hey guys… need some opinions, then some help.
I need opinions on flyline color when pike fishing. I assume that color doesn’t matter, as pike will eat a fly right beside the boat… but you know how assumptions go…
secondly, on the help end, can any of you tell me a good pike lake in Canada where a week’s worth of fishing is at or below $1,000?
my dad and I are going to start going yearly, to pike fish (as he is getting to the age where you never know how many more years he has left) and are looking for a good lake, that won’t break the bank.
Thanks in advance for your help, as I always get the best information when I query folks from this site!
Thanks!
browntrout
I’ll try and help with the first question - color of the fly line for pike. The pike don’t care. I have an older bright red Cortland pike line that is a great line, but have seen plenty of people fishing with all colors of line and it seems to make no difference to the pike.
I agree on the line color. I have used Cortland’s pike/musky taper line (floating)for years without any problems. It is bright red and has not seemed to make any difference. My sinking lines are green but that is the only color they seem to come in anyway.
I have fished a few places in Canada over the years but these have been do it yourself, float trips via canoe. Mainly in the BWCA/Quetico areas and have had great times. Can’t offer much in the way of specifics but surely someone on this site can do so.
Otherwise, hit the internet. Check with fly shops that deal with pike fishers and get some ideas. Also, hit your local sports shows as there are usually plenty of vendors from Canada, depending on where you live, at these venues.
I can check around with some friends if you would like me to do so. But most of them don’t fly fish for pike and go to places that cater to other types of fishing.
for under $1000 each or total, doesn’t matter either way you are looking at a drive to lake. drive to lakes are ok but not great for catching larger fish. i would splurge a little more and go on a good fly-in trip. i recommend kesagami lodge, north american bushman outfiters, bushland adventures. 3 very good outfitters that will put you on big pike.
WV,
Last year on my trip to Saskatchewan I used the SA clear tip. It sinks at about 2 - 4 " per second. I used a 6’ .019 frog hair leader with 7x7 wire tied to the leader with an arbour knot and tied to the fly. 70 fish in 4 days. Biggest 41 1/2". Try a half and half fly, red and yellow. If you don’t have to go to Canada, Wisconsin has A LOT OF PIKE.
4 nights + 4 days fishing from a cottage including a 14 ft row boat run from 350-490$ cdn.
On the Ashuapmushuan wildlife reserve, pike are good (not trophies, but up to 20 lbs) on most of the Western end lakes. Industrial quantities, we go to Lake Marianne. For bruisers, we fish on Lake Napoleon. Hundreds of lakes and dozens of rivers. Pike in the west, trout (brookies) in the east.
Worth looking into. No guides, but real cheap. You bring your own food 'N Drink and the cottages are well equiped. The Ashuapmushuan is located 33 km from St-F?licien (or 5.5 hours by car from Montreal).
If you’re interested, I’ll look up the names of some other lakes in the parc as well as get together some maps to point out where the pike hide out.
For the past several years, a group of us have been going to Fireside Lodge near Sioux Lookout, Ontario. Audrey and Alan have completely renovated this lodge with new cabins and equipment. They never disappoint with quality service and excellent fishing opportunities for pike, muskie and smallmouth. They have various packages to meet your budget. See [url=http://www.firesidelodge.com:87b96]www.firesidelodge.com[/url:87b96] for more details.
You are tossing big topwater flies. A three foot wake appears several feet behind your flie. Your hearts starts to pump madly as the wake gets closer. Suddenly, the wake accelerates, the pike takes your flie and the fish leaps two feet into the air shaking the flie against its flared gill plates. You look down to see that your heart is lying on the ground still pumping wildly.