Hauling.
HAULING
It is not usually very much use to try and aerialise more than about
35 feet of any line, most especially with a WF line ( which normally
has a thirty foot "head"). They are designed to be shot. The heavy
head part is aerialised, and the thin running line is shot. This is
much more difficult to do if you have too much running line out.
Indeed beyond a certain very limited amount, it is quite impossible,
as the thin running line will not transfer energy to the head.
The same applies to "shooting heads", although these may vary
considerably in length.
Ideally you should not have more than a yard of thin running line
outside the rod tip. To practice, do the following; aerialise as much
line as you can cast comfortably, without any strain or heaving or
hauling or anything else. If the line is correctly matched to your
rod, you will find this is about thirty to thirty-eight feet. MOST
LINES WHICH ARE RATED AT THE SAME
AFTM# AS YOUR ROD WILL NOT MATCH AT ALL!!!! You will normally require
much heavier lines as WFīs or as shooting heads, as these are much
shorter and consequently lighter than the line the rod is designed to
cast. If the line does not match, results will be poor.
On rods marked #7/#8 then you should try a #9 head first. One can make
up oneīs own heads, from ordinary DT lines, but this is the subject of
another article. Quite a few people will disagree with this, and tell
you all sorts of things. If you want to KNOW! what works best, then
simply try it, you donīt have to take my word for it. For a lot of
my fishing I use much heavier heads than this with no problems.
If using a WF line, you must determine where the head part of the line
ends, lay this about a yard or so outside the rod tip, and then take a
felt waterproof pen, and mark the line WHERE YOUR LEFT HAND IS HOLDING
IT AT THE ROD BUTT. Do not try to aerialise any more line than this.
Even very good
casters are unable to aerialise more than about three or four yards
over the head length of a WF line, despite using various tricks, as it
is next to impossible to get a satisfactory power transfer from the
thin running line to the head. The cast just collapses.
If you are unsure where the head part of the line ends, and the
running line starts, just pull off line through the tip ring with your
fingers, ( DONīT BEND THE ROD TO DO THIS; PULL LINE DIRECTLY FROM THE
REEL; AND THEN STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TIP RING! You can otherwise easily
break your rod tip), until you notice a fairly sudden step-down in the
line diameter. Some WF lines will have "back tapers" of varying
lengths, Most shooting heads have no back taper. ( At least at the
time of writing). That is the end of the head. Having determined where
this is, pull two to three feet more out of the tip ring, and then
mark the line at THE BUTT WHERE YOUR LEFT HAND WILL HOLD IT. This
ensures that you always have the optimum amount of line out. Trying to
aerialise much more than this will simply not work, so it is pointless
to try.
Distance casting is easier with a shooting head, but a WF will also
work if you realise exactly what you are attempting to do. You will
not be able to achieve the same distance though. On water, and in
thick undergrowth or similar, it is best to use a line tray, as
otherwise your line will
constantly tangle, or be held by the water when you attempt to shoot.
On grass, when practising, it does not matter.
You can cast further to some extent simply by putting more power in
the forward cast, and then letting go of the line you have previously
pulled off the reel and have laid out properly, at the right moment.
The right moment is exactly at the end of the forward cast. Too soon
and you will lose power, and the line will wrap around the rod below
the butt ring, too late and the line will not shoot to its maximum
potential.
In order to gain more distance, we need more line speed. This is
achieved by hauling on the line at the right moment.
One may work out line normally in order to extend the head initially.
Here, we are assuming that the line is already extended properly,
before the cast is actualy commenced. This will be the result of false
casting, roll casting, or similar, under normal fishing conditions.
Assuming a right handed caster, the simple way to explain the single
haul is as follows. Your back cast has completed as normal, and the
line is straight out behind you. As you start your forward casting
stroke, you should be holding the line tightly in your left hand, YOUR
HANDS SHOULD BE CLOSE TOGETHER, ( for maximum power, tournament
casters reach forward and grasp the line at the butt ring, but do not
try this at first, it just complicates matters ), as the rod moves
forward in the casting stroke, pull down on the line, dependent on how
hard, how fast, and how long you pull ( the length of the left hand
pulling stroke), the line speed increases proportionally and
dramatically, as it is directly accelerated by the pull of your hand.
Ideally, the haul should be of the same duration as the stroke,
accelerating smoothly up to the stop, just as the rod tip is doing,
propelled by the casting hand, but in practice this is not required,
even a short haul at the right moment will give massive line
acceleration.
The cast consists of two completely independent components, the rod
stroke with the casting hand, and the haul with the line hand. These
movements must be coordinated properly for maximum effect.
As the forward cast completes, and the rod is stopped, let go of the
line completely with your left hand. You will probably be quite amazed
at the distance you have shot. The first few times you do this it is
quite common for the line to go out with so much power that the
ratchet on the reel comes into operation! This means you could have
shot more line easily! Try to keep the haul smooth and powerful, do
not jerk it.
One of the most common mistakes beginners make, is trying to apply too
much power too quickly. Once
you get the hang of things, you will be surprised at how little power
is really required to cast a very long way. The technique is far more
important than brute force.
Concentrate on casting UP! and back, not just back. This will keep
your back cast high, and prevent a lot of problems.
The double haul is slightly harder to accomplish. At the start of the
cast, your rod tip should be low, almost touching the ground, and
there must be no slack in the line. YOUR HANDS SHOULD BE CLOSE
TOGETHER, the line gripped firmly in your left hand. Raise the rod
slowly and smoothly to the ten o clock position KEEPING YOUR HANDS
TOGETHER, move smoothly into your back cast at ten o clock, and at the
same time haul down on the line with your left hand, as the back cast
flows out smoothly up and behind you, and still holding the line
tightly MOVE YOUR LEFT HAND BACK with the line, as the line goes out,
and the rod drifts slightly, so that your hands are once again
almost touching. Do not try to speed up this movement, simply allow
the line to feed back up through the butt ring.
As soon as the line is all straight out behind, the forward thrust of
the rod is started, and the left hand immediately hauls down on the
line. The forward drive is now complete, and the rod is stopping, the
haul hand has reached itīs maximum travel, and at PRECISELY THIS
MOMENT, release the line from the left hand.
The line will shoot a very long way. A ninety foot cast is usually no
problem with this method. Do not hold the line with your left hand, or
form "o"s with your fingers or anything like that. Let go of the line
completely. A haul ( the amount of line pulled with the left hand ),of
a couple of
inches is sufficient for most casting, although as I said, the longer
harder and faster the haul, the greater the distance possible.
Top casters using this technique, and shooting heads, reach distances
in excess of 80 yards, which is TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FEET. This is
not a misprint or a mistake, it is a fact.
For normal casting purposes, no particular exertion is required. There
is absolutely no need to "bust a gut", your movements should be
controlled and not over hurried. If you attempt to reach maximum
distance with every cast, you will however tire quickly. Once you can
consistently reach 70 feet without strain, leave it at that. You can
occasionally try for much further,but don't try it all the time, or
your fishing will become more like a workout than a pleasant
experience. These techniques are especially good for covering a lot of
water, as in much sla****er fishing, and on large stillwaters.
With practice and as your timing improves, you will routinely cast one
hundred feet with ease. Take a tape measure along, and peg out the
field where you are casting before you start. This saves a lot of
nonsensical argument. Try also to remember that this is not a
competition, you are
simply trying to improve your casting, irrespective of what anybody
else says or does.
It should also be remembered that a well built powerful person who
uses this technique properly will be able to cast further than a
slightly built person. For the same reason that they can throw a
hammer a javelin or a discus further. They have more power to start
with.
It should also be remembered that there are certain physical limits.
For a person of relatively normal build and height, the best rod for
this purpose is a stiffish fast action rod about nine feet three
inches long. Taller more powerful people can often use longer rods.
Some people prefer longer rods for certain types of fishing, although
a 10 foot rod is about the maximum snesible length for most single
hand rods in normal use.
Double hauling for distance with a seven foot #4 trout rod and a DT
line is just silly, although a double ( or single ) haul may be useful
for other purposes in this case. When fishing into a
wind, or using heavier than normal flies for instance, and wishing the
leader to turn over properly.
For some of you who asked about shooting heads. It is important to
realise that the WEIGHT of a shooting head is critical, and not its
length. The length is to a great extent immaterial. There are however
limits.
Thirty feet of #8 line weighs about 212 grains. This is about the same
weight as 45 feet of #5
39 feet of #6
33 feet of # 7
30 feet of #8
27 feet of #9
22 feet of #10
18 feet of # 11
Once you know what actual weight of line, in grains or ounces, your
rod casts best with, you can use any line of the same actual weight on
it, irrespective of its length. Of course you will have trouble
trying to aerialise more than sixty feet or so of line, and never
reach the optimal weight. Less than about twenty eight feet of line
is also harder to cast.
A thin fly line has less air resistance than a thick one, so
theoretically you should be able to cast 45 feet of #5 a lot further
than 30 feet of #8. However, many casters have trouble aerialising 45
feet of head properly. In practice, a head about thirty feet long
matched to the rod is about the best casting instrument for normal
fishing.
A high density sinking head is about the best line for attaining pure
distance in normal fishing. Assuming pure distance is what you want.
It is also the best line for fishing deep water.
As ever, it is as well to realise that casting is only one skill
required for angling. It is no use casting one hundred feet if the
fish are at your feet, or only thirty feet away.
TL
MC
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