9 proven ways to make sure you stay a mediocre fly angler

#9  Never sharpen your hooks

There are a lot of ways to lose fish. I have extensive lived experience in this area. Maybe you didn’t set the hook well. Maybe you let the line slacken. But I’ll bet you my newest 6-weight rod that a major factor was a dull hook. How do I know your hook was dull? Because unless you own a hook sharpener and used it in the last few hours, your hook was dull. Fly hooks, especially small ones, often seem naturally sharp. They’re not—or not as sharp as they could and should be. They actually tend to arrive a little dull from the factory, after shaking around in a box with 99 other steel hooks. Then every time the point touches a rock, log or fish, it gets duller.

Why does this matter if it’s still pretty sharp? It matters in the margins. Razor-sharp hooks are insurance against mishaps. They’ll stick in a fish’s mouth even when the fish doesn’t strike the fly full on, or if your hookset was weak, or if you bobble the fight. In fact, sharpening hooks is the single cheapest, easiest and fastest way to land more fish on the fly. Here’s a promise: If you buy a $10 hook sharpener, spend a few minutes learning how to use it, and regularly sharpen your hooks, you will land 25 per cent more fish this season. Full stop.

Whether you tie or buy files, make a habit of sharpening the hooks before they go in your box. Then, they’ll only need a tiny touch up on the water. In fact, this advice extends to all kinds of fishing. Two of the best anglers in Canada—Gord Pyzer and Bob Izumi—are famously hardcore hook sharpeners. So, even if you don’t believe me, take it from them.