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Any good books available for two-handed fishing in saltwater?

1K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Doc Duprey 
#1 ·
Anyone have any recommended reading on this subject?
 
#2 ·
Not to sound like too much of a cynic, but it's too new of a topic to have a definitive reference as such. Sure it's mentioned here and there but what I have seen touches upon the topic very superficially. There are many self-proclaimed 'experts' in the area and many people romanticising "spey" in the ocean, but not a heck of a lot of substance IMHO, your results may vary.

On the quality side, Jay Horton has produced some articles that might be obtainable from mags as back issues. He posts as 2hndsalt here so pop him a PM.

For what it's worth, I am working on a book; who knows when it will print if it does. But I am typing it up just the same. All modesty aside I feel like I have some sand under my fingernails on this topic, right or wrong I've put in my time and believe in what I have learned by trial and error.

Uncle Barney's thousands of 15 foot slinging shore fishermen with 40 years experience notwithstanding, there are few people who have been seriously diving into this area so you will be on the cusp of discovery: new lines, fly patterns, techniques - it's all just ahead. Many in the industry feel this is the next wave in coastal flyfishing, I feel it's long overdue.

Again it will never replace the singlehanded flyrod but there are times in every flyguy's life that he or she feels totally under-gunned, standing next to the eel slingers and herring live-liners who are pounding the cows right next to you. This is a technique that puts you right in their game with flygear.

My advice - you're not going to find a written reference for a while, get out there and DO IT!

BTW - Simon Gawesworth's next book is rumored to contain a section specifically on this topic.

Shameless plug: I am offering a two-handed 4x4 beach fishing class/guided trip combo this season on the Cape in addition to the flats sight trips. Rods provided of course, or bring your own 2hndr.

Summary - don't think you'll find one worth it's salt, if you do please let me know.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the vote of confidence! I hope we do hook up, pun intended.

When? Spring migration, a perfect time to deploy the big rod. Long casts are essential, big fish are the rule, and the action is strictly a big beach thing. If you know where, how and when to intercept them, it can be some of the best action of the year.

At the same time, the herring runs are in full swing. Real big fish are selectively eating herring, not likely to eat anything else except for certain conditions. A normal fly has little chance of enticing one of these fish as the live-liners are happy to demonstrate standing on either side of you. But I would wager a long cast, say 100' with a 10" herring lookin' too good to resist where the cows hole up for the ebb tide down current from the run might put a 40" or two on the fly.

Then come the end of May the footlong squid arrive, squid hounds and slammer blues on the case as well. 17# blues not uncommon this time of year in the right spots on the sound side. I use a nylon tube to get a 6" mantle length I want for a big squid fly, with 2-3" tentacles off the end and large eyes. This 9" fly should fly close to the full line length on a tarpon taper, or further with a shooting head. You might not hit all the blitzes but you'll hit more and the fly will stay in play so much longer between casts...

I timed a 120' cast with a factory tarpon line at 3.5 seconds or so. Depending on fly, you can work a fly on an intermediate or floater that far out for 35 seconds to the leader butt. That's a 10:1 ratio of fishing time to casting time per cast.

When the sand eel season sets in, fish cruise close to the sand looking down for hints of a flicker of gold in a sand eel, or the puff of sand of a ladycrab. When blind fishing a stretch, I've found the time in the water advantage to lead to a significantly greater number of hookups when fish are "grubbing" for sand eels. At such times small flies are the rule and the distance casting is easy.

Prevailing winds on the atlantic coast are southwest during the summer, so that means righties have a cross-wind on most days out there. With the two-hander, it's easy to cast over the left shoulder because the left hand does half the work. I've found with shooting heads that 120' casts are simple over the off shoulder. Try that with a single hander!

I could go on and on, but frankly, I don't have much worked out compared to what there is to know. In fact this season will be one of more discovery than ever. I do have a few things worked out but in fishing there are an infinite number of discoveries ahead. That's why we all LOVE IT!
 
#7 ·
If you go to another forum on the www.sexyloops.com site and go into the Saltwater bit you will find a guy called Maxq. He is an Australian who is developing 2 handed techniques down under with a mate, whose name I don't recall. He has put a lot of R&D work into rods and lines and he may be able to help you - he seems to be an amusing guy as well. They are targetting very big fish from the shore - King fish I think.

Hope this helps
 
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