Aug 5, 2026 · 1 hr 52 min · 13 segments
In this episode of Anchored, I sit down with Michael Rebholz to discuss Bonker Spey, his controversial approach to Spey casting that uses a rod-borne anchor by draping the line over the rod.... and…
Michael RebholzGuestApril VokeyHost
But, uh, yeah, and I also I come across as very hateful and grumpy sometimes, but actually studying the game, and I'm actually very unemotional.
And the problem is that the whole teachings, they make you systematically emotional, so the tackle industry have you in the right place to buy more gear because they make you believe the next rod will make you cast better, but that is absolutely not the case.
And the first thing you need to change when you want to become a better caster or accessing the next level of control, I think, is to drop the emotions.
The, the constant push for the next line and, and the emotional, like you said, side of things is definitely a bugbear for me.
... wh- when, when you start, 'cause obviously we're gonna talk about bonker spey.
So you start spey casting, and what was your biggest problem with it, if I had to summarize it as a problem? What would that...
What would, what was your biggest gripe about it and how it was being taught at the time?
After that single-handed thing, I just was looking for another challenge and another...
We had a big River Rhine in, close to where I was living, so that was a good place to make long casts.
And so, and I bought a switch rod first, and I couldn't, I couldn't handle it at all.
I was so frustrated because not, no line would work with it, and it was horrible, and I, I imag- I can rem- And then I got a bit of a longer rod because someone, as I say, that emotional concept, someone said, "Ah, you need a longer rod," or whatever, get other gear or get a heavier line.
But, uh, yeah, and I also I come across as very hateful and grumpy sometimes, but actually studying the game, and I'm actually very unemotional.
And the problem is that the whole teachings, they make you systematically emotional, so the tackle industry have you in the right place to buy more gear because they make you believe the next rod will make you cast better, but that is absolutely not the case.
And the first thing you need to change when you want to become a better caster or accessing the next level of control, I think, is to drop the emotions.
The, the constant push for the next line and, and the emotional, like you said, side of things is definitely a bugbear for me.
... wh- when, when you start, 'cause obviously we're gonna talk about bonker spey.
So you start spey casting, and what was your biggest problem with it, if I had to summarize it as a problem? What would that...
What would, what was your biggest gripe about it and how it was being taught at the time?
After that single-handed thing, I just was looking for another challenge and another...
We had a big River Rhine in, close to where I was living, so that was a good place to make long casts.
And so, and I bought a switch rod first, and I couldn't, I couldn't handle it at all.
I was so frustrated because not, no line would work with it, and it was horrible, and I, I imag- I can rem- And then I got a bit of a longer rod because someone, as I say, that emotional concept, someone said, "Ah, you need a longer rod," or whatever, get other gear or get a heavier line.
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