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May 18 2022

3 Tips on Setting the Hook on the Hang Down

when to set the hook when swinging flies
Elaine let the fish take the fly. Photo: Cole Leishman.

Have you ever had a run of losing fish in the “hang down?” If you’ve been fly fishing for a little bit you have probably felt the surprise of a fish grab on the hang-down part of your swing. You’d think hooking a fish on the hang down would be easy, but in actuality, it is probably one of the more challenging situations to set a hook on a fish. So today, we bring you some things to consider while setting the hook on a hang-down situation.

Land More Fish on the Hang Down.
  1. Leave the fly there – If you feel a tug, or grab let the fish take the hook. Don’t pull on your rod or try to set it. Let the fish hook itself as it will grab your fly and turn into the river essentially hooking itself. don’t pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth.
  2. Sweep low and towards the bank– This works either river right or river left, once you feel a good solid pull, perform a low sweep with your rod toward the bank to complete the hook set
  3. Be Patience and slow down – You hear this a lot while Spey is fishing, and it bodes true even up to the hook set.

Consider these things and your percentage of landing more fish caught on the hang down will dramatically increase. Even if it is just one, it is still worth it.

Spey Fishing for Trout
This trout took on the hang down. Photo: Tosh Brown.

Other Tips and Tricks:

  • Swinging King Flies
  • 7 tips for your Alaskan Fly-out Fishing Trip
  • 10 tips for Sight fishing for Trout

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