Double haul question

[Migs]

Friends:

On the back cast prior to the launch of the line do you all let a little line slip back (to gain length) and then haul? ...or on that same stroke simply haul? In other words: on this last back cast during the double haul do you add line or not? (If you don't I'm assuming you false casted enough to add all the necessary line previously).

Which method gives more distance in your experience?

As always - thanks for your input! -Migs

[RonMT]

What type of line are you throwing? A Head, Duble Taper or a Wgt Forward? Makes a difference. If throwing a head you should have all the head out of the guides when making the cast. If you try and let line out after that you will lose control of the head and the cast. With a Double Taper it doesn't matter that much you can still let line out of the back cast. With a Wgt Forward it is the same as a head if you get to much out you will lose control of the cast. Ron

[Migs]

Hi RonMT:

Thanks for the quick answer. I use Wt Fwd 6wt intermediate sink mostly. Do you let more than the head out first? or just the head mainly? (head = 1st 30 ft) What gives you more distance?

I cant help but think about what happens to the 60 or so ft. of line piled on the floor during all this. If its flying it doesnt get tangled, but it also wastes energy!

Migs

[RonMT]

Timing gives you the best distance. Without it you will not get a good cast. As far as how much line you should have out. Just the first 30 feet or so is all that you will be able to use with your wgt forward if you get much more than that out you will lose the ability to control the line during the cast.

To get the most distance you have to have the shooting line under control. I normally use my mouth to hold the line but I am old school. You can use a shooting basket and that works to. If you use the bottom of the boat make sure it is free of anything that will catch the line. You can strip the line into a bucket and that will work. As long as the line is stripped so that it is coiled without twists and knots you should be able to get a good long cast. If casting off grass you will catch the line and there isn't much you can do about it. Use your mouth. Just make sure to open it at the right time and don't use your teeth to hold the line. If your timing is off you may have to get false teeth LOL. Pratice and timing is were distance comes from. Controling the shooting line becomes secound nature after time. 120 foot cast should become secound nature. I use Mono for my shooting line. I do have a spool with the new floating shooting line but I do not like it as well. I feel it stops the head from going as deep as I like. Ron

[Migs]

Hi RonMT:

I can cast 70 ft comfortably, and do practice lawn casting as much as I can (specially now since in this southern hemisphere it is our off season). I marked my lines by wrapping thread at the 39ft mark and the 70 ft mark so I know how much I have out, and no sooner was the 70 ft a goal for me than I realized it. Since I fish high mountain lakes mostly, you can understand that distance is very important. Only in this, my 5th yr. of FF'ing have I reached those distances. I made it a point not to vary my line/rod until I was proficcient in the other things. Please send any other comments my way!

I remain most grateful - Migs

[J Castwell]

Assuming you want a long cast. Assuming you are using a 90 to 120 foot WF line, NOT just a 30ft. head with 'running' line behind it.
I was surprised to hear from a guy named 'Steve' that he does not add any line into that last back cast. I do. Also, you will find that he would have at least 85 feet of line in the air and then shoot the rest into the front cast.
If I have ever learned anything it's that, for me, I MUST make sure my front loop is a tight wedge on each cast before I add more line into the cast. If I am satisfied with the front 'wedge' I will add some line into the next back cast. I continue this untill I have made a fool of myself and have tangled the whole works beyond completion. If not I can snag the coils on my shoelaces or have pretty twisty thingies of fly line stuck into the first rod guide. Fumbling with and actually losing the line with my off hand is not something I like to discuss in public.
If something does not work well doing it again usually is dumb as I am just re-enforcing a mistake and waisting energy. Practice does not make perfect. Unless you really have something in mind it often just locks in a fault and makes you tired. And the longer you go on, the tireder you get,,, and the worserer too.

[RonMT]

Frank it is easy if you have done it for 50 years LOL.

I know JC better than he is letting on and he can do just fine with a Double Haul.
I can add a lot of line with a DT line but not with a head or wgt forward line when hauling. Some but not much. What am I doing wrong JC?????? Ron

[Migs]

I understand all of the comments. Maybe I have to work on my loop shape a little more and the rest will fall into place. I have noticed that my effort level has decreased while my distance has increased. This is a good sign (at least to me). I admit that I do not have a tight loop though. That part still eludes me. - Migs

[Ray]

To answer your question, YES. I often feed line on both the front and backcast while double hauling. This is the easiest way to get the 70-80' in the air before shooting.

[richarde206]

RonMT, it sounds to me that you probably aren't loading the rod very well with the WF lines. Because of their configuration, say you have 45' of line in the air, the DT will weigh more than the comparable weight WF; that extra weight should load the rod more and impart more energy to the cast, which would help you feed line on your casts.

Where you located?