What is a double haul?

• Glossary
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• technique
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• What is a double haul?

The double haul is a casting technique commonly used in fly fishing to increase line speed and distance. It involves a specific hand movement where the angler pulls on the fly line with both the casting and the line-hand simultaneously during the casting stroke. In the backcast, as the angler begins the casting stroke by bringing the rod tip back, they simultaneously pull down on the line with their line hand (the hand not holding the rod), which adds tension to the line. Then, in the forward cast, as the rod tip moves forward to deliver the fly, the angler continues to pull down on the line with their line hand while simultaneously pushing the rod forward with the casting hand. This action increases line speed and helps to load the rod more efficiently. Once the rod has unloaded and the line has been delivered, the angler releases tension on the line hand to allow the line to shoot freely through the guides. The double haul can take some practice to master, but once learned, it can greatly improve casting distance and accuracy, especially when dealing with windy conditions or when casting heavy flies or sinking lines. It's a fundamental technique in saltwater fly fishing and is also widely used in freshwater applications for targeting distant or hard-to-reach fish.

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