Spey School on the Bighorn: April 19 & 20

Last year I wrote an article for Montana Sporting Journal entitled “Spey Casting on Montana’s Rivers” (Summer 2012). In the piece I outlined some reasons for utilizing two-handed rods on Montana rivers. I find them particularly useful for big rivers like the Missouri, Yellowstone and Bighorn. One of their principle advantages is their ability to throw a lot of line without too much effort, making for great streamer fishing tools. They also enable anglers to effectively fish areas where trees and brush crowd the stream bank. Anglers are also using them for hopper/dropper rigs and all other manner of setups.

On April 19 and 20 the Bighorn Trout Shop is hosting two of the finest Spey casters in the world, Whitney Gould and Mike McCune. Whitney is on the pro staff of C.F. Burkheimer Rods and has won the prestigious “Spey-O-Rama, World Spey Casting Championship” several times. This event, held in Jimmy Green’s honor at the Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club, brings Spey casters from around the world to showcase and test their skills. Whitney recently received her Two-Handed Casting Instructor Certification (THCI) from the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF). She is one of only two women to possess this certification. Whitney also guides in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

Mike McCune is a longtime steelhead and Alaska guide who works with Sage and Rio Products. You might have seen Mike in some of the Rio Spey Casting DVDs. He’s an incredible caster in all respects, with a particular emphasis on Skagit casting. He’s one of innovators responsible for modern Skagit heads and MOW tips, and he’s a fantastic technical angler and instructor. I plan on really sucking up to Mike while he’s here, in hopes that I can finagle a ride down the Grand Rhonde one of these days.

Mike and Whitney will be teaching all aspects of spey casting in their upcoming clinic. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced spey caster, you stand to greatly improve your skills. You can sign up for the one-day class ($150.00), or two-day program ($275.00). Give us a call here at the shop if you’d like to sign up. Currently, I still have some lodging available for that time period.

Should be a great time.

Whitney Gould fishes the Mallards to Two Leggins section of the Bighorn River. The CF Burkheimer 5115-4 was the rod of choice.