Pike on Fly
anyone do any fly fishing for pike?
i'm getting my first oppurtuity in June and
I am planning on getting a new outfit for the trip... I was wondering if anyone could steer me on a weight line. I was thinking a 10 weight, but would like to get an 8... if it would fit the bill. any info?
thanks,
browntrout
go to FEATURES, click on From Canada, go to archives, click on Pike on Fly.
8 wt should be fine. It is the tippet to be careful about. I believe there is a wire-coated monofilament available out there in tippet world. Pike are not line shy so a forty lb. tippet should work. I am sure that you are aware that pike have THE TEETH of the freshwater fish world. To catch a pike on the surface is to have your heart jump out of your chest.
take a sinking line with you in addition to the floating. Pike will go deeper as the weather warms.
[This message has been edited by Gardenfish (edited 21 March 2005).]
Browntrout,
An 8wt should be enough. You will have to play the larger fish a bit longer but that is part of the fun.
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Eric "nighthawk"
Where are you going?
[url=http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1124:79b9b]http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1124[/url:79b9b]
We, too, are going in June....Wignes Lake Lodge. Second trip, so what we say, you may want to take with a grain of salt....a BIG grain.
We tossed a 9wt and a 10wt. On the 9wt we used a 30' LC shooting head. On the 10wt we used a WF12F. We tossed some large bugs comfortably with these set-ups. A GOOD 8wt would serve you just fine also.
We tossed ONE popping bug on some 80# bite tippet to ONE fish. That's it! The fish took the bug and left. After that we used wire on every thing. We took a spool of American Fishing Wire and a spool of Tyger Wire. The Tyger Wire is danged expensive and STILL kinks. It may be just a bit easier to tie knots in and just a bit more supple...BUT
it STILL kinks. Not worth the extra IMHO.
We tossed MOSTLY a 4" Embellished Deceiver of our own concoction and did well on the pike AND the lakers. Ciscos seemed the main food base for this lake at this time.....? We tied a popper head on a tube to use with this bug when top-water was wanted.
We are tying a lot more bugs on tubes this year to see if we can get over 25 fish on a bug. I think pliers are more detrimental to the bugs than the pike's teeth.....maybe?
.....lee s.
Browntrout,
Oh man, ... Pike, ... In June !!
Where ?? You could be in for some serious fun. The lunkers and trophies are typically taken in the late spring or early summer just after spawning.
After that, a BIG pike is more of an exception as they will "prefer" to eat BIG meals ... less often.
An 8wt should be fine if you like to cast it. Big flies mean big lines. Can cast comfortably mice on a 8 wt line. I still like to taper my leaders. I use long leaders, but its really not necessary. Tapered from 40lb down to 25 on a 20lb tippet. I don't use wire leaders, but I strike fast and only fish for pike in the weeds with dries. (so I'll usually hook in the "lip" or "hinge" just like a trout.
Favorite imitations for me,... mice & frogs.
Don't forget long nose hook retrievers, don't put your fingers in the eyes and watch out for that last sprint when the monsters gets boats side.
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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 02 January 2006).]
Christopher Chin
we are going to lake Mattagami in north central Ontario. The folks I have spoke with there said they have never had a fly fishing customer (for pike)... but they said the lake was full of pike, and that they would be at river mouths during the week we are there (June 18th - 25th).
Thanks for all the information folks!
browntrout
An 8wt is fine as has been said. I use a 7wt for smaller river Pike and a 9wt for large Pike & Muskie.
As said bring a sinking line or shooting head in the same.
I like Tyger wire for a bite guard.
You don't need really big flies a 2/0 5"-6" Deceiver with a flash tail is good along with a waker hair bug or gurgler for top water.
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