Looking for suggestions. I've tied a few, but looking for more. Heading to Southern Ontario in 2wks. Thanks!
It gives me something to occupy my time on the night shift.
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Looking for suggestions. I've tied a few, but looking for more. Heading to Southern Ontario in 2wks. Thanks!
It gives me something to occupy my time on the night shift.
I've had great success in Lake of the Woods, Nestor Falls area, tying big Clousers # 1 or 2, in bright patterns (chartreuse, orange, green i.e. fire tiger) Also several years ago I caught a 39" Northern on Whitlock's Deep Sheep using a full sink line. Big Dalhberg Divers are good in the grassy areas. I also tied up some special fishy looking things using a lot of palmered bunny fur, flashabhou, baby doll eyes, etc. about 3-4 inches long with great success. I used to go to Nestor Falls every June, but haven't been in a while. Good luck! Wish I was going with you.
If the fish are going to be shallow, I really like Lefty's Decievers in the same colors mentioned above but also tie some darker colors like all black, black/gray, etc. just in case.
Good luck!
I recommend big saltwater flies (6 inches +)
Bill
This won't help you at all, most likely. However, I grew up fishing northern MN/southern Ontario, most of the time on Lake of the Woods. When we wanted Northerns (which was typically only when lakers or walleye weren't cooperating), the standard rig was something red/yellow or red/white. Spoons and spinners were popular.
I'd tie up a bunch or Clousers or Decievers in red/yellow and red/white, probably size 2 and 1/0 mostly. Poppers may be a bunch of fun as well. I used to love trolling along cattail beds casting a Lil' Devil spoon along the weeds. Northerns are an impressive fish when they strike.
We would take along our striper bugs and use them for Northerns. Mostly we toss Embellished Lefty's Deceivers. The ONE thing we do when tying bugs specially for Northerns is to cement after EVERY step. A little effort to attain durability is usually greatly rewarded.
.....lee s.
Get a 9 wt.
I tie a pattern called a Splayed-Alive Pike Fly. The link to the pattern is http://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/splayed_live/. Here is an example of a yellow and white.
Attachment 8668
Bear - ditto on the 9 wt. You'll need every bit of it and make sure you have plenty of backing on your reel and that all the knots are secure. 20 lb. test tippet isn't excessive either as Pike are not leader shy.
In Ontario I have had great success with a TS Crusher in ORNGE/YELLOW, on a 3/0 Daiichi 2461 Hook. Pike and Walleyes hit this fly like mad, plus the fly is almost indestructible, fish it on a 10' sink-tip line and you won't be disappointed!
Here is a picture of one of my ties.
http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...ndflies029.jpg
Pike will hit just about anything. I've caught as many pike on walleye/bass sized flies and lures"by accident" as I have on much larger flies and lures. I have lost a lot of crayfish pattern flies while bass fishing to northern pike.
I use larger clousers, red and white deceivers, and flies tied with bunny strips, such as a double bunny. Last year in Ontario, Murdich minnnows worked well for for me. In addition to flies that have a lot of color and flash that are designed to be fished fast, take a few bunny leeches. Sometimes pike are lethargic and a slowly fished bunny leech will work when flashier flies don't work.
This time of year, getting your fly deep might be necessary. Take whatever sink tip or sinking lines that you have so you can fish deep. An eight weight will be fine provided that you tie flies that aren't too big or heavy to be cast with your eight weight. I usually use 30 pound test saltwater leader material for my pike fishing leader.