(^52) FLYLIFE
T
hey say you are continually learn-
ing when fly fishing, and so often
that learning is inspired by a
chance event. For me, it happened
when I stumbled upon Herb Span-
nagl. It had been the first day of a
week-long trip on the Tongariro River
with Shawn Mitchell, who was new
to the river. We covered a number of
the well-known pools through the day,
and ended on Lower Bridge Pool. It
had been a good day, but I was feeling
the dull stiffness in my shoulder that
comes from casting heavy Tongariro
bombs all day. The daylight was slowly
leaving the rich landscape and the cold
had started to bite.
Having made my last cast, I watched
Shawn further up the pool make a
series of stylish Spey casts with his
double-hander. It was then I noticed a
senior angler, steadily making his way
up the track towards me. He was car-
rying two solid rainbows, one beingthe biggest fish I’d seen come out of
the Tongariro in a long time. I com-
mended him on his catch and we got
talking, as you do, about the fishing.
Soon we got on to the topic of casting,
as Shawn was intending to give me a
few lessons in doubled handed Spey
casting during the trip. Herb men-
tioned using the Tongariro Roll Cast,
performed with a conventional rod. It
rang a bell, as I’d read a promo for an
upcoming clinic about this cast.Piero Bertocchi unravels the story behind
the Tongariro Roll Cast.
The Roll Cast
Academy
Herb enlightens the author on the finer details of the TRC.
HARRY MOORES