When to Set the Hook When Swinging Flies – North 40 Video

When swinging flies for salmon and steelhead, one of the most common faults we see on a regular basis from our anglers is setting the hook too early.

In most avenues of fly fishing (trout, bass, bonefish, you name it), setting the hook quickly is critical in order to establish tension and ensure a solid hook hold. When swinging flies however, setting the hook immediately upon feeling a ‘grab’ often results in a lost fish.

Instead, we like to stress to our anglers the importance of feeling the weight of the fish before setting the hook. In other words, that should feel something like this; tap.. tap tap.. deep pull. Set the hook!

Our friends over at North 40 Fly Shop have been pumping out some great spey fishing related videos lately. They just released a video featuring our pal, George Cook, explaining this very topic in the way that only George can, and we highly suggest giving it a watch below.

Enjoy!