Double Haul : Teaching / Attachment: Practice to be Perfect

G: Here's an approach to teaching the double haul that concentrates on that part of the hauling that is the most difficult to learn, namely the recovery or returning the line hand to the casting hand position after the initial haul.

If any of you have seen the "Casting in Your Comfort Zone" program, you will recall that it encourages looking at one's hands. In Comfort Zone, we take advantage of the unisons. The problem for beginning haulers is that he has to get from 'hands apart" ( right after the first haul off the water) to "hands together" -- but DO SO WITHOUT moving the hands in unison. And up to this point, for nearly every move of the beginning caster's rod hand, the line hand has a corresponding move at the same time.

But, to recover after the first haul, the same beginnner has to acquire independent hand action: he has to keep the casting hand in place while the line hand returns from extension to a position close to the elevated casting hand.

Some folks pick up independent hands easily. Most struggle some. In CZ, I use three cues to teach the haul: Haul, Return, Haul Again.

First, practice the haul off the water a few times so that the student can feel the rod load and his line hand is stopping in the right place for the return. Usually, that part is easy. Then, start incorporating the return, easy, smooth, following the flying line back. Most of the time the habit of unison hands thwarts proper completion. Instead, the student returns his line hand and at the same time, prematurely starts the foward stroke with the casting hand. Unison hands.

Now here's the remedy in the form of a little script.

When you pick up the rod and line with your casting hand, turn your eyes to your casting hand and watch it: hold it in place visually, lock it there with an eyeball tractor beam.

Show the student what you are suggesting; exaggerate the the eyeball component.

Now pick up, turn your eyes, haul off the water, watch your hand, and now return.

Tactile feedback on the first haul is prominent, so it's trustworthy even when looking away from the water or grass, the hauling hand, all the activity going on in front of the caster. Even if the haul off the water is barely adequate, if it combines with an even less adequate return made while the casting hand stays locked in place, usually the independent hand barrier dissolves. Sometimes, students find success on the first try. Sometimes, they have to repeat it a few times. When they get it a little, it's a success, and that's the most powerful basis for improvement.

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COMMENT: David has provided a valuable addition to our bag of tricks used to teach the double haul.

I agree with David that one of the most difficult things for a less than perfectly coordinated student to learn is not so much the timing of the, "pull", but the return. While both are important the, "pull" seems to be more easily learned. So often the new hauler introduces slack as he goes through the, "up" part or return, because he/she does it as a matter of rote mechanics rather than with the, "feel" of the line taking itself back as the hand follows it.

While casting with Lefty last spring, he noted that I was introducing a bit of slack while hauling with my distance cast. Made a difference once I went back to basics and corrected this. (Slack betwen the line hand and the stripper guide can be every bit as damaging to the cast as slack outside the rod tip.)

Actually watching it often helps. "Feeling it" is important, too. One trick I've used, is to have the student do it repeatedly with eyes closed after having done it a few times while watching.

Going from watching to feeling to gain kinaesthetic sense and so-called, "muscle memory" was gradually accomplished one evening while teaching a poorly coordinated student as it got progressively darker.

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