# Double Haul



## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

So after the rain came through I was in the yard practicing casting with my 5wt and on and off I've been trying to double haul cast. I seem to have the rhythm on the back cast but I'm all befuddled with the forward cast. Any tips on getting it together?


----------



## Indybio72 (Nov 6, 2013)

I feel if I attempted to give any advise or directions without actually being able to show you it i'd just butcher it haha. So in this case ill just post this if you havent already seen it.


----------



## mike1987 (Feb 27, 2014)

I am VERY new to this. everything I have learned has been from quite a few books, youtube, one bass pro casting class, trial and error and frustration beyond belief. By new I mean my first fish on a fly rod was two months ago. the above video did help me to feel the greater load but I could not get it to shoot. these are what taught me to effectively shoot. down up down. I literally sat with my pda and my fly rod on the back steps and learned how to double haul. the exercise without the rod is very key. I looked like an idiot but did those motions a lot. just walking around. I still don't have it 100% of the time. its muscle memory. sooooooooo much crap has to happen in sync. but when line shoots out of the guides like a rocket it is an awesome feeling.


----------



## grant778 (Nov 22, 2014)

If you have a heavier weight rod around, I would try it on that. Or maybe put a fly with a bit of weight on it on your five weight and continue trying with that until you get it down. Now you can certainly do a double haul with dry flies, I do it quite often, but for learning purposes I think its a bit easier if there is some weight on the end of the line. There needs to be enough weight in/on the line to be able to get the line out after the forward haul (thats why double haul is more difficult to do on lighter rod weights, and I probably wouldn't attempt it/have the need to attempt it on something less that an a 5 weight.) Keep Practicing though, and it is one of the most useful casts there is. I practiced in the yard for about a day before going redfish fishing. I didn't actually end up catching a redfish unfortunately, but by the end of the day I had the double haul down pretty good, simply from practice and the muscle memory gained from it. It ends up becoming very natural, to the point where when I'm getting wind resistance or need to cast far, I just automatically go to a double haul with hardly thinking about it.


----------



## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

I've seen all 3 of those videos but haven't watched them in a year. Now that I've seen them again I think I see my problem. I'm trying to haul before the line gets extended out behind me. Looks like I need to wait until my cast is moving forward and haul at that point.

Thanks for the input and it'll have to be the 5wt because I broke my 8wt steelheading.


----------



## mike1987 (Feb 27, 2014)

Yeah. There has to be a load on the rod before you start to haul. That's the hardest part. The part I don't have all the way yet. I get too antsy and tug too soon. Also I have never used a line weight that matched the rod. Most of the books I have read told you to club up a weight to start. At least one weight if not two. It drastically helps you feel the load on the rod. And if, like me, you throw a lot of weighted flies and big top water stuff it will help out with those as well


----------



## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

mike1987 said:


> Yeah. There has to be a load on the rod before you start to haul. That's the hardest part. The part I don't have all the way yet. I get too antsy and tug too soon. Also I have never used a line weight that matched the rod. Most of the books I have read told you to club up a weight to start. At least one weight if not two. It drastically helps you feel the load on the rod. And if, like me, you throw a lot of weighted flies and big top water stuff it will help out with those as well


----------



## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

The most important thing is the speed of the haul relative to the speed of your casting stroke. Most people try to haul at the same speed they're moving the rod at. The rod moves through the traditional range at normal pace, smoothly...while the haul is abrupt and should be at least twice the speed of the casting arm. It's not any more difficult to double haul a 3 weight than it is a 12 weight, because the physics remain the same.


----------



## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

My reply didn't work earlier. I may try to over line with the 6wt sinking line I have for practice. 

Thank you Fallen it's hard to tell from the videos the difference between the haul speed and the rod speed.


----------



## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

ducman491 said:


> My reply didn't work earlier. I may try to over line with the 6wt sinking line I have for practice.
> 
> Thank you Fallen it's hard to tell from the videos the difference between the haul speed and the rod speed.


Hi Ducman 491. I think the most important think about the front haul is to have a good back haul and cast. When you feel the rod loading to it's potential after the back cast, you can begin hauling on the front cast. That's also how I interpreted Fallen's comments. You want to start hauling when you feel the rod loading to its full potential. You'll miss the opportunity if you haul after the rod loads and begins dissipating. I think that's the difference in the haul and rod speeds mentioned earlier. You just have to feel for it, and it's a rhythmic thing. If you don't feel the rod loading after the back cast, you may not have enough line out, and you may not be back casting hard enough.


----------

