# What do you do when this happens?



## randallbob (Mar 13, 2011)

I am looking for advice on playing a steelhead once I get one hooked. Here is the scenario I am looking at. I cast out 30 or so and I start striping back line. I pile up 15 or so and then Mr. Steelhead hooks up and takes off in one of those famous runs. Now what do I do? I have 15 of slack that needs to be taken up before the drag on my reel can be of any use. I could use my finger to pinch the line to the rod handle but Ive found out that is a bad idea (see my previous post Three things I learned about steelhead fishing). In short, the line can give you a nasty burn.

So when you have a bunch of line stripped off and a fish hits and runs what do you do? I can tell you what I do. I freak out, (eyes bulge out, arms flail, muscles twitch) and I look like a spaz standing on a metal plate that is intermittently being hit with 480 volt electricity.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

randallbob said:


> So when you have a bunch of line stripped off and a fish hits and runs what do you do? I can tell you what I do. I freak out, (eyes bulge out, arms flail, muscles twitch) and I look like a spaz standing on a metal plate that is intermittently being hit with 480 volt electricity.


That sounds like option B to me. :bananalama:
[/COLOR] 
Option A would always be pinch the line in between said reeling hand's fingers JUST ENOUGH to maintain a little pressure. I always keep rod tip straight out UNTIL close to getting the line on the reel...then raise up tip at same time as releasing line. If you pinch the line too hard in your hand, BURN! Not good. By keeping the rod pointed at the fish, slightly angled up from level and not high-sticking (after you have set the hook of course), you are able to lift the rod tip up quickly to take up X feet of slack if the fish decides to suddenly turn or come back at you. Slack in the line will allow the fish to spit the fly.


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## randallbob (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. That actually leads me to another rather embarrassing question. How do you set the hook when fly fishing? Is there a different way to set the hook for SM or LM bass as opposed to steelhead? I am not a rip their lips off hook setter when I fish for bass but I'm thinking there is a specific technique to setting the hook while fly fishing.

For the record I have only ever caught one fish on the fly. It was a small bass this past Wednesday. It was sort of anticlimactic in that I didn't even know he was on until I pulled on the line to recast and there he was. I ended up hand lining him in because he was only 3 feet from me.

Thanks for the advice.
-Randy


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## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

randallbob said:


> Thanks for the reply. That actually leads me to another rather embarrassing question. How do you set the hook when fly fishing? Is there a different way to set the hook for SM or LM bass as opposed to steelhead? I am not a rip their lips off hook setter when I fish for bass but I'm thinking there is a specific technique to setting the hook while fly fishing.
> 
> For the record I have only ever caught one fish on the fly. It was a small bass this past Wednesday. It was sort of anticlimactic in that I didn't even know he was on until I pulled on the line to recast and there he was. I ended up hand lining him in because he was only 3 feet from me.
> 
> ...


You'll get better at getting in the slack line as you get more experience, it depends on what the fish does. Sometimes I'll pinch down on the line and reel in like a mad man and sometimes just put some tension on the line with my line hand and and let the fish take up the slack.

For setting the hook i strip set it. Pull up or to the side with the rod hand and strip the line with your line hand line. You don't have to do it too hard, your hands should move about a foot apart when you do it.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Hey you two are neighbors!


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## ngski (Aug 16, 2005)

First rule is always have your hand on the line whether stipping back in line or using an indicator floating. If you get a take just hold on to the line and lift the rod to set the hook, I usually give it an extra tug make sure the hook is set especially with chromers have that hard mouth. Once the hook is set you should have no issues with reeling in the extra line, unless it's tangled up then you have to do it the old fashion way and give the hold on to the line and give em some line while fighting the fish.

If you have that much line remember to breath don't panic use your trigger finger holding the rod and apply pressure on the line then use the other hand to reel in the line. If they decide to charge at you back up and reel like crazy.


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