Steelhead: Striking the Fish

Del Brown once said to me, “Between you and I, all I care about is hooking them.” For many anglers, the excitement crests when the fish first follows, swallows and comes tight. For the same reason, seeing a fish eat your fly and finding nothing there when you lift the rod tip is one of the bitterest moments we know. It’s especially true for tarpon and steelhead fishing, where heart-shocking takes are often followed by wilting silence and a limp fly line.
This week master steelheader Dec Hogan, whose recent book A Passion for Steelhead (Wild River Press, 272 pages) has already gone into a second printing, shares his secret for making every take count. “Striking the Fish” looks at the standard methods for ensuring a hookup and demonstrates one that makes all the difference with these incredible fish.