3 casts is pretty silly.
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I'm not familiar with the term spraypole. Is that a spey rod?
 
The main reason for spey over single handed rods is…

#1. People driving by on the highway are not going to stop and watch you Euro Nymph, there going to stop and watch you make beautiful casts and walk through a run with a spey rod.

#2. These same people are most likely not going to want your autograph or have there first born child from you if your Euro Nymphing.

#3. There is no better way to earn your spot as one of the greats in the PNW than with a 2 hander!

All joking aside, to each their own. Me personally, if I can’t do it with a spey rod, I don’t want to do it!
 
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Maybe it was already mentioned above, but the main advantage of 2-handed rods for me is that it about doubles the amount of water available for fly fishing - high banks, brushy banks, and tree-lined stream banks are no longer off limits for me. Not needing backcast space was truly a game changer for me.
 
I picked up a Teton Tioga #10 with a spare spool from the auction to go on the new (used) switch rod and should have it in a few days. Took the new switch out Sunday morning for a few hours and just used my 7wt reel I have spooled up with 50 lb Hydrofloat for single hand skagit and put a 300 gr Commando head on it. Tried to pick up some T-8 Mow tips at the fly shop on Saturday but they were all out of 10 footers. So I just tried to use the tips i already had. The 10' 50gr floater definitely had a hard time loading the rod so I'll order one of the recommended 10' 80gr floaters. When I put a 7.5' S2 on it got easier to cast. The hardest part was figuring out how to manage my loops without a free hand. I finally settled on using my index and middle finger on my forward hand. Once I got past that and could focus on timing, things got easier. Right about the time I had to pack it up and call it a morning, I was getting to where I could manage 10 good loops and send it all across the river about 2 out of 3 casts. I'm glad I went with a switch rod instead of full on spey, as there were stretches I fished that I didn't need to make all out bomb casts and it still fished single hand skagit very easily. But most importantly, I definitely looked waaaaay cooler than I did with a single hand rod. 😁
 
downriver79 said:
I picked up a Teton Tioga #10 with a spare spool from the auction to go on the new (used) switch rod and should have it in a few days. Took the new switch out Sunday morning for a few hours and just used my 7wt reel I have spooled up with 50 lb Hydrofloat for single hand skagit and put a 300 gr Commando head on it. Tried to pick up some T-8 Mow tips at the fly shop on Saturday but they were all out of 10 footers. So I just tried to use the tips i already had. The 10' 50gr floater definitely had a hard time loading the rod so I'll order one of the recommended 10' 80gr floaters. When I put a 7.5' S2 on it got easier to cast. The hardest part was figuring out how to manage my loops without a free hand. I finally settled on using my index and middle finger on my forward hand. Once I got past that and could focus on timing, things got easier. Right about the time I had to pack it up and call it a morning, I was getting to where I could manage 10 good loops and send it all across the river about 2 out of 3 casts. I'm glad I went with a switch rod instead of full on spey, as there were stretches I fished that I didn't need to make all out bomb casts and it still fished single hand skagit very easily. But most importantly, I definitely looked waaaaay cooler than I did with a single hand rod. 😁
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I found the same thing. I started with 14+ft. speyrod then kept buying shorter and shorter. My steelhead rod is now 12'3", my overhead 7wt. beach rod is 11ft., my 5wt. trout spey/summer steelhead is 10'8", if the fish get smaller it's single hand spey with a 9ft. single hander. Not only is speycasting cool but when you do it with a single people around you look at you like WTF!

 
J Watrous said:
Sure, what the heck. Here goes:

1. The "Can't Cast a Single-Hand Rod" Claim:
This is a classic ad hominem attack and the easiest to dismiss because it’s a logical fallacy. I’ll ignore the ad hominem attack on me in the quoted post I’m replying to because I implied you would do well pretending to be a bot. I was wrong. But you may want to reconsider basing claims and arguments on fallacies.

2. “Spey Casting is Just That, CASTING" nice tautology there but mostly meaningless statement. The whole point of a spey cast is to deliver a fly in a way that is impossible with a single-handed rod, particularly when you're wading deep or have limited backcasting room. It allows you to present a fly to a fish in a manner that's often far more effective and efficient than a roll cast from the bank.

3. The "Fish are Within 40-60 ft" claim forms the bulk of your argument but it's a massive generalization that doesn't hold true for all types of fishing. It’s often true for smaller rivers or specific runs, and in those cases, a single-hand rod may be perfect. But on a large river like, say, the Skeena or even a wide section of the Skagit, the fish are not always within 40-60 feet of the bank. Fish hold in runs and seams that are often 80, 90, or even 100 feet from shore. Or you find yourself deep in a river. A two-handed rod usually allows you to reach those fish with minimal effort compared to the single hand rod and without spooking the close-in fish. It's about covering water effectively and efficiently. It also allows for more efficient and effective mends, but we were talking about casting on this one.

4. The "Limited Back Cast / Roll Cast" point.
A roll cast is a great tool, and every angler should know how to use it. But a roll cast is not designed to cover the same amount of water as a spey cast. A good roll cast might get you 40 feet, but a spey cast can easily double that distance with the same amount of physical exertion. A two-handed rod isn't about avoiding a roll cast; it's about giving you the ability to cast far and cast often without wearing yourself out or needing a ton of space behind you.

5. Your "Added Stress on the Fish" argument is a valid concern but your logic is flawed. In my experience a properly used two-handed rod often reduces fight time, especially on a large river and/or with a large fish. This is a really interesting point, and it gets to the heart of what a two-handed rod is for, it just doesn’t cut in favor of your position. A longer rod is about using leverage to your advantage. A 13-14 foot rod with a fighting butt allows you to apply constant, heavy pressure on the fish without tiring yourself out. You can actually land a fish faster with a two-handed rod because you can control the fish and pull it away from structure more effectively. It's like using a winch instead of a hand line, you’ve got a bigger lever. Landing a fish from 80’ away in my experience takes no longer than landing one at 40 feet on a single hand if you're using the right rod and know how to use it.

6. "Fishing Spey is Not for Me" argument is completely fair, and I respect that. Fly fishing is about finding a style that you enjoy. But for me, the benefits of a two-handed rod—the ability to cover vast amounts of water, the low-impact cast, and the power to control a large fish—make it the most effective and efficient tool for fishing big rivers for big fish. It's not about being better than a single-hand rod in every situation; it's about being the right tool for this specific job. To say or suggest a Spey rod is always trumped by a single hand rod is ill-informed.

Have a fluffy day.
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You know I never really replied to your very kind rely.
I hope if I see you working a run I will be sure to clear the area so you can show us all what a talented angler you are .
Too bad that your attitude neglects the decades, and I mean decades of angling experience you have forgotten to apply to your extensive perspective and experience.
I will have a "fluffy day" even if you think I base my observations on "fallacies"
Skippy, you enjoy yours and by the way dont wade too deep reaching for that far off spot that you think holds your prize.
It actually might be right at your feet.
 
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I was just like @Porter2 in that I started with a big 14' 8wt rod of average performance matched to a long belly line and I hated it. Cumbersome is the perfect word. It was WAY heavier than my 9' 7/8 single and I found my hands fighting each other. Did not enjoy it at all despite being able to boom some line out there and control 80'-100' of line versus 60-80' on the single. It probably would've gone better if I had put a Skagit line on it. And this wasn't until 09 or 2010. I was a single-hand holdout. I knew how and where to catch steelhead on a single so why worry about the whole expensive 2 hand deal? I also didn't steelhead much at all between 2004 and 2016. Raising kids, sports, dirt bikes and all that.

I also didn't (still don't) like ripping line on the water 10-15' out in front of me since there are often steelhead RIGHT THERE. If I'm walking into a nice run I like to fish it twice, if possible. I think a single is 100% more stealth than a double and nobody will ever convince me otherwise. There are runs where I'll only roll cast or single spey because of this reason. No snap T and especially no double spey!

So, like Porter, I gave it up and didn't come back to it for almost 10 years. I think it was 2017 when I FINALLY got a 11'6" 7wt switch outfit. I liked the flexibility of being able to overhead and I liked the smaller rod. I had a Skagit setup for it as well as an Airflo Rage setup. No true Scandi setup.

8 years later I still have that switch rod, but also have a 12'6" 7wt spey. I only steelhead fish a few times a year, but when I do I pack both of them. And I pretty much just stick to Skagit, even it using floating or intermediate tips. I know, I might as well be a gear guy. 😁
I really enjoy it and have finally gotten decent at it. I will say, I think going with the switch rod first does enable one (like me) to develop bad habits. My bad habits are mostly going too fast and blowing my anchor. I think these mistakes are easier to make with the switch rod. If I had to do it over, I would've started with the 12'6" or 13'6" 7wt spey. I think the longer grip and rod make you go slower.

I also got into single Skagit. I really enjoy it if I know I'm going to be hucking streamers all day. Feels like spin fishing in a way. Very efficient.

I will say, one of my favorite things to do is fish the spey rod most of the day and then pull out the 9' 8wt single to skate flies at dusk. It feels fun to get in some nice overhead casts after being so methodical all day with the 2 hander. They both have their pros and cons.

Have fun and always remember that no matter what tip you're throwing, if you don't have a good D loop the cast probably won't be good. Watch that loop!
 
farofffisher said:
You know I never really replied to your very kind rely.
I hope if I see you working a run I will be sure to clear the area so you can show us all what a talented angler you are .
Too bad that your attitude neglects the decades, and I mean decades of angling experience you have forgotten to apply to your extensive perspective and experience.
I will have a "fluffy day" even if you think I base my observations on "fallacies"
Skippy, you enjoy yours and by the way dont wade too deep reaching for that far off spot that you think holds your prize.
It actually might be right at your feet.
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Brother, I’m not sure who pisssed in your Cheerios but I do wish you a bunch of fish, great memories, and some good times in between.
 
J Watrous said:
Brother, I’m not sure who pisssed in your Cheerios but I do wish you a bunch of fish, great memories, and some good times in between.
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You know, you could catch those fish too if you werent insistent on casting over them and standing where they live, ripping line and whatnot. I don't know you from adam, but the way you disrespect @farofffisher and his decades of appealing to his own authority just comes off as logical and rational. Is that really how you want to come off to people you dont know? Really a noob move.

It ignores decades, and i mean DECADES of internet experience to address a troll point by point.

When you learn to thrive in self assured cognitive dissonance, maybe you'll catch a fish too. Dummy.
 
Honestly the only thing a double hand rod does that a single hand rod really cant do is efficiently throw BAF (big ass flies) all day. I dont own singles above an 8, and the flies I wanna fish arent going much past 40 ft on that rod, especially when wet. 550g of skagit tho? Half a rabbit and 2 chickens, off she goes to the far bank.
 
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