Queers, Reels & Real Healing

Forget your dad’s tackle box and those cringe Tinder pics—fishing just got a rainbow-hued reboot, honey. Get Hooked, a bold and refreshing six-part docuseries, is casting its line into uncharted queer waters. Created by actor-writer-producer Heidi Lynch, the series lures LGBTQ+ folks into a space that’s long been the domain of grumpy straight white men with folding chairs and stale beer.

Set in the serene lakes of Ontario, Get Hooked follows four queer women—led by Adolescence star and rod-slinger extraordinaire Faye Marsay—as they plunge headfirst into the deeply meditative world of catch-and-release fishing. Along the way, they meet seasoned anglers from all walks of life: from a formerly incarcerated woman to a blind fisherman and even a recovering addict. These aren’t your average fishing bros. These are stories of resilience, reflection, and rainbow-washed revolution.

“I thought it was just an old man’s sport where people complained and smelled like worms,” jokes queer comedian Rosie Jones, who joins the crew in the final episode. “But I found that anyone can fish, whoever you are.” And that’s the point—Get Hooked proves that queers belong in waders too. For Lynch, the realization hit during one early-morning outing with friends: “These barriers really do fade away… they have such a common ground, which is this passion for fishing.”

But this isn’t just about fish. It’s about reclaiming space. Fishing—long coded as hyper-masculine and politically right-leaning—has rarely welcomed LGBTQ+ folks, let alone centered them. Online jokes about “men holding fish” aren’t just tired memes—they’re snapshots of exclusion. And don’t get us started on the UK’s Angling Trust dragging its feet over trans inclusion in competitive fishing.

With its soft shots of glistening lakes and slow-burning serenity, Get Hooked offers more than escapism. It’s a love letter to queer people needing peace, a reminder that nature doesn’t discriminate even if institutions do. “You come back to being an animal,” Lynch explains. “You get off your screens and really feel the mental health benefit.”

That quiet, reflective tone is matched by the series’ visual style—but don’t let the calm fool you. Get Hooked is a quietly radical piece of queer storytelling. It invites viewers to reimagine outdoor culture, to see wilderness not as something to fear or flee from, but as a soft place to land and heal.

In a media landscape still starved for queer nature content, this series is a rare catch—and we’re biting. Whether you’re a fishing pro or haven’t touched a worm since fifth grade, Get Hooked is the reminder we all need: queer people deserve joy, peace, and the kind of stillness you only find when you’re knee-deep in water, waiting for a bite.

Episodes stream weekly on OUTFlix in the UK and OUTtv in the US. And yes, the first one’s free on YouTube—so no excuses, darling. Time to grab your glitter tackle box and get hooked.