Double-Haul Casting In Belize's Flats

Belize is a popular destination for fly fishing, with its diverse fishery featuring reef, sand flats, and hidden lagoons. For those looking to improve their fly fishing skills, learning how to double haul is crucial.

The double haul cast is a technique that allows anglers to cast their lines farther and with greater accuracy, which is especially useful when pursuing saltwater fish such as bonefish, tarpon, and permit. These fish are very wary, and the sight of a boat or a human can easily spook them. By mastering the double haul cast, anglers can reach greater distances and present their flies in front of the fish without being detected, increasing their chances of a successful catch.

The double haul involves a haul, which is a pull of the line with the line hand, corresponding with either a back or forward cast. By incorporating this technique, anglers can create a tighter and more efficient D-loop, resulting in more accurate and powerful casts.

While the double haul cast can be challenging to master, it is a valuable skill for any fly fisher looking to improve their casting distance and precision, especially in saltwater fly fishing destinations like Belize.

How to prepare for double hauling in Belize

Double hauling is an advanced fly-casting technique that can greatly increase your casting distance and accuracy. It is a valuable skill to have when fishing in Belize, as it allows you to cover more water and present your fly to the fish with greater precision. Here are some tips to help you prepare for double hauling in Belize:

Start with the Basics: Before attempting double hauling, ensure you have mastered the fundamental fly-casting techniques. Practice your timing, rod control, and line management. Understand the Four Stages of a Double Haul: The double haul consists of four distinct stages: the forward cast, the haul, the pause, and the backward cast. Study and internalize these stages to develop a smooth and seamless double haul.

Practice Each Stage Individually: Focus on perfecting each stage of the double haul separately. Start with your forward cast, ensuring a smooth, powerful stroke. Then, work on your hauling technique, keeping your arm relaxed and using a firm, controlled motion. Don't forget the importance of the pause, which allows the line to fully extend behind you. Finally, practice your backward cast, ensuring a consistent and accurate release of the line.

Develop a Smooth Hauling Motion: The key to a successful double haul is a smooth and fluid hauling motion. Practice hauling with a relaxed arm and wrist, using your body's momentum to power the haul. Avoid jerky or abrupt movements, as they can disrupt your timing and line control. Incorporate Visual Aids and Drills: Explore visual aids and practice drills available online, such as using targets or markers, to improve your distance control and accuracy.

By following these preparation tips and practicing consistently, you'll be well on your way to mastering double hauling. This technique will enhance your fly-fishing experience in Belize, enabling you to target a wider range of species and improve your overall success on the water.

The importance of distance when double hauling in Belize

Distance is a crucial factor when double hauling in Belize, especially when targeting saltwater fish such as bonefish, permit, and tarpon. These species are wary of boats and humans, so achieving greater casting distances is essential to remaining undetected and increasing your chances of success.

The double haul cast is a technique that involves pulling the line with the non-casting hand, adding more speed to the line and allowing it to travel farther. This method is particularly useful in open freshwater lakes and saltwater environments, where longer casts are necessary to reach your target.

When double hauling, the timing of your casts is critical. As your wrist begins to bend on the back cast, start a power drag with your line hand. Stop abruptly at the 2 o'clock position, allowing your line to create a tight D-loop. Then, begin your forward cast while simultaneously performing another power drag, creating the second haul. Stop again at the 10 o'clock position and let the line flow through your hand.

Practicing this technique is key. Start by mastering the fundamentals of traditional casting, then work on incorporating single hauls into your false casts. Once you feel comfortable, introduce the second haul on your forward cast. It takes time and repetition to perfect the double haul cast, but it will significantly improve your fly fishing abilities.

In Belize, distance is a weapon when pursuing bonefish. They can be found in schools or as singles or pairs, and you need to tease them from afar. Casting far and then stripping the fly back to you in solid tugs will drive bonefish crazy, and they'll take the bait.

Additionally, when fly fishing in Belize, it's important to consider the wind conditions. The double haul cast helps cut through the wind and improve your accuracy. Higher line speeds achieved through double hauling can better penetrate opposing winds and minimize side drift in crosswinds.

In conclusion, when double hauling in Belize, focus on mastering the technique to increase your casting distance. This is crucial for targeting wary saltwater fish and remaining undetected. Practice your timing, work on your traditional casting skills, and gradually incorporate the double haul to improve your accuracy and distance, making you a more successful fly fisher in Belize.

The double haul cast technique

The double haul cast is a technique used in fly fishing to achieve greater distance and accuracy. It is especially useful when pursuing saltwater fish such as tarpon, permit, and bonefish, as these species are very wary and can be easily spooked by the sight of a boat or a human wading. By using the double haul cast, anglers can present their flies to these fish without being detected, increasing the chances of a successful strike.

Understanding the Basics

Before attempting the double haul cast, it is important to understand the fundamentals of fly casting. The "haul" refers to the pulling of the line with the line hand, corresponding with either a back or forward cast. A single pull is called a "single haul" or simply a "haul," while the double haul involves two pulls, one on the backcast and another on the forward cast.

All fly casts should form a "D-loop," which allows for the efficient transfer of energy to the fly line without the need for excessive force from the angler. By incorporating a single or double haul, the D-loop becomes tighter and more efficient, resulting in longer and more accurate casts.

Executing the Double Haul Cast

To perform the double haul cast, begin by initiating your back cast. As your wrist begins to bend or when your rod reaches the 1 o'clock position, start a power drag with your line hand. Bring the rod to an abrupt stop at the 2 o'clock position, allowing your hands to come close together as the line creates the D-loop behind you.

As you begin your forward cast, simultaneously perform another power drag with your line hand to create the second haul. Stop abruptly again at the 10 o'clock position, letting the line flow quickly through your line hand. Timing is crucial in the double haul method, and it will require practice to perfect. Poor timing can result in misguided and short casts that smack the water.

Additional Tips

When learning the double haul cast, it is important to first master the fundamentals of traditional casting and then progress to the single haul before attempting the double haul. Start by slowly incorporating the single haul into your false casts, gradually building up to the double haul on your forward cast.

To practice the double haul cast, find an open field and set up a target, such as a hula hoop, at a distance of about 30 yards. Tie a piece of yarn to the end of your fly line and focus on making accurate casts within the target, refining the timing of your double haul. Remember, practice is key to mastering this technique.

How to perform the double haul cast

To perform the double haul cast, begin by bending your wrist on the back cast. As an old fly fishing guide once said, this is when "your rod reaches the 1 o'clock position". At this point, begin a power drag from your line hand. As with a traditional fly cast, stop abruptly at the 2 o'clock position, bringing your hands together as you allow your line to create the D-loop from behind you.

As you begin your forward cast, simultaneously perform a forward power drag with your line hand, creating the second haul. When your rod reaches the 10 o'clock position, stop abruptly like a traditional cast, allowing the line to flow quickly through your line hand. Timing is key to the double haul method and will require some practice. Poor timing on either haul can cause misguided and short casts that will smack the water.

Additional double haul casting tips

• Many first-time fly anglers will want to jump straight into double haul casting, but this is a mistake. Practising the double haul will not fix any issues with your traditional casting and will likely complicate your form altogether.
• Master the fundamentals first, then work on your single-haul casting before moving to double haul casting.
• Start to slowly incorporate a single haul into all of your false casts. This will develop a habit of creating that motion with your line hand, and it will become second nature.
• Once this feels comfortable and you notice the tighter D-loop and increased energy in your casts, you can begin incorporating the second haul on your forward cast.
• When learning to double haul cast, stand in an open field and focus on making accurate casts within a hula hoop at around 30 yards.
• Tie a piece of yarn to the end of your fly line and work on the timing of your double haul.
• The best advice is to practice, practice, practice. Learning the double haul cast takes time and is not something you will pick up right away.
• Slowly incorporate it into your traditional casts, while doing some field practice off the water, to help you learn it properly.
• The double-haul is used to create greater line speed and therefore longer distance.
• In both instances of the double-haul cast, a 1-2 foot strip or "haul" of the line adds additional line speed just at the time when the casting loop is beginning to form.
• The "roll" cast is an excellent way to deliver the fly to the target when there are obstructions behind you which would prevent a normal backcast.
• You begin the roll cast by having about 20-30 feet of floating line in front of you.
• You then raise the rod until it's about in the 1 o'clock position, hesitate, and then make a short but brisk forward cast.
• The surface tension between the line and the water temporarily anchors the line, and starts a large, rolling loop of line coming off the water and feeding the casting loop.
• Another method of dealing with rearward obstructions is to execute the "steeple" cast. Here, your backcast is unusually high, to clear the obstructions and your forward cast is very steep.
• Don't make the mistake of attempting to make a forward cast parallel to the water following a high backcast; this is a sure formula for a severe tailing loop that might bury the hook in the back of your neck.

Frequently asked questions