Once you’ve gotten the hang of the overhead and roll cast it’s time to add to your skills by learning to haul. This is adding a bit of tension to your fly line with your non-dominant hand. Like most things, it is easier to learn the simpler techniques first so you will work on single hauling vs double hauling which will come later.
What Is Hauling And Why Do It?
As alluded to above, hauling is adding tension to the line during a cast with your free hand. You essentially will haul some line with your non-dominant hand. It will require more timing and finesse than that but that is the big picture idea.
The reason to do this is many-fold:
- Single hauling adds speed to your line,
- Help load the rod with less arm action,
- Can help you do longer casts,
- A tighter line will create tighter loops, (which is better for casting into the wind,)
- Will help reduce fatigue on the wrist and shoulder, and
- Will give you more control in windy conditions.
Single Hauling vs Double Hauling
If you only haul on the forward or backcast that is single hauling. If you haul on both forward and backcast, it is double hauling.
How To Single Haul With A Fly Rod
With about 20 feet of line out hold the line in your free hand and the rod in your dominant hand. When first working on hauling a fly line I suggest focusing on the backcast. When you bring the rod back to accelerate and bring the rod to a dead stop at about 1 o’clock.
Now here is where it can get tricky. As you move the rod back you will move your free hand holding the line down towards your hip pulling some line through the guides. A good cue for this is “brush off your pant pocket”. Then as the rod stops you will bring your hand with the line back up near the reel feeding out some line.
Think of it as going down and up with your free hand to add tension and control to your line. With the backcast of the rod, you will pull and then ease your hand back. So for one movement of the rod hand, there will be two with the freehand. It may sound complicated and can be tricky to coordinate initially but with practice, it will come with little thought.
It can take some coordination to get the timing right. If you pull to fast or soon you can make the end of your line tangle.
Tips To Improve Your Haul Technique
Never let the line go slack. Always keep the tension between your free hand the line running through the guides.
Let the line tell you when to move your hand back up after the pull. You can feel the line tension as it unfurls behind you. Let this naturally guide your hand back to the rod.
Don’t begin your haul until your rod is near-vertical. Avoid hauling too soon as you will tend to get loops and potential knots.
Practice on the grass. The tension of the line on grass is a good mimic of the water.
Conclusion
Learning to do the single haul cast is the natural next step on your fly fishing journey. By adding it to your skills you will be able to cast further, have more control in the wind and save your body from trying to over muscle your casts. It also lays the groundwork for learning the double haul which will allow for even longer casts and line control.
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