When the wind blows off the wrong shoulder (i.e. onto the casting arm) it threatens to send a low backcast into the caster. We have several options:

1. we can tilt the wrist so that the rod tip travels over the other side of the body - keeping the line and fly away from the body and clear of danger

2. we can bring the thumb up to the other ear, which has the same effect

3. we can cast with the other hand

4. we can put our back to the wind and cast backwards

5. we can cross to the other side of the river/lake (!)

6. we can go home

7. we can hook ourselves

I have seen them all.

Most US instructors choose option-1. Most UK instructors choose option-2. And most stillwater fishermen I watch choose option-4 (or 5). Although 6 and 7 are also quite popular. All the first four are acceptable: number-3 being the best, and hardest. The short coming of option-1 is that it throws the loop off the side of the rod, whereas with option-2 you can cast perfectly vertical loops, however double hauling is awkward with this second option - easier with the first.

Many anglers find both of these methods restrictive and lacking finesse with the left hand resort to option-4. Against the hard-core professional body of opinion I actually recommend this style for distance casting. Why? Because it casts further than the other methods. Sure for tight little nooks and crannies where you have to wedge a narrow loop under some weeping willow tree then I'll use one of the first 3 options, but if a 40yrd cast in a crosswind is your goal:- option-4 is your best bet.

One way of making the double haul less awkward when using option 2, is to haul horizontally backwards instead of vertically downwards. This is quite popular on the Continent. It feels somewhat like pulling back on a bow and arrow. What I don't like about this technique, however, is that the natural thing to do with the rod hand in this instance, is to push directly against the hauling hand, and this is very obviously the pushing movement which I dislike.