Distance

[dudley]

I have noticed that when someone expresses an interest in begining to saltwater fish, JC makes a point of relaying to the newbe that it is imperative that they know how to double haul.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>If you can not DOUBLE-HAUL really good... LEARN NOW.

If there is some part of 'learn' or 'now' that you don't understand,,, email me and I 'll try to explain.
Serousley... you must have it.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
He has expressed his reasons in the past and they are valid.
Without starting some pi$$ing contest or a mine is bigger than yours, I would like to know what kind of distance you all actually cast in your normal fishing day.

I am a self taught caster. I single haul without thinking, but if I want to double haul I have to concentrate. Even then ....
I don't own any fancy rods, my 10wt St Croix Legend (no ultra, no super duper) was $110.
Standing on a beach a normal cast for me will hit 70-75 feet.
If all the stars are in alinement, and I do every thing right,I can throw a whole 90' line.. no more
Most days I'm way short of this.
I still do alright and I enjoy my time on the water. While sometimes I would like to be able to cast as far as the guys with the big meat rods, that's not why I'm out there.


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"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year"
Mark Twain


[This message has been edited by dudley (edited 03 April 2006).]

[Linesidesonthefly]

The entire fly line and then some quite often with the 8wt. I'd say 75' with my 10wt while throwing a very large fly.
JC was right. Learn the double haul.

[Jim Sentell]

dudley,,,,

...just finishing my second cup, so I'll join your contest...

...anyway, you're probably doing the same thing I did for a number of years; practicing while fishing. You may not, but I have the luxury of a 75'X 175' vacant lot next to me with no obstructions. But, I never made use of it until last year!

Like you, I'm self-taught, although I do have a couple of Lefty's and Doug Swisher's tapes. You MUST take the time, 10 minutes a day is sufficient, to practice. Do it nice and slow for the first several days; don't even arielize the line: lay out 40-50 feet of line in front of you, back-cast/tug/feed, let it hit the ground. Forward-cast/tug/feed, let it hit the ground.

Increase your rhythm slightly each session and in a few days you're double hauling with the "boys with the big meat rods" without thinking about it.

So, JC's right, you gotta learn and it ain't hard. It'll cut down the wind annoyance that just seems to go with the salt.

Don't aggravate yourself with concentration, make it natural and second nature the same as your single haul and you can get back to "doing alright" and having fun.

Jim

[Flats Dude]

Okay, here's the skinny from an old guide.
From my personal experience of fishing the flats of east central Florida for over 30 yrs, and guiding that area since 1990...
There are centain questions I will ask of my customers that plan on fly-fishing, especially from out of state.
"Do you double-haul?"
and, "What weight rods are you experienced with?"
We sight fish on the flats, and I can usually pole the skiff within thirty to fifty feet of a feeding (tailing) redfish, therefore, one doesn't have to worry about long-distance casting, but have to be extremely accurate. In other words, you need to be able to put a fly in a five-gallon bucket at fifty feet. If the fish can't see it, he won't eat it. But on the other hand, if the presentation is too close, or too hard, it will spook the fish and he's gone and won't even consider the fly, or lure.
Sometimes the reds are laying down in the grass, so "blind-casting" is the only way to catch them, then distance becomes an important factor. The more water one can cover, the better chance to bring the fly to a fish.
Also, the flies we use are, most of the time, larger and heavier. Double-hauling builds line speed, thus getting the fly out there.
So, simply, if you fish the saltwater flats, accuracy and distance, not necessarily combined, but sometimes it is, then you need to practice. Oh yeah, and learn from someone that really know what they are doing...makes it easier.

[BigFlatBrook]

I've been told that you can catch a lot of fish wading if you can cast 50' ... but you have to do it in the windy conditions you find in saltwater fishing. Of course, even at 100', the fly caster is at a serious disadvantage against the surfcaster who can throw the length of a football field and maybe more. Way out there in any case.

Currently, I can do 70' with an 8-weight under good conditions, but I'm working on it.

I also now own a kayak. Interestingly, some hard core wadefishers look down on this -- "You don't have to cast."

Hardly bothers me -- I'm hoping to seek out some places that the wade fisher and maybe even the boater can't get to.

[dudley]

Maybe I should have added to my original post
that I'm not exactly a beginer
I've fly fished for close to 40 years, casually in the salt since around '79-'80. Salt addicted for around 12 years.
My double haul is really not that bad, just not someting I do on every cast
I do tend to haul with my line hand out to my side. I know that it would be more efficent to have the line hand closer to the reel.
I guess I do need to practice that.

More than advice, I was looking a opinions of what is really needed to get the job done.

Thanks to those who have responded so far.



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"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year"
Mark Twain

[JME]

I?ve been fly fishing for over 20 years and was/am fortunate enough to have been brought into the sport by someone who teaches casting and I try and get at least one lesson a season. It gets rid of some of the nasties that I have picked up during the year and as was mentioned when you are fishing you are fishing and casting is a means to that end. About a dozen times in the season, much to the amusement of passers-by I will go for a cast in the park. All time well spent.

So far as double hauling, sometimes I have to remind myself it is not always required.

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JME
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Member [url=http://www.ukbass.com:171d2]www.ukbass.com[/url:171d2]
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[Jim Hatch]

Hey Dudley,

When fishing the salt from a boat or on
the inshore flats, I can usually get the job
done. Nothing to brag about but I do catch
fish.*G* But let me hit the surf, and the
on shore breeze picks up to a half gale and
the fish will be actively feeding 10 yards
beyond my best cast. Exasperating to say
the least. On those occasions, I tend to
beat myself up for not practicing more on
my distance casting.*G* Warm regards, Jim

[BigFlatBrook]

Dudley,

Everybody knows you're not a beginner. I'm a beginner. Let's say you could cast 50' in the wind. Would that be enough in most conditions, or no?

[n2permit]

I too think 50'-70' is adequate, but that means you have to go that far into a stiff breeze too. To do that, you need the ability to fling it 70'-90'.