When the rod passes your position, your shoulder, it must be rising,….Robert Gillespie

  One of the Golden Rules of Spey Casting according to Robert Gillespie is this: (on the sweep) when the rod passes your position, your shoulder, it must be rising, whether in the straight line incline or the climbing curve.

Here is another Golden Rule of Spey Casting:  If you would like to experience, how to use a Spey rod more effectively, eg the rod does the work, not the caster, use Robert Gillespie’s incline exercise as shown the him by James Chalmers or Galeforce.

Here is another Golden Rule of Spey Casting:  If you would like to experience, how to use a Spey rod more effectively, try Robert Gillespie’s incline exercise

 

 The big deal is this.  The exercise is done with virtually no lift.  As Robert points out in the description of the #1 incline exercise video there is a very small lift.  Bruce Kruk of the Galeforce team pointed out to me that there has to be a lift, particularly with a long Spey line but the lift is “inclined.  So it’s not just a standard switch cast or jump roll.  I encourage you to read Robert Gillespie’s incline exercise and watch the video a few times.  Then go give it a try to see what you think.  If you haven’t tried it before you might be in for a revelation.  I think you’ll like it.

This second video clip is one I just came across on YouTube.  The audio isn’t the greatest but there is solid information including the variations of the incline exercise.  Any video featuring Robert Gillespie with a Spey rod and I’m all over it.

I hope you enjoy Roberts videos and this article.  I think it will heighten your sense of feeling the rod load with that creamy, soulish sensation that comes at the beginning of a perfectly executed cast where the rod does the work and the caster glides along in perfect harmony.