A 4wt Fiberglass Rod, Built the Long Way

A months-long Benchcraft build, finished by hand.

Jan 9 • Jacob Sotak

13

8

2

Real-Time Build: Wrapping a Snake Guide with Two Inlay Wraps

Wrapping a snake guide with inlay wraps from start to finish in real time.

Jan 9 • Jacob Sotak

1

14:10

December 2025

Quartermaster #005

Four pristine Orvis reels, made in England, available directly from Hookswain HQ.

Dec 17, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

4

2

2

The First Fish of the Rest of My Life

Few trout are as storied as the wild rainbows of the McCloud. Meeting one in its home water reshaped what I thought I knew about fishing—and myself.

Dec 10, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

20

16

6

August 2025

DROP\SHOT: 8.12.25

Stoppin' that rod tip high.

Aug 13, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

10

4

1

DROP\SHOT: 8.6.25

Brought on by auditory hallucinations of feeding trout.

Aug 6, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

10

4

1

July 2025

DROP\SHOT: 7.30.23

Subterranean Homesick Trout Punk.

Jul 30, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

8

2

Quartermaster #004

A lovely Hardy Princess, a very sharp Abel No. 2 with spare spool, and a Like-New 9-Foot 5-Weight Loomis NRX.

Jul 26, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

6

2

DROP\SHOT: 07.23.25

Straight from the undercurrent. Here’s your weekly fix from Hookswain HQ.

Jul 23, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

6

3

2

May 2025

Hoping for a Hatch

Watch now | A short film from Hookswain about fly tying, writer’s block, and getting ready for a fly fishing trip on California’s legendary McCloud…

May 6, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

10

8

1

2:04

April 2025

The One That Got Away

Jose Wejebe’s TV show, 'The Spanish Fly,' brought charm and character to sport fishing. His death left a hole below the waterline in everyone who knew…

Apr 28, 2025 • Chris Wright

11

3

3

Learning the Hard Way | 4wt Fiberglass Travel Rod Build

Watch now | In this video — part build update, part confessional — we walk through the ups and downs of the build process, and capturing it all on…

Apr 19, 2025 • Jacob Sotak

2

2

7:45