What's a "Water Haul"

[Twisties]

Hello SL brains trust,

I have heard of this thing called a "Water Haul" a couple of times but I have no idea what it is. Can someone please explain to me what it is, how it works and what it is useful for???

Cheers,
Tristan.

[Paul Arden]

Hi Tristan,

Welcome to the Board!!

The water haul is, I would argue, a misleading term at best and at worst a flawed casting concept.

Worst because it I argued it increases rod loading and that this is beneficial. It's the mistaken belief that the rod is just a big spring.

What the water haul is placing the line on the water between casting strokes either on the back or forward cast.

There are certainly times when I do this, especially with heavy fly that will kick after the loop straightens. Laying the line on the surface will help stabilise everything. For example when casting into mangroves in NT, Australia with Clousers I would usually place the line on the water on the forward cast, in effect making two pick up and lay downs. So while that is a "water haul" it's not achieving what you would expect from the name.

Cheers, Paul

[Twisties]

Ohhhh ok I see, yes that is confusing that it is called a "haul" even though it doesn't really have anything to do with what we think a "haul" usually is!

Thanks for the explanation Paul, I'll try and keep the questions flowing!

[David Anderson]

In my mind, a 'water haul' is letting your line hand directly downstream and the flicking it upstream with a short haul and loading the rod with the tension off the water - sorta like a flat hyper-active roll cast..
I use this on small overgrown streams all the time.

[Paul Arden]

I know that as the Tension Cast, David. But yes all it's the same thing.

Cheers, Paul

[David Anderson]

I know that as the Tension Cast, David. But yes all it's the same thing.

I think I first heard the term on the Tongariro in NZ.
There, it was letting the flies touch down briefly in the water on a backcast.
I've seen it done very well with the heavy double nymph/indicator rigs by some locals.

Using a longer, over-lined rod and casting normally worked better IMHO and made mending easier.

It's been a long time since I was there and I bet everyone is using single, double handed and switch rods now anyway..

[Paul Arden]

In that case it's the Water Haul, David I've come across both in the Taupo region. The touching on the backcast is recommended by Rudi Ferris and Herb Spannagl (I haven't heard from those guys in a long time!), and that was definitely the Water Haul.

The other method I came across was used by guides in that area for clients who couldn't cast and had never flyfished. With the line laying straight downstream, flick it over the top of the rod to land upstream. Let the current take the line back downstream, watching for takes and repeat. OK it's not without complications but they use it to get people fishing on a 4 hrs session with a possibility of catching fish, instead of spending a couple of hours teaching them first.

Cheers, Paul