Well - this trip ended up moreso the ‘gotta learn more’ than an outing … however … I’m still smiling.
It all started with the wife kicking me out to go fishing (I was on holidays last week). I hummed and hawed as there were things I wanted to get done about the home - but she noted a big YEAH RIGHT - rolled her eyes and said my stuff is always ready and I could have my stuff in the van in 3 minutes. In all - it took me 2 minutes 20 seconds. Cats and drum - look-out, here I come ! ! !
Dropped the wee guys off at daycare and her off to catch a bus and away I went - 8am = fly on the water. In short order, I rolled a junior kitty. Shortly thereafter I had sauger toying with me with their rock-type nipping. Then nada … nada … muis nada. I worked my way down to the city’s floodway outlet - and figgured I’d head back the jaunt, pick up the van and work the area from there. I’ll just work this small pool here first - BINGO ! ! ! about a 20+ inch pike … not shabby (not a snot rocket anyhow). Well, no camera - lets go for the van. I just set up again (camera with me now) and figgured to work the area properly - the seams from stained river water to clearer floodway water. Pike will lurk in the shadows of the dirty seam to snag their food. Moreso by automation I was casting and retrieving - but was paying more attention to the seagull tormenting the cormorant (or was it the other way - I can’t recall). Anyhow - my rod is tugged and it took a bit to wake me up - like the pike rolling on the surface of the water - what a beast. ugghhh - duhhhhhhhhh ok, pay attention. Once bitten … give her a rest and get her in a couple. So I worked the rivers main body. Some out of province people drove down - and were setting up for cats and carp. Time to work the pool seam again, in 3 casts - BINGO - not sleeping this time, I set the hook, get a head shake, a roll and SNAP … bing - gone - bit off. Cursing my knot I looked at the tippet (20lb mono) - nope - clean cut … This beast had a belly wider than my hand is tall - and was full of p & vinegar and all else toothy looking. From the people moving in - a few choice words that included 'What a huge fish". Yes … it was … hmmms, third time a charm … cast, cast, cast … nope … nope … time for lunch (Teen, rings and root beer - retaurant right there). After lunch caught up with another FF’er spending time until he had other chores to tend to. He managed a small pike before calling it a day. I worked the other pools, and seams - nada. Back to where she was. Ok - lets give it a try … bingo - along the south shore - nope - a smaller one than before.
The green goo is covering a rusted rig set-up with heavy spider wire.
Pic time and away he went - quite happily. Not even 5 minutes later, she was back in her spot - WHAMMO shake, rattle and roll - gone. … I smiled and figgured, well, you got 2 of my best flies (well … kinda obtained 
from a bud up here) in your snout - I don’t like that - but I’ll be back to remove them.
I used to hunt pike a lot back in my spinning / jigging days - now I remember why. I’m off next week, and on the agenda is learning to tie wire leaders … then … back to find her … or retrieve my flies.
Tickets of the day
1st fly - a tan marabou tail, brown diamond loop dubbed body, bead chain eyes, red hackle gill, black hackle nose.
2nd fly - brown diamond loop dubbed body, with black zonker strip extending past for leech / tailing material, bead chain eyes.
Partly cloudy, SW wind at about 10-12 mph, water temp 70 deg.
9ft 9wt with a WF floating line and 7ft 20lb mono leader (3ft butt, looped to a 4 ft tippet).
Dependant on what goes on … I just might be able to post her pic next time 
I’ll let you know.
As for the cats - they can wait. I was in the right areas, wrong depth. I was working the bottom instead of where they were. Well, who knows - maybe next time I’ll grab one of them too 
darrell,