All you need to Know about the Double Haul!
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:17 pm
The Double Haul is one of the most important tools for the flyfisherman. It allows one to cast farther, into the wind, and throw heavier flies with ease. Here, you'll learn all about the Double Haul from one of my fave flycasting sites...Sexyloops!
Double Haul Basics
I've been threatening to teach the Double Haul to Steve ever since I began the Beginner's section two years ago. But it was only while teaching in Berlin recently that I realised exactly how I should do it. This is the method Mel Krieger uses; Mel is possibly the best flycasting instructor I've met. His method involves pantomime, which is a great teaching technique. And just perfect for Sexyloops.
You will notice here that I am not using my normal flyrod, but instead a pencil. No doubt you are now sitting in front of a computer screen. I want you too to pick up a pencil (imaginary or otherwise) and mimic my actions in time with me; it will take a little practice. Before you try this, move your cursor to the movie, right click it and make the movie full screen (press esc key to return). Keep playing the movie until you drill the actions into your "muscle memory".
The correct time to practice shooting/releasing line is immediately upon completion of the haul.
This is the basic double haul stroke and teaching method - I've matched the haul to the stroke; in the next instalment I'll adapt this slightly. On this site and on the Board we have pulled the double haul to pieces and we're in the process of dismantling the overhead cast. Here is a recent article on the Double Haul. There are many others on Sexyloops, but for now, if you can't double haul, this is page for you. For a movie of the Double Haul in action visit the paulcast Movie.
Quick Tips:
1. When practicing start off very s l o w l y
2. Keep the rod hand stationary when bringing the hands together
3. Try practicing in front of a mirror
4. With this basic haul the haul should mirror the stroke in both length and intensity.
Click Here for Helpful pictures/movies on the Double Haul Basics, as well as the article
Double Haul-Distance
Hopefully! you have now grasped the timing for the basic double haul, I'm going to make it more effective - don't give up on this if you haven't; it takes only a little practice when suddenly it all clicks. To begin with, the first time you try out the double haul for yourself, you know, live, outdoors with a rod in your hand and not a pencil, practice the timing given in the previous lesson. Many people find the timing given in this second lesson to be slightly more difficult initially, but easy to master once the basic co-ordination has been ingrained.
In this video I am applying the haul as I'm turning the wrist over at the end of the stroke. If you want to break it down further, close inspection of the Sexyloops videosshould reveal that I begin hauling in earnest as the rod butt passes the perpendicular.
When teaching this timing I often replace the word "Stop" with the "Down" in the "Down-up". The Stop is a squeeze stop, for many people it is also a little flick of the wrist.
There are two common faults when you first learn to double haul. The first is failure to get your hands back together for the beginning of the forward cast. The second is getting the hands together but with slack line forming between the hauling hand and the butt ring. It is important to think "smooth", slow down and work on making the backcast no more than a upward flick of the tip.
Some instructors I know teach turning the wrist out slightly so that the reel and rings are out to the side, this can speed up learning the double haul since line doesn't grasp the rod during the pause, but instead shoots easier, enabling your hauling hand to drift up.
There have been numerous discussions regarding the exact mechanics of double haul here on Sexyloops. The double haul has two effects: a greater load on the rod and a direct increase in line speed. One of the best tips in double hauling for distance is to haul as fast as you possibly can.
Please give me feedback on these lessons; to my knowledge this has not been attempted before. Check out this page which shows the Double Haul from another angle.
In the final lesson: Stealth Hauls
Please click here for article and the picture/movie that go along
Double Haul: Stealth
The first lesson was basic double haul timing where the hauling hand mirrors the stroke - that's the best way to learn. The second lesson was an improved double haul; the haul acceleration being applied as the rod is flicked/squeezed near the end of the stroke - that's the best way to do it.
Hauling isn't just something we use for distance however; it's something useful for every cast. If having read these pages, you're struggling to master the double haul, then pay some attention to your stroke: remember a good stroke doesn't apply power throughout the stroke, but concentrated towards the end.
Although there are other methods of teaching and learning the double haul, many of which are covered here, in the Casting Manual, this pantomime method is particularly good for teaching large groups and (hopefully) here on Sexyloops. In this final video I'm applying little "stealth" hauls, you don't even need to leave you desk to practice these
You can use short hauls to enhance other components of the cast; for example, on this page I'm using the haul to help lift the line into the Switch Cast.
Please click here for videos and article
Double Haul Basics
I've been threatening to teach the Double Haul to Steve ever since I began the Beginner's section two years ago. But it was only while teaching in Berlin recently that I realised exactly how I should do it. This is the method Mel Krieger uses; Mel is possibly the best flycasting instructor I've met. His method involves pantomime, which is a great teaching technique. And just perfect for Sexyloops.
You will notice here that I am not using my normal flyrod, but instead a pencil. No doubt you are now sitting in front of a computer screen. I want you too to pick up a pencil (imaginary or otherwise) and mimic my actions in time with me; it will take a little practice. Before you try this, move your cursor to the movie, right click it and make the movie full screen (press esc key to return). Keep playing the movie until you drill the actions into your "muscle memory".
The correct time to practice shooting/releasing line is immediately upon completion of the haul.
This is the basic double haul stroke and teaching method - I've matched the haul to the stroke; in the next instalment I'll adapt this slightly. On this site and on the Board we have pulled the double haul to pieces and we're in the process of dismantling the overhead cast. Here is a recent article on the Double Haul. There are many others on Sexyloops, but for now, if you can't double haul, this is page for you. For a movie of the Double Haul in action visit the paulcast Movie.
Quick Tips:
1. When practicing start off very s l o w l y
2. Keep the rod hand stationary when bringing the hands together
3. Try practicing in front of a mirror
4. With this basic haul the haul should mirror the stroke in both length and intensity.
Click Here for Helpful pictures/movies on the Double Haul Basics, as well as the article
Double Haul-Distance
Hopefully! you have now grasped the timing for the basic double haul, I'm going to make it more effective - don't give up on this if you haven't; it takes only a little practice when suddenly it all clicks. To begin with, the first time you try out the double haul for yourself, you know, live, outdoors with a rod in your hand and not a pencil, practice the timing given in the previous lesson. Many people find the timing given in this second lesson to be slightly more difficult initially, but easy to master once the basic co-ordination has been ingrained.
In this video I am applying the haul as I'm turning the wrist over at the end of the stroke. If you want to break it down further, close inspection of the Sexyloops videosshould reveal that I begin hauling in earnest as the rod butt passes the perpendicular.
When teaching this timing I often replace the word "Stop" with the "Down" in the "Down-up". The Stop is a squeeze stop, for many people it is also a little flick of the wrist.
There are two common faults when you first learn to double haul. The first is failure to get your hands back together for the beginning of the forward cast. The second is getting the hands together but with slack line forming between the hauling hand and the butt ring. It is important to think "smooth", slow down and work on making the backcast no more than a upward flick of the tip.
Some instructors I know teach turning the wrist out slightly so that the reel and rings are out to the side, this can speed up learning the double haul since line doesn't grasp the rod during the pause, but instead shoots easier, enabling your hauling hand to drift up.
There have been numerous discussions regarding the exact mechanics of double haul here on Sexyloops. The double haul has two effects: a greater load on the rod and a direct increase in line speed. One of the best tips in double hauling for distance is to haul as fast as you possibly can.
Please give me feedback on these lessons; to my knowledge this has not been attempted before. Check out this page which shows the Double Haul from another angle.
In the final lesson: Stealth Hauls
Please click here for article and the picture/movie that go along
Double Haul: Stealth
The first lesson was basic double haul timing where the hauling hand mirrors the stroke - that's the best way to learn. The second lesson was an improved double haul; the haul acceleration being applied as the rod is flicked/squeezed near the end of the stroke - that's the best way to do it.
Hauling isn't just something we use for distance however; it's something useful for every cast. If having read these pages, you're struggling to master the double haul, then pay some attention to your stroke: remember a good stroke doesn't apply power throughout the stroke, but concentrated towards the end.
Although there are other methods of teaching and learning the double haul, many of which are covered here, in the Casting Manual, this pantomime method is particularly good for teaching large groups and (hopefully) here on Sexyloops. In this final video I'm applying little "stealth" hauls, you don't even need to leave you desk to practice these
You can use short hauls to enhance other components of the cast; for example, on this page I'm using the haul to help lift the line into the Switch Cast.
Please click here for videos and article