NEW TO THE BOARD

[Neal Hoffberg]

Hello, Everyone
Neal Hoffberg here. Issaquah, Wa. Joining the Board after spending countless hours trying to interpret Paul's casting videos! Especially, 2X hauling. Jim Black, C.I. FFI introduced me to the Board. I am originally from California and have 20 plus years fly fishing the eastern sierra. All of them technical dry fly fishing. By technical I mean flies mainly <#18. Love comparadun and Trico hatches. Midge hatch at sundown is fun, too. I tie my own flies. I consider my home or native waters to be Hot Creek Ranch, Mammoth Lakes, Ca. My quiver is primarily made up of Scott Fly Rods. However, I just added an Epic 5wt Fastglass with double taper SA line. I now teach fly tying at the Washington Fly Fishing Club and with Project Healing Waters, Seattle. I am on the board of the Washington State Council FFI. (Yes, I am retired). My quiver is primarily made up of Scott Fly Rods. However, I just added an Epic 5wt with double taper SA line. I am currently being mentored for the FFI C.I.C.P. test. That's just about it in a nut shell. I'm sure you've seen enough. I'll close the kimono for now.

Looking forward to reading, learning and posting on the Forum
Very tight lines to all,
Neal Hoffberg

[Paul Arden]

Hi Neal,

welcome to the Board; great to have you here! It’s been a long while since I’ve fished anything smaller than a #10 I remember being alarmed at finding it almost impossible to tie 7X tippets in the dusk. Which was extremely frustrating during a hatch. It started to become a difficult decision knowing that I should change fly but also knowing that by the time I had it would be all over and I would have worked myself into a frenzy.

I think maybe my arms have shrunk.

Cheers, Paul

[Neal Hoffberg]

Thank you, Paul. I look forward to participating. Sorry for the repetition of the last line! Still getting use to the iMac and hit C instead of X for cut. Just viewed your Masterclass video on double haul. Excellent. Things are starting to click.
Neal

[Paul Arden]

Thanks. There are a few video on the Double Haul. Unfortunately most teaching seems to end when the timing is good and without slack line. But really that’s where it all begins. Many casters are guilty of working on their rod hand and using the Double Haul as an supplement to the stroke.

I was driving across the States (one of those long 3 days drives!) when I suddenly had the lightbulb moment that I could haul quicker. Next rest stop I jumped out and started casting with the most powerful haul I could muster. Tailing loop city. However I didn’t want to reduce the haul speed so I started playing with the timing and figured out quite quickly that the fast haul was ending too soon and needed to be applied later.

Ever since then I’ve really considered the Stroke to be a supplement to the Haul. Left brain/right brain!

Cheers, Paul