Spey Casting Clinic - December 14-15

[Phil Lilley]

Lilleys' Landing Resort will host it's first Spey Casting Clinic featuring John McCloskey from Griffin, Georgia as the instructor.

John McCloskey has had many adventures along his path, from fighting on U.S Karate teams to fighting fire.  He was a technical rescue and high angle rope instructor for the state for many years as well as an E.M.T., and he served his community well.  John has always instructed in some form or fashion but his real passions are found in the outdoors.

Adventure has escorted John to vast destinations and landed him the trophy of experience and lifelong friendships. His time on the water is spent in Alaska through the summer months, then back south chasing monster browns fall through the spring. “No matter where I go to fish from the Naknek, South Platte, or the Cumberland, the Chattahoochee is not far from my thoughts.  It’s a challenging river with great rewards and broken hearts.  These waters truly haunt me.”

When not guiding,  John can be found fishing, hunting, or with his family.  He loves flint knapping and working on survival skills.  John is an excellent instructor and loves sharing the knowledge he has attained through many years of experience.  Ask him about his flies and he’ll be happy to share his boxes which include a list of originals like “Lost on Bourbon Street,” “Sexual Chocolate,” and the “Suckerpunch” to name a few.  One thing is for sure,  if it’s adventure you seek,  the Tattooed Pirate is your man.

I personally witnessed a short clinic John put on for a couple of clients on Big Creek this summer (Big Creek is a tributary of the Naknek River in SW Alaska).  He started with the basics and had the men casting a 2-handed spey rod by lunch time.

The class will begin Friday morning with class instruction on spey casting basics including all the tools needed including lines, heads, flies and rods.  Friday afternoon we'll move right in to casting and more on Saturday.

Included with the clinic is lodging (2 - 4 nights), all meals and entertainment.  Also all equipment such as spey rods for casting.  Not included would things like waders and outer gear if weather is disagreeable.  

Cost:  $400 per person.  Class size is very limited.

Like I said, this is the first time we've tried anything like this so we're working out the bugs...