Andre Scholz

Andre Scholz joined the Winston advisory team as a special member of the Winston Pro Staff in 2005. He resides in Schwerte, Germany and has a degree in Sports Science from the University in Bochum. Andre has made a name for himself in Germany and Scandinavia as one of the leading two-handed (spey) casters in the world. His exceptionally smooth, almost effortless casting and detailed knowledge of the sport have brought scores of students to his European casting clinics.

We first met Andre at the 2004 FFR Show in Denver and were immediately impressed with his masterful technique. Since then Andre has worked closely with the Winston design team in designing the new Boron IIx and Boron II-MX spey models, the lightest in the world. In 2006, Winston and Andre teamed up to produce "Introduction to Spey Casting with Andre Scholz," an instructional DVD filmed in British Columbia that provides simple on-the-river instruction for the basics of casting with double-handed rods.

An extremely charismatic and extraordinarily talented caster, Andre represents Winston at many domestic and international fly fishing venues. This year, Andre will be offering beginner and advanced spey casting clinics hosted by Winston Dealers across the country.

Here are his thoughts on how to select your next spey or switch rod:

"When choosing a spey rod, first determine where you will be fishing as well as the time of year. Since most of us won't fish just one river at one time of year, you will likely end up with more than one rod. You may want a light spey rod between 11 1/2' and 13'3", 6- to 8-weight; a medium size 13' to 14 1/2' ft, 7- to 9-weight, and a big gun 13'6" to 15', 8- to 10-weight. Personally, I mainly take my 12 1/2', the 13'3" and my 14 footer. If you fish mainly big water you might start with the 13'3" and end up with a 15 footer. If you live in a region with small technical rivers you might buy a small switch rod between 11' to 11'6", have the 13'3" as your everyday rod and the 12'3" 7/8 MX or the 13' 8/9 as a short but strong winter rod. "If you can just afford one, something between 13' to 14' 7- to 9-weight is a good choice."

"You can own the best rod in the world, but with the wrong line it will not perform as it should. The line class should be a guideline but more important is the grain weight that the rod needs to load. The so-called grain window is specific for each rod and is determined by the length, the action, and the mass of the rod. Depending on the line style you use, the grain weight will vary as well for the same rod. The longer the belly, the more weight you need. The more compact the head or belly, the lighter it can be. For the most part, you will choose between Scandinavian-style shooting heads, compact Skagit heads (both need a separate running line), or traditional spey lines. For spey lines you should look closer for the recommended line class. For Scandi heads make sure that they are exactly in the recommended grain window of our rods. If you use Skagit heads, many people tend to slightly overload the rod, so you might go a little bit heavier than the grain weight written on the rod. If you aren't sure what to buy or which line suits the rod ask your local dealer, guide, or rod builder. Or you can email me at scholz.andre@gmx.net."