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[swimmingwiththefishes]

Hi everyone,

So far in the last couple of years I've managed to hook a whole bunch but not land too many. Getting a bit annoyed. Any tips on hooksetting, playing and hook size? Do most people do a strip set, leave a loop of line, fight with drag etc...?

[Fish Assassin]

Are we talking about flyfishing or gear fishing ?

[HOOK]

Are we talking about flyfishing or gear fishing ?

He asked about strip setting or hanging a loop.....etc which would imply spey fishing

Myself, when I remember, always set the hook low and towards the shore I'm on. This technique has been proven by many by the fact it'll force the hook into the scissors of the fishes mouth because when they grab your line instantly will create a small belly downstream and when you pull it'll pull the fly downstream and to the side in the same motion or at least that's the theory but it works well for many people when swinging flies

[ByteMe]

Yep!!............HOOK is bang on I have been using circle hooks and this method for years, just a slow sweep towards shore under tension when using circles, fish hooks  himself 90% of the time, they don't come off unless the leader breaks, the BONUS is minimal damage to the fish if it has to be released

[swimmingwiththefishes]

Hmm interesting.So from that am I guessing that most people use circle hooks instead of octopus hooks on their flies?

[ByteMe]

Hmm interesting.So from that am I guessing that most people use circle hooks instead of octopus hooks on their flies?

nope, I use circles because some of the systems I fish are mostly wild fish, and after seeing my hookup to landing ratios go up, I just stuck with it, octopus hooks are the norm for most, the setting of the hook is the same....towards shore for both, only difference with circles is you don't set the hook, just move the rod towards shore under tension, the fish hooks itself when he turns......not a style of hooks for everyone

[RalphH]

First thing I'd check is to make sure your hooks are sharp as can be! They should stick into your fingernails easy - use the best chemically sharpened hooks.  For the set I usually don't use a lot of pressure. Hold the tip low and and lift up and to your downstream side.

I don't use circles unless I feel it's necessary - which isn't too often. But I like circles in the right circumstances. I am still learning to use them. Most hook sets I've done I just point the rod tip at the fish and pull line while drawing the rod arm back. Don't yank as that will usually fail.

[BNF861]

A low sweep towards the downstream bank is right, but when swinging flies the key with steelhead is to wait until the fish starts to take line. If you feel a pluck or a bite and set the hook you will miss the fish more times than not. You want to wait until the fish actually commits and grabs the fly in its mouth and starts to move back down or over to its lie and it starts to pull line from a loop or the reel. It is pretty common to feel it pluck or pull a couple times before the steady pull you are waiting and hoping for when you want to set the hook. Of coarse sometimes they hammer it and all you have to do is lift the rod and you're on. The way a steelhead grabs a swung fly is by far my favourite and often most memorable part of an y fish I encounter.

[Knnn]

For someone raised on dry fly trout fishing, waiting to set the hook seams almost impossible to do.  At the first pluck or tug, I'm swinging for the bleachers and then cursing myself.  I have even tried to hold my spey rod in the wrong hand to delay my instincts, to no avail. 

[John Revolver]

On the swing just as the fly has come under tension and I know its stabilized at the right depth ,  I will feather the line with my reel hand giving my fly a subtle twitch. This also allows me to feel the tug of the fish and directly set the hook with my hand (softly, let the fish do the work) before I bend the rod.  I have found great success using this method.