Welcome
You are very welcome to my web site holding pages. This site will be developed and added to over time. The site is about the art of fly-casting with both single and double-handed rods, and fly-casting Instruction.
About Me
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I have been a full time professional Salmon angling Ghillie and Guide for 25 years, a part time seasonal Guide for five years before that again. A lifelong salmon and trout angler, privileged to have been brought up in the wild game fish fishing tradition by my late Father.
I am an APGAI qualified Instructor in both Trout & Sea Trout, and Salmon Angling disciplines, very proud to be the first person able to take the authentic GAIA APGAI organisation's examinations at a testing event in Southern Ireland. The examinations were held at Mount Falcon Estate, Co.Mayo. Fortunately there is a very active and growing branch of the thoroughly professional International GAIA APGAI organisation in Ireland.
APGAI site: http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk/
I am also an FFF MCI (Master certified Instructor) single-handed rod, & THCI (Two Handed Certified Instructor) double-handed rod, successfully taking all three of the American Federation of Fly Fishers exams (there are two single-handed rod exams) at the one testing event on the Beaverkill River, at Roscoe, New York State in November 2004. I am a REFFIS (Register of Experienced Fly Fishing Instructors and Schools) registered School, Instructor and Guide.
Irish Journalist David Dinsmore obtained a quote from the FFF examiners in New York State -
Floyd Franke, past Chairman, Federation of Fly Fishers Casting Board of Governors speaking as spokesperson for the five certifiers involved said,
.......Robert Gillespie, with his calm quiet, retiring demeanour proved to be the biggest surprise of all. He breezed through the tests with the confidence of the professional he truly is. He deserves the distinction of being the first to pass all three certifications offered by the Federation in a single testing event. I was pleased to have been part of this "historic" event............
For all examinations, single or double-handed, I have used the style of casting I was taught via formal courses and clinics in Scotland from Peter Anderson, Alastair Gowans, James Chalmers and others. Formal training, in a proven methodology or style, is for me a quintessential essence of efficient fly-casting technique and understanding. Having a proven system of fly-casting is most important for practical fly fishing, and also of particular importance for fly-casting examination purposes.
Fly-Casting
Fly-casting for real world practical fishing purposes with both single and double-handed rods is a passion of mine and something that I have pursued diligently over my lifetime. This involved making the necessary pilgrimages to import knowledge on techniques via formal training from those that really know how to use a fly rod properly and efficiently, most especially from the Scots. Fly-casting ability is an extremely important aspect of presentation when fly fishing. Fine tuned control over this aspect of things makes it a true joy to use a fly rod.
I run 'Classic Rivers Fly-Casting' a school of fly-casting based in the Moy Valley teaching fly-casting in the Fulcrum Fly-Casting style with single and double-handed rods (Spey or shooting head outfits), giving mainly individual and sometimes group or corporate tuition in fly-casting and Game Angling. The purpose being to enable people to deal with real world situations on rivers and large or small, as well as still water or salt water fly-casting.
Fulcrum Fly-Casting Style
Spey Casting
D Loop formation, a common element.
Every Spey cast, or any of the alternative replacement casts for any Spey cast, use and share a similar common rod tip path movement to form a correct D loop set up just before the final delivery / forward cast. The rod tip path used to form the D loop is referred to as a 'climbing curve' in this style.
The various types of casts using a D loop formation are therefore all very similar over the latter parts of the cast. Once then you have an efficient D loop forming technique on both right and left sides under your control, you then have the most critical part of all of the Spey casts and any of the replacement casts for a Spey cast more or less learned.
Efficient D loop formation (off either side) is in effect for me the 'Pareto principle' of Spey Casting. This is the critical element, the critical 20 percent of technique that will cover most requirements and makes the rest of it easy. To do this technically correctly with absolute efficiency in this style it is best to learn the incline exercise progression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71RFfSUJ6Zs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSYnDzuwIac&NR=1
The main differences between various casts will mostly be the initial line placing movement used before you start to form the D loop, and also whether you are pulling the line up off the water, or whether it is traveling through the air and will touch down to form the anchor.
That is precisely why the incline exercise progression is invaluable for Spey casting technique, and excellent for perfecting off side casting. Also an invaluable exercise for learning a correct V loop set up also, and for mastering some modern shooting head casting techniques using V loops set ups - as used and taught by Antti Guttorm of Finland.
Putting a few movements together via the Incline exercise progression, (a progression of exercises that allows for a couple of fundamental essential principles), will ensure the D / V loop forming technique is perfected off both sides in fulcrum style. D and V loop forming control then allows you to fine tune and 'shape' your loop set up to your requirements in any situation.
D Loop formation, a common element.
Every Spey cast, or any of the alternative replacement casts for any Spey cast, use and share a similar common rod tip path movement to form a correct D loop set up just before the final delivery / forward cast. The rod tip path used to form the D loop is referred to as a 'climbing curve' in this style.
The various types of casts using a D loop formation are therefore all very similar over the latter parts of the cast. Once then you have an efficient D loop forming technique on both right and left sides under your control, you then have the most critical part of all of the Spey casts and any of the replacement casts for a Spey cast more or less learned.
Efficient D loop formation (off either side) is in effect for me the 'Pareto principle' of Spey Casting. This is the critical element, the critical 20 percent of technique that will cover most requirements and makes the rest of it easy. To do this technically correctly with absolute efficiency in this style it is best to learn the incline exercise progression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71RFfSUJ6Zs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSYnDzuwIac&NR=1
The main differences between various casts will mostly be the initial line placing movement used before you start to form the D loop, and also whether you are pulling the line up off the water, or whether it is traveling through the air and will touch down to form the anchor.
That is precisely why the incline exercise progression is invaluable for Spey casting technique, and excellent for perfecting off side casting. Also an invaluable exercise for learning a correct V loop set up also, and for mastering some modern shooting head casting techniques using V loops set ups - as used and taught by Antti Guttorm of Finland.
Putting a few movements together via the Incline exercise progression, (a progression of exercises that allows for a couple of fundamental essential principles), will ensure the D / V loop forming technique is perfected off both sides in fulcrum style. D and V loop forming control then allows you to fine tune and 'shape' your loop set up to your requirements in any situation.
Guiding
I guide for Atlantic Salmon and Wild Brown Trout on both River and Lough, and
particularly on the River Moy system.
The purpose of Guiding is not only to help people to catch fish, but ultimately to better enable them to catch fish themselves through relating an understanding of exactly why the fish are caught in terms of technique and presentation for the circumstances.
I teach and fine tune game angling techniques such as for instance Irish Lough style short line wet fly fishing for trout or salmon, or furrowing mini tubes, or pulsating Irish shrimp flies while retrieving line on a salmon river.
There is a long term learning curve involved in wild fish game angling, as there is in Fly-Casting and experience counts greatly. The greatest way to shorten the learning curve is to learn from the already experienced. Game Angling is also a country sport with an associated sporting tradition and etiquette.
The Atlantic Salmon
For me the Atlantic salmon is the most perfect fish for the Game Angler. Atlantic salmon are heavily influenced by prevailing water and weather conditions and their physical surroundings. In Atlantic Salmon angling understanding the influence of water and weather conditions and other factors such as riverbed topography and currents on the fish, and on methods and techniques is often critical to success.
That such magnificent fish will sometimes take small flies close to the surface is an incredible aspect of the sport of fly fishing. To be able to fly fish successfully for spring salmon is a very special aspect of this sport.
I am an all methods salmon angler.
A 'Toft Block' style final delivery during a Spey casting demonstration in Spain, October 2011.
This site is mainly about a particular style of fly-casting called Fulcrum Fly-Casting Style. It is a distinct Scottish style used with single and double-handed rods and for both Overhead and Spey Casting disciplines including shooting head casting. The style originates with the techniques taught by Peter Anderson.
A quote from William Van Der Vorst - a Dutch FFF Master and FFF examiner in Europe, a quote from an article of his called "qualifying the pause" in the FFF Loop magazine - spring 2009.
.......My friend, Robert Gillespie, FFF Master and THCI from Ireland, who has the most effective casting style I have ever seen, and demonstrator of the Fulcrum Fly Casting style at the show (http://www.erlebniswelt-fliegenfischen.de/), was so happy and delighted to hear my explanations about this that he asked me about it in great detail.......
There are many nuances that define a style as well as an ethos. This style is all about gaining full control with economy of effort for practical fishing purposes. The combination of full control with economy of effort achieved through understanding how to apply and direct leverage efficiently.
Several practical techniques define the style such as the use of a straight line incline casting stroke and the use of continuous motion for line height management behind when overhead casting. In double-handed Spey casting it is a long stroke bottom hand dominated technique, the bottom hand and body dominant in power application ensuring the rod pivots at the support of the top hand during the power application phases of a casting stroke.
It is very counter intuitive to use a double-handed rod in this way, or to maintain a true incline when using a single handed rod and the style is taught and fine tuned through a series of exercises.
This site is mainly about a particular style of fly-casting called Fulcrum Fly-Casting Style. It is a distinct Scottish style used with single and double-handed rods and for both Overhead and Spey Casting disciplines including shooting head casting. The style originates with the techniques taught by Peter Anderson.
A quote from William Van Der Vorst - a Dutch FFF Master and FFF examiner in Europe, a quote from an article of his called "qualifying the pause" in the FFF Loop magazine - spring 2009.
.......My friend, Robert Gillespie, FFF Master and THCI from Ireland, who has the most effective casting style I have ever seen, and demonstrator of the Fulcrum Fly Casting style at the show (http://www.erlebniswelt-fliegenfischen.de/), was so happy and delighted to hear my explanations about this that he asked me about it in great detail.......
There are many nuances that define a style as well as an ethos. This style is all about gaining full control with economy of effort for practical fishing purposes. The combination of full control with economy of effort achieved through understanding how to apply and direct leverage efficiently.
Several practical techniques define the style such as the use of a straight line incline casting stroke and the use of continuous motion for line height management behind when overhead casting. In double-handed Spey casting it is a long stroke bottom hand dominated technique, the bottom hand and body dominant in power application ensuring the rod pivots at the support of the top hand during the power application phases of a casting stroke.
It is very counter intuitive to use a double-handed rod in this way, or to maintain a true incline when using a single handed rod and the style is taught and fine tuned through a series of exercises.
Shooting Head Casting - Double-Handed rod
There are three main methods / variations on the theme of shooting head Spey casting I use and teach, as well as overhead casting with shooting heads.
1. Classic Underhand Style (short grip, top grip made from forming a ring of fingers and thumb, body realignment but not upper body rotation, leader and poly leader only form the anchor, end of line level with caster). D loop formed on set up.
2. Modern Scandi - Antti Guttorm's style, this is the method adopted and used in Fulcrum style, very similar movements to the second incline exercise. Normal grip, low lift with reel turned to the incline's plane rod tip out to the side, bottom hand slightly away from body. Shallow incline set up with upper body rotation and bottom hand pushing out. Body turning partly directing V loop set up, end of line touching down level with angler. Doesn't matter if some of the head touches also but generally it doesn't - depending on leader set up. This is the style I use most for practical fishing, it is an extremely efficient and effective way to use a shooting head. Antti Guttorm from Finland is one of the best double-handed casters I have ever seen with both Spey and Shooting head outfits.
3. Normal Spey Casting with shooting heads - normal grip and long stroke using realignment and upper body rotation. Part of head may touch down as well as leader / poly leader.
There are three main methods / variations on the theme of shooting head Spey casting I use and teach, as well as overhead casting with shooting heads.
1. Classic Underhand Style (short grip, top grip made from forming a ring of fingers and thumb, body realignment but not upper body rotation, leader and poly leader only form the anchor, end of line level with caster). D loop formed on set up.
2. Modern Scandi - Antti Guttorm's style, this is the method adopted and used in Fulcrum style, very similar movements to the second incline exercise. Normal grip, low lift with reel turned to the incline's plane rod tip out to the side, bottom hand slightly away from body. Shallow incline set up with upper body rotation and bottom hand pushing out. Body turning partly directing V loop set up, end of line touching down level with angler. Doesn't matter if some of the head touches also but generally it doesn't - depending on leader set up. This is the style I use most for practical fishing, it is an extremely efficient and effective way to use a shooting head. Antti Guttorm from Finland is one of the best double-handed casters I have ever seen with both Spey and Shooting head outfits.
3. Normal Spey Casting with shooting heads - normal grip and long stroke using realignment and upper body rotation. Part of head may touch down as well as leader / poly leader.