Most fly casters are taught to make a long downward pull during the backcast and again when coming forward. In my view, this is an innefficient use of the double haul.

First, realize that you when you make a haul, you flex the rod tip. It is important in good casting to make a very small loop. Casters who make a long and continuous haul cause the rod tip to flex over a greater distance than casters who make a shorter haul. Remember, the shorter the haul, the shorter the distance the rod tip will flex and the tighter the loop. A long haul will make wider and less efficient loops.

Second, the faster you stop the rod tip at the end of the cast, the more the energy of the cast is directed toward the target. Since hauling causes the tip to flex, it is vital in efficient casting to stop the haul when the speed-up-and-stop halts. Ideally, the haul should begin when the speed-up starts and end when the rod-hand stops. The rod-hand's speed-up-and-stop and the line-hand's haul should be simultaneous--both starting and stopping together.

For example, if the rod-hand moves a distance of three inches at the end of the cast for the speed-up-and-stop, the haul should not be longer than three inches. There are fishing situations where you may have to draw the line-hand well away from the rod-hand to remove slack, but the actual brief haul should occur only during the speed-up-and-stop.

A long, downward pull on the backcast causes several problems. The rod flexes more deeply, creating a larger loop. The line-hand pulls on the line after the rod-hand stops, directing some of the energy of the cast downward instead of toward the target. Casters who make long hauls on the backcast frequently find that the line gets wrapped around the rod butt on the forward cast.

Finally, making another long downward pull forces you to raise your line-hand toward the reel so that you can make another haul. Unless you develop great line speed on the backcast, you will push slack into the system as your rod-hand begins to move forward and your line-hand travels toward it. This slack must then be removed before you make the cast or your cast will die.

To make the most efficient double haul, your hand holding the line should follow the reel on the backcast. Keep your hands close together--no more than 12 inches apart. Watch the line end on the water; after the line end has been lifted from the surface, make a haul with your line-hand and the speed-up-and-stop motion with your rod-hand, beginning and stopping at the same instant.

During the forward cast, your line-hand travels in front of the reel, staying at the same distance from your rod-hand. Then, the haul and the speed-up-and-stop motion are both again made simultaneously. Make sure that your rod- and line-hands stop together as the cast ends.

There may be times when, as you lift your rod for the backcast, your line-hand must move downward to eliminate unwanted slack. If this is necessary, your line-hand may be well below your belt when the speed-up-and-stop occurs with your rod-hand. In this situation make the brief haul from that position. Do not raise your line-hand toward the rod. If you maintain the same distance between your rod-hand and your line-hand as you sweep forward, no slack will occur. When your rod-hand makes the speed-up-and-stop, your line-hand (down by your hip) makes that brief haul.

Of course, in making a good backcast, especially a long one, the lower you position the rod before beginning your backcast, the more efficient your cast will be.