Fishing Q&A

fly fishing?

new to fly fishin and need a bit of help.when your doing the basic overhead cast why do you tug back on the line with your controll hand before you shoot it? i can cast resonably without tugging the line but am willing to learn to do this if its of any benefit. thanks in advance

Public Comments

1. 2 reasons: 1. to increase the amount of line you are casting (to increase the distance) 2. to speed up the line - again to add distance However you don't 'tug back' as you shoot the line, that won't achieve anything; that's the point at which you should be 'throwing' the full weight of the line forward (sounds confusing but I hope you know what I mean).
2. You pull line in before the back cast then let it shoot out on the forward stroke just before it becomes horizontal again. This means less tangles in trees behind you and a longer cast in front of you for the same effort.
3. I recommend fly fishing by J R Hartley
4. Get hold of a copy of the book "Fly Fishing" by J R Hartley. It is rather old.
5. it takes the slack out of the line, so it comes out of the water straight , as well as assisting in next cast
6. It's called "hauling" and it's done right before you start forward to shoot to speed up the line for a longer cast. It is also done as you begin your the cast to pick the line up off (or out of) the water quicker - it's especially helpful when fishing nymphs or sink tip lines. It's not always necessary, but experiment with it because it's a good skill to have.
7. The haul is to allow the line to load the rod and basically it is to transfer all of the rods power to the line to get a better distance, there is also a double haul where you will release some line on the back cast, but you must master the basic overhead cast first, i also advise some tapered leaders for a better turnover and presentation they will increase the distance you can achieve. Also i advise you use a weight forward line as it will increase "shootability".
8. it straightens the line out behind you and to stop it snaging on things
9. I just had to go out in my yard and lawn cast so I could answer this question..... "Normal" casting distance (for trout on a medium sized stream) is about 30-35 ft. You are not really tugging back on the flyline....you are just holding it steady - it "seems" that you are tugging beacause the rod is loading and you are feeling a "pull" on the line you are holding before you release it on the forward cast. Try it, you'll see.
10. The tug to which you are referring should be made as you lift the rod into the back cast. As previously mentioned this increases line speed and thus distance. It also means you can load your rod faster, putting your line out with far fewer false casts. This method is known as a single haul. Once you master this, you can move onto the double haul (if you want to), putting in a second haul during the forward cast. This further increases line speed but takes practice to get the timing right. Best option is to seek out a local instructor and invest in a couple of lessons. It works out a good investment ultimately! Tight Lines