While out pike fishing this weekend I had two fish try to get caught but both missed. The first one launched himself clear out of the water trying to hit my diver. I don’t know if it was a pike or a large bass but it sure was fun to watch, kinda exciting too. The second one was when I was stripping a large streamer toward my kayak. I clearly saw a pike rush toward the fly, mouth agape, trying to engulf it. In the excitement I think I struck too soon & only succeeded in pulling the fly away from him.
I didn’t catch any but at least I know where they’re at and have an idea on what flies they like and what presentation techniques work. I feel I’m closing in on my goal of being able to catch them regularly and reliably.
Cycler68,
The pike is a worthy adversary on fly tackle.
Keep after them, they are worth the efforts.
Nothing hits as hard as a pike.
Good Luck!
Buddy
just make sure to watch the teeth. buggers are like razors.
jordan
Worse than the teeth are the gill covers- those are like razors! I have a nice scar along my left thumb from an eight pounder; I was holding him just behind the gills whilst removing the hook and he flopped that muscular body against the bottom of the canoe… if we had been closer to medical care it would’ve gotten stitches but instead it was a splash of Jack Daniels and a tight bandage.
The pike was returned safely to the water, and we finished the Jack around the campfire so all was good…! 
I didn’t know the gill covers were dangerous. I’ve seen the teeth and had them slice through my line like butter, had my fingers nicked and cut while looking at the gill rackers but didn’t know the covers were a problem.
Anyhow I think I know where to look next time I’m out, in the cabbage beds. I’ve pulled a few from some bulrushes in the spring but it seems like they spend a lot more time in the cabbage beds on Big Spirit.
When I go on our bi-annual Canada fishing trip with friends (spin-fishing), cabbage can be KEY. In fact, we were slowly motoring along, casting to underwater cabbage beds along a shoreline, with limited success. Then we found a DENSER patch of cabbage that was about the size of a small automobile…and caught like 7 or 8 pike out of that patch, plus had a few others shake loose before they were landed.
Dave, You mean you don’t fish pike with your fly rod?!?!?! Oh man, if you don’t fish they with the fly rod are you missing out on some FUN. If you think bass explode onto a topwater fly you gotta try that with pike. I had a tiny 6 inch northern take a bluegill popper and if his larger brethren act like him water will be flying EVERYWHERE when they hit.
Cycler, the gill covers are sharp as hell; but I guess the real danger is that people are focused on the teeth and (in my case) don’t think about the hand being right behind them when Mr. Pike thrashes…
But the scar is a good story around the camp fire so what the hey…!
Guess I’ve been living dangerously then as I usually land a pike by grabbing them behind the head right on the gill covers. But then the largest pike I’ve ever caught was only a 5 pounder. I spose that method wouldn’t work were I to hook and then actually land a really big one.
Not sure why anybody would want to fish for pike with any outfit other than a fly rod. They are probably the most fun of any fish I’ve ever caught on the long rod. While the teeth and gills can be troublesome, I hate the thick slime they leave on my hands as much as anything!
Thought I’d post a link to a little pike fishing video with the Zen Master Pike Fisherman Barry Renolds. To go pike fishing with him, imho, would be the ultimate pike fishing trip.
Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NXj7tyJtto
I love pike- it took forever to get my north dakota father in law to call it anything other than " snot rocket" and “slimeball”
of course, next time I gt the chance, I’ll take it to them with a 9wt. it’ll be awesome.
cycler68,
Thanks for the link. I’ve done quite a bit of pike fishing in the past, but surprisingly, not with the fly rod. Don’t fish for them at all here in Pa. Most was done in the U.P. of Mich. They really are ferocious attackers. When you see that wake acommin, HOLD ON!!!
Best regards, Dave S.
New Jersey stocks the Passaic river with Northen pike. I caught this one last summer on a black gurgler.
That looks like it was fun for several minutes. Congrats, that is something else I hope to tangle with some day.