Fly Casting Tips: The Double Haul Can Really Improve All Aspects of Your Cast

Don't let your fly fishing skills get rusty. Learn how to double haul this off-season and see a huge improvement in your casting accuracy, distance, and technique.

Practice now for good days on the river. / photo by Ken Baldwin

It's the off-season for most of us in the United States, but that doesn't mean your fly fishing progress should shut down until the Spring. Think of it like sports: you are the athlete, and you can use this time to get better before your season starts. If you can find a few days a week to practice your casting, you'll make noticeable gains that will benefit your fly fishing come Springtime.

Why You Should Learn How to Double Haul

A good double haul will improve your accuracy and presentation which leads to an improved catch rate. / photo by Ken Baldwin

The off-season is a great time to add the double-haul to your casting skills. Don't make the mistake I made, thinking that the double-haul cast is only beneficial for the saltwater guys who need to make booming, long casts to reach blitzing fish.

A Good Double Haul Is Like WD-40 for Your Casting

The beauty of a rainbow trout / photo by Ken Baldwin

Double hauling can improve almost all aspects of your cast. For example, it can help with accuracy and throwing tighter loops. It can help you make quick and easy short casts, and puts less wear and tear on your wrist and shoulder. I use the double haul cast when fishing a 2 weight rod, or fishing a 10 weight. The double haul makes the whole casting movement easier and smoother, with the energy spread across your body instead of mainly in your casting arm.

A Great Fly Casting Tutorial

This video is an excellent tutorial on how to execute the double haul cast. It's clear, simple, and specific in its instruction. Really pay attention to how relaxed the instructor's body is when he's making his cast. It's common to push too hard when trying to cast, I see it all the time. Way too much energy is used to do something that will actually improve if you use less. Practice slowing down, breathe, and depend more on technique and timing, instead of muscling it through.

Practice now for your rewards later. / photo by Ken Baldwin

How to Double Haul - Put it Into Practice

Study the video, and try to mimic what you see. The cast happens because of technique and timing, not strength. It's a slow movement, casual and relaxed. Work on perfecting a double haul this off-season and you will be surprised how much it improves all aspects of your casting. KB

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“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover