Chilled Pike

[dudley]

I'm going to try to make it out pike fishing tomorrow.
The water temperature is still in the 30s, but the pike are in pre-spawn, and have been staging near their marsh spawning beds for a couple of weeks.
There's not a lot of fight in the fish at this temperature, but a fish is a fish.
I have a fly that I like that's similar to a seaducer, and I'll twist up a few big, hairy, bunny type flys tonight also.
The river is stained with run-off and full of flood flotsum, so a fly with profile, action, a maybe some noise might work best.
This is not the first time I've done this, but any tips on flys or technique will be welcome

[Eich]

Do not have any tips for you, but I want to wish you the best of luck in your pursuit.

Ray

[peregrines]

Dudley,

I've never fished for them in such cold water... so I'll make something up....

Pike will spawn in 40-50 degree water, so the closer you can find to 40 the better your chances might be. If you're in a boat and can buzz around a little it might pay to have a thermometer with you to check different depths and locations, though the lake may be turning over and pretty much all depths are pretty much the same, there might be some spots near flats, and shallow northern edges that get more sun, or inflows were the water temp can be a little higher. I think pike, especially the big ones, tend to orient around moving water if it's available.. at least that's been my limited experience.

I'd try a large white deceiver or yak hair/synthetic type of "hollow fly" type of thing--- something that suspends, has a large profile, and you can work very slowly with long pauses-- it could provoke a reaction type strike from pike protecting their turf, as well as representing an easy large meal. I'd cast into open water and retrieve it through the marshes so it looks like an enemy invader bad guy coming into eat all the little pike children. What big momma would put up with that?

Since you've already identified where they're stacking up, you've already solved the biggest obstacle, and hopefully you'll be in for a great day.

Good luck, let us know how you do.

peregrines

[JZ]

Personally, i would make sure the fly has lots of flash, and i wouldn't move it very fast, kind of make a little bit of a waby motion... It might work...

JZ

[peregrines]

Hey Dudley, how did you do with the Pike? I'm living through you man. And JZ. He always seems to be catching something.

peregrines

[dudley]

Well, My partner backed out. Stuff to do.
We wade, and this time of year it's a pretty dangerous thing to do. Alot of crap in the river including large logs and full trees.
Not the kind of place you'd want to fish by yourself
If the flood water doesn't rise too much in the next few days, we'll try later in the week.
I'll let you know.