The Skagit casting revolution

Apparently, this revolution will be televised.

Skagit casting was born on the winter-run steelhead rivers of the Pacific Northwest in Washington State. Hence its name, the Skagit, after the river.

Through trial and error, anglers created short lines and a casting style that met their need to cast big flies and sink tips in cold-water conditions. They did this while keeping rods relatively short and line-weight classes relatively light. This makes for more enjoyable casting and fighting of fish.

This evolution of Spey casting has become, well, a revolution in the double-handed approach. Although it falls under the Spey-casting umbrella, it uses its own gear and techniques.

Revolution on DVD
Tom Larimer demystifies Skagit casting in his video Skagit Revolution (www.skagitcasting.com), a double-layered DVD (two DVDs in one) set with numerous tutorials spread over seven chapters on the first disc and eight on the second.

Disc one covers the fundamentals of Skagit casting and the principles of the sport, with a look at four
essential casts to get you on the water. Disc two covers advanced casts to provide you with more
options in tough conditions and the ability to make stronger connections between casting and fishing.

Larimer expertly explains the casting mechanics, breaking them down into individual components and filming them from a variety of camera angles to give viewers different perspectives. He also covers common casting faults and the best ways to correct them. His analogies of casting in a box, tossing a pie, drawing a martini glass, and painting the inside of an igloo create helpful visual references.

When I asked Larimer why he felt the need to make the DVDs, he said, “So much has changed in the world of two-handed equipment just in the past five years. In my experience, many anglers are not adapting their cast to the evolution of the gear. With Skagit Revolution I wanted to create a learning platform using modern equipment that helps people become not just better casters, but better anglers.”

Larimer’s “river cred” as a fly-line designer and much sought-after guide and casting instructor is evident in his in-depth knowledge of all things Skagit and his ability to tie instruction into practical fishing situations. On top of that, his engaging style makes him an excellent instructor.
The Skagit Revolution DVD is available from the production house of Beattie Outdoors and at local fly shops. It’s also available as a digital download, which is a quick and convenient way to get learning right away. Just make sure you have 8GB of free space on your machine and a decent Internet connection.

Links
Buy the DVD – http://fishingvideostore.com/product/skagit-revolution-spey-casting-dvd
Digital download (8GB) – http://fishingvideostore.com/product/skagit-revolution-digital-download
MSRP: $29.99 U.S.

YouTube video preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtVFgrQlpF4