Setting the hook on saltwater species–or when you’re fishing a streamer for any big fish–requires a hard strip set. The bane of saltwater guides around the world is the dread “trout set,” in which the angler raises his rod tip as soon as he sees the strike or feels the fish. In most cases, a trout set equals a lost fish and an angry guide.
Here’s a great old video from our friends at Southern Culture of the Fly, featuring longtime Louisiana redfish guide Capt. Gregg Arnold explaining the proper method for making a strong strip set. And then, incredibly, he demonstrates his strip-setting and fish-fighting skills when he lays into a real monster on the water.
