So just started fly fishing a week or so ago.  I’ve got okish at casting.  The problem I’m having is setting the hook.  This evening I went to the river in town and got two solid bites.  Both times the fish took the fly somewhat violently, both times I felt like i set the hook pretty good only to see the fly zip by me.  When I went to set the hook the line was in my left hand, I pulled my left hand down and pulled the rod back.  Too much slack?  

Nice picture was all I came home with

Been doing it a long time.  You are likely setting it too hard if it goes flying by.  Just keep the slack out and raise the rod tip a short bit quickly.  You’ll get it.  Bluegill are fun practice.  Out here, brookies are practice.

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Mend line as much as you can while keeping the rod tip down and stripping line slowly. Might try using a strike indicator if not already.    

    Funny thing with fly fishing, and sometimes fishing in general.  You will catch a fish when you least expect it or not paying attention like looking at the view or just the river or lake in general.     Good for you trying, you will get it eventually.

What style of fly? It is very common to jump the gun with big splashy rises on dry flies. Just a part of the game. Also, learn to read those dry fly strikes. Trout will make a very splashy rise on the fly and refuse it at the last second. If you feel the fish try giving them a split second to get headed back into the water. If you don’t feel the fish it was likely a refusal.

Fishing streamers a lot of people prefer to wait for the fish to turn before reefing on them. A fish chasing down a streamer from behind can be challenging. A broadside strike has higher odds. I primarily Spey fish any more and can tell you I have hit a lot of fish too early. Disheartening when you fish 3 days for one grab and you pull it out of their mouth.

Good luck!

Fishing with dry flies.  Yeah maybe I’m jumping the gun.  I did try to set the hook the very second I saw them take it.  I’ll try to give it a second or so next time

You’ll get used to it.  Very cool way to catch fish, it’s about all I do anymore.
You can catch a lot of fish just 15’ out, the distance casting is best left for the movies.  Learn roll casting.  Snag a bunch of shit behind you and just get it over with.

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You’ll definitely get the hang of it.  One of Gammel’s  5 essentials of fly casting is managing slack.  This also applies to line management on the water which can actually be one of the most difficult things to do.  For trout fishing, do a light strip set with your line hand like you’ve been doing. You have to be quick and can raise the rod tip slightly. . . This doesn’t work very well on saltwater fish though.  Good luck and have fun!  

< Certified Fly Casting Instructor

Go to YouTube, tons of good videos on casting. Look for Tom Rosenbauer with Orvis, he’s very good.

My guess is your snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Slow down a half second.

Get some foam beetles and go find a pond full of blue gill. You'll figure out when to pop them real quick on the topwater take.  Keep the line mended for sure and the rod tip down.  

Switch over to a size 12 or 14 wooly bugger and hammer those same blue gills and ditch pickles to perfect your stripping game.  This to me is a way more valuable skill to master.

Its a perishable skill though and you will get rusty.  I fish at least an hour almost every weekday in my ponds to stay sharp.  It pays off when I hit the trout streams and I have allot less misses.