Hookswain Is Growing

Thanks to our readership, Hookswain is expanding. Learn what's in store for the new era.

It’s been about a year since I officially kicked things off with Hookswain here on Substack. Since then, I have been overwhelmed with the positive response from our readers and subscribers, many of whom have contributed ideas, feedback and valuable critique along the way that has helped shape the space into a robust community of anglers and outdoorspeople. 

I created Hookswain because I felt that anglers needed a space of their own that was not owned and operated by the companies who pervade the sport, a kind of digital clubhouse where the exchange of ideas and information could happen without retargeting and algorithms. That feeling is even stronger now.

Some of you may recall the effect the movie had on fly fishing. The 1992 box office hit ‘A River Runs Through It’ charmed audiences and sent droves of people to the sport. I was only eight when the movie came out, and have only known fly fishing in the new era that it helped create, but more seasoned anglers tell of the swarms of would-be fly fishers flocking to rivers far and wide with their Stetsons performing their best Brad Pitt impressions.

In recent years, fly fishing got another bump of interest driven this time by the combination of social media and the COVID-19 pandemic. The influx of new media focused on all things fly fishing mixed with social distancing and stay-at-home mandates pushed millions into the sport; a mixed blessing for an aging and largely homogenous pastime.

The difference, perhaps, is that this new wave of practitioners seems more intent on capturing the act of fly fishing with their iPhones and drones than actually engaging with it. Take nothing away from the tremendous creativity that now surrounds the sport, or the people behind the mindblowing high-resolution imagery and video that has flooded the space. We’ve never had a better view of fish, fish behavior, and the environment in which they live. 

But with all this interest and media came money in the form of ad dollars. Seemingly overnight, fly fishing became the hottest marketing opportunity, and brands scrambled to align with this new demographic, doubling down on the commercial opportunity of millions of new enthusiasts. There’s more behind a $100 pair of nippers or a $1000 fly rod than inflation. A conversation for another day. 

I sometimes refer to Hookswain as a piscatoribus sacrum which roughly translates to fisherman’s sanctuary. It’s a term that I first encountered in Jo Orchard-Lisle’s book Fishing Huts: The Angler’s Sanctuary, a wonderful compilation of fishing huts in the United Kingdom including that of Charles Cotton who’s stone hut bore the phrase on a keystone above the door. Cotton was a contemporary of Isaak Walton and is credited with large contributions to his acclaimed work The Compleat Angler. I like the image of a place where anglers can gather in celebration of fly fishing in its purest sense.

The fishing hut of Charles Cotton which bears the inscription ‘piscatoribus sacrum’ above the door. Source: Wikipedia

My hope is that this place can serve as a bastion for fly fishing in this fast-paced digital age, a place that entertains and inspires this new generation of fishers to become stewards of the pursuit we all love so much.  

Hookswain 2.0

When I started out, Hookswain was an amorphous idea. Like many early concepts, it lacked form and structure. It has taken years to suss out, and is still very much in its infancy, but I’m excited to introduce the most obvious mark of this publication’s growth: a new logo. 

A big shoutout to Colin Whitlock of Groundswell Studio for the inspired creative work. Colin absorbed countless run-on emails, myriad Pinterest boards, and oodles of obscure references to create a visual identity for Hookswain that I believe perfectly captures its essence.

The new logo also doubles down on our tagline — Where Current Meets Craft — and visually reinforces our love for the artistry and creativity that underpins fly fishing like rod building and fly tying, as well as the expressions of the sport by other means such as painting, poetry, photography, and much more. 

An Improved Reader Experience

Alongside our new logo, I am pleased to announce a new and improved layout and organization for Hookswain stories, as well as a brand new email series. 

We will continue to publish essays like the overwhelmingly popular ‘You Wouldn’t Understand Me If I Told You’, and ‘My Life as a Stocked Trout’ to the main Hookswain vertical, but will also begin to welcome contributions from new writers soon that will range from fiction and poetry to personal essays and opinion pieces.   

Articles that revolve around trips and destinations will now be found under Wind Knots, a space reserved for the kind of self reflection that often crops up after an adventure on the water.

Lastly, I’m excited to introduce a new regular offering, Quartermaster, which will begin publishing later this month. This vertical will be a different kind of digest focused largely on the material aspects of our pastime.

 

It Takes a Village

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the many friends and relatives that have contributed creatively to this space since its inception. First and foremost, my wife, Fjolla, who’s always been willing to listen to ideas, provide feedback, and offer suggestions, long before this space even had a name. Your input and support has made this whole thing possible; thank you.

My brother Reuben and nephew River have both contributed immensely to the space, from organizing trips and tying flies, to scouting water and catching fish when no one else can. It’s been a thrill to build this space around our adventures.

I am lucky to have close friends who are also regular fishing companions, all of whom have had a hand in the creation and development of Hookswain, from taking photographs and making memorable trips possible, to editing posts and backstopping ideas with sound feedback. Adam, Chris, and Andy, thank you. You guys are the backbone of Hookswain both on the water and off.  

This space is built organically, one subscriber at a time. I owe a debt of gratitude to those who jumped aboard early on and pledged support, especially four of our earliest paid subscribers, Chase, Michael, Nick, and Peter. Your generosity and support means the world to me and has gone a long way to making Hookswain possible. 

Reader Supported

And finally, you, dear reader. You make the space possible through your participation. Every time you engage with these posts it tells me that this space is serving its purpose. In the age of big, faceless content production, likes, comments, and restacks are signposts that let us know we’re hitting the mark. The fact that you’ve made it this far is testament to our mission.

As you know, Hookswain is a reader-supported publication, which means everything we do is underwritten by subscriptions; we don’t rely on ads or sponsored posts to make money. 

If you’re reading this and not already a subscriber, I encourage you to sign up. Currently, everything we publish is in front of the paywall and everything can be enjoyed for free. If you are a subscriber, consider pledging some support. Even a few dollars goes a long way.

Many of you are likely reading this via email on your smartphone. While email is a great way to stay in touch with our offering, Substack’s app has a really nice interface which offers some helpful features. Personally, I find the reading experience on the app much more pleasing. Definitely worth checking out.

I’d also ask you to share Hookswain with others who you think might enjoy or benefit from its offering. 

Lastly, I invite you to respond to this post; let me know what’s missing out there in the fly fishing space, what you’d be interested in reading, or what you think we might do well. After all, piscatoribus sacrum.

Thank you for reading, and for being part of this adventure.

Cheers, 

J. W. Sotak