How To Learn to Double Haul

[el jefe]

Okay so, perhaps I'm just generally screwed up, and I have performed classic "double-hauls," yet I do something slightly different in my regular casting that I wonder if there is a term for beyond the "what in the hell is wrong with you" cast? Up front know this however, I jumped from light line fishing to heavy heaving (like 14wt.), and really enjoyed distance casting so much that even today I find it very difficult to simply cast in a relaxed fashion, arms low and single handed. So maybe I am just messed up.

Anyway, what I do is (and imagine a double-haul), on my back-cast I'll draw the line forward (though not to an extreme at first) approximately half-way I can reach. I then begin my forward-cast passing my line hand, then pulling my line hand back. So instead of making the extreme down/up motions with my line hand to full extension, it only plays out half-way at first. As I get more line out making a couple false casts until the final forward cast and shoot, I will gradually increase that line-hand motion, yet I rarely do it to the extremes these guys were showing.

Thoughts?

B.E.F.

That is exactly what I do. It's just a little helper haul that I developed--unconsciously--to help deal with wind that seems to be ever-present out West.

 

[Hirdy]

She now understands what a stud fly cast with a tight loop looks like.

As long as she's now painting the loop and not the "stud caster", things should be good. I'd really hate for her to give fly fishermen a bad reputation as being fat ugly barstools!

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[fishing hobo]

Just out of curiosity Graeme, can you fish for trout in Perth and if so where? If at any point I have an opportunity to go out there it would be nice to know there is still some trout fishing available.

Many thanks.

Harry

 

[Hirdy]

G'day Harry,

There are some stocked trout streams about 3 hours drive to the south, but they are not prime conditions to fish in. I've fished them a few times and got a few. Trout fishing is not my forte: I really only started doing it so that I can better instruct my local clients on casting methods for those fish.

For the record, if you can roll cast to 30' in tight conditions, you've got it covered 80% of the time. My Epic 580 is more than enough rod for the casting required.

If you come to Perth, SW fly fishing is the real game. Bring your outfit best suited to wind!

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[fishing hobo]

G'day Harry,

There are some stocked trout streams about 3 hours drive to the south, but they are not prime conditions to fish in. I've fished them a few times and got a few. Trout fishing is not my forte: I really only started doing it so that I can better instruct my local clients on casting methods for those fish.

For the record, if you can roll cast to 30' in tight conditions, you've got it covered 80% of the time. My Epic 580 is more than enough rod for the casting required.

If you come to Perth, SW fly fishing is the real game. Bring your outfit best suited to wind!

Cheers,
Graeme

Thank you Graeme, I am not sure I will transition to SW fly as I just don't like casting heavier rod wts. I am quite a small guy. I like the lighter wt to fish all day. There have been mumblings about going to WA if a job was available but I think the UK Govt position regarding pensions have changed unforunately. My daughter is out in Melbourne at the moment and talked of going to Perth so hence my question. I think I will be hard pushed to give up trout fishing .
Apologies for diverting the original thread everyone!

 

[iamatrying]

Don't get what so confusing, started fly fishing this spring, wish I had bookmarked the u-tube, the guy said he could have anyone dbl-hauling in 15 minutes. Simple say "down-up" one word, take ur brain out of it. Now I dbl-haul every cast 35' to 85', 35' may only be a 6" or 8" haul but still use it all the time.

 

[boisker]

Sounds like Mel Kreiger

 

[pnc]

Three pages ....... maybe I missed it. Line speed in a haul does not come from lenght of movment. It come from hand speed of off hand (hand holding line).
No matter the length of haul, line speed does not increase, unless hand moves faster. Speed of line is directly related to speed of hand. Yhe faster the hand moves, the faster the line will move. Hand need not move more than a foot.
I fish almost exclusively in salt water. West coast of Florida is always sindy. I rarely use a dbl haul. It's not necessary. Tight loops are your best friend. Learning to keep loops tight. Will help more than dbl hauling.
When you can throw a one or two foof loop then learn to dbl haul.
Generally I begin with a low rising backcast. The longer the line takes to lift from the water the more the rod is loading. Using water to load rod then seperating hands by keeping off hand still. In effect loading rod more. Then aim & keep loop tight.
What I find best about this is it ELIMINATES false casting.
It's been a few years since I've dbl hauled while fishing. Hula hoop practice is another story. But, last time had nothing to do with distance or wind. Flats boat steaked to bar. Watching big pod of approaching tarpon.. Line was out anticipating cast. Then another pod surfaced right in front of us. Furthest fish might have been 30'. About 8 males circling big female. Stripped in line like crazy. Hauled back & forward with about 15' of line out plus leader. And landed one right where I didn't want to. Just past & near rear of female. One of the males darted in & grabbed fly. You never know. It pays to be lucky sometimes.

......... pc

 

[silver creek]

Don't get what so confusing, started fly fishing this spring, wish I had bookmarked the u-tube, the guy said he could have anyone dbl-hauling in 15 minutes. Simple say "down-up" one word, take ur brain out of it. Now I dbl-haul every cast 35' to 85', 35' may only be a 6" or 8" haul but still use it all the time.

Sounds like Mel Kreiger

Indeed it was Mel Krieger.

Mel Krieger is the fly caster who was a mentor to Steve Rajeff and Mel wrote one of the first books devoted to fly casting, The Essence of Fly Casting in 1987. When Fenwick started the first national fly fishing schools in 1973 with Jim Green of Fenwick (Jim was a Fly Casting World Champion for distance at the age of 17) as the head of the Schools as the; Mel became the West Coast Director of the schools, Frank Gray was the Rocky Mountain Director, Gary Borger was the Midwest Director, and Jim Gilford was the East Coast Director

In his soon to be published book, The Perfect Cast I, Gary Borger recounts the day he learned about the Down-Up method of teaching the double haul from Mel Krieger.

Every year the, Jim Green and the directors of the Fenwick Schools would gather at the Federation of Fly Fishers Annual Conclave in West Yellowstone, Mt. to exchange ideas. It was at the 1975 conclave that Mel told them that he developed a method to teach the double haul motion in 15 minutes.

The directors of the Fenwick schools were some of the finest fly fishing instructors in the world. They didn't believe him and challenged Mel to teach a random group of attendants at the Conclave to double haul. Mel took them up on the challenge and they went outside and gathered up group of 20, both casters and non-casters and had them pantomiming the double haul movements.

Mel's method changed the way that the double haul was taught. It is basically the method that Bruce Chard uses in the video in an earlier post.

It is the way Jason Borger (shadow caster) learned to double haul and it is the method that Gary used to teach me the double haul. Pantomime the double haul while watching TV or sitting on the couch. It will develop muscle memory and soon the double haul motion will feel very natural.

Jason Borger recalls the day Mel Krieger forever changed the way the double haul would be taught:

Sexyloops - Mel's Gift

 

[dennyk]

Thanks for posting the video Larry. I found some of the points he explained to be very useful!

Denny

 

[camelbrass]

Mel Krieger influenced a whole generation of saltwater fly fisherman, me included. I have 'down up' indelibly stamped on my brain

Regards,


Trevor

 

[bluwave]

The worst example lesson of the double haul Ive ever witnessed.

I feel like he didn't discuss feel at all. I think Lefty Kreh did the best videos teaching people how to cast a fly rod.