Pulaski, N.Y. — The Spey Nation, a group of spey rod enthusiasts, is holding its annual day-long festival Saturday at the Pineville boat launch on the Salmon River.
The event, scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., offers the unique opportunity for enthusiasts and manufacturers of the two-handed fly rods to gather in an outdoor setting.
The event will include talks and demonstrations by some of the best spey casters in the country, and those who attend will be able to try out a wide variety of rods and lines on the water.
The Tailwater Lodge in Pulaski is putting on a free barbecue. Other sponsors include fly rod, reel and line companies, and the top regional guides, outfitters and fly shops.
Spey rod differs from a traditional fly rod in a couple of ways – specifically the length of the rod and the size and length of the line. Traditional fly rods vary in length from 7 to 9 feet feet. Spey rods start at about 10 feet and go up to 16 to 16 feet in length.
The bigger rods have bigger reels, which hold heaver, thicker fly line about 130 yards or more of backing attached to that.
Compared to a regular fly rod, an angler can cast farther and with greater ease with a spey rod.