Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing Fly fishing for Northern Pike.

I have a 9-10 wt fly rod and want to get into taking some pike with it. Why? just because it sounds fun. I need advice on how to set up my line for these freshwater barracuda though. If someone out there in forum land has or is doing this please shed some light as to what type of rigging I need. I know pike are hard on regular monofilament line so what type of leader do I need on my fly rod to fight off the inevitable line shredding from a pikes teeth? Thanks Ed

I'll try and help.

First, I've never fly fished for pike. I have caught them on spinning rods and I have caught a lot of Pacific barracuda. I never used any special type of leader for barracuda. Just 15# or 20# mono was it it. If I were going to fly fish for pike I'd probably just use a short section, 6" or so, of 25# or 30# mono as a shock tippet. Also the need for a long tapered mono leader would not be as important throwing when heavy flies. That and a streamer fly tied on extra long shank hook might be enough to prevent too many lost fish.

If anyone with real experience has a different idea, by all means, chime in with your thoughts.


fish head

I have seen that most of the "pike flies" are either on a long shank or what appears to be with a joint or two hooks. Kind of new to the idea that's why I'm asking. Haven't used flies for much outside of trout fishing and blue gills. I figured that maybe some fella's who go bone fishing or saltwater fly fishing would have and idea or two.

PM me
I do a lot of pike fishing with fly. Glad to help you out

Heck, don't PM him! Let's all learn.

Will this work....grin

Caught with my 9' 9 wt Sage a couple falls ago in Minnesota.

Presently I'm in Minne and I broke in my new 9' 10 wt TFO last night, will get a pic or two up after church. I'm telling you this TFO is one heck of a rod I totally totally love it.

Fly fishing for pike musky is as good as it gets....

Dober

Here's one from last night, did I say that I love my TFO...grin

Dober

What a great night it was.

Dober

And oh yeah...walleye's on the fly rod...grin

This one was on my 9' 5 wt, back in May when I visited Mom/Pa in Minnesota.

Dober

(side note, this Walleye and my Musky are by far some of my best trophy's ever)

Schweet!

That's what I'm talking about. How do you deal with the teeth on the leader or tippet?
Ever try pickled pike? Pike is the absolute best fish to pickle. I have a killer recipe.

Ive done more than a little fly fishing for pike myself, (some of it with Dober's Rod... ...)
First off I use a Rocket Taper Sinking 9 weight line, a short leader-about 3 ft.(#20 test, at least..)- onto the end of which is attached a 24 in. length of " Toothy Critter"...a tieable steel leader just for the purpose ...Out goes the fly...steady stripping in small increments back in...thats about all!
If the fish are looking at it but not taking, I speed it up to the point of taking it away from them....
Im gonna try a couple pics...
The flies you will notice are NOT long shanked, they dont need to be, I tie them on 2/0 Hooks...
Almost all are "bunny" flies, and Chartreuse seems to be the fave, though on most days its hard to tell..a little Mylar, and you are GTG...Quarter for comparison..





And the Toothy Critter from Cortland..



Ingwe

Dis one came over the side on a fly..



And closing the day with a pike on the fly ( featuring Dober's Rod... )



Ingwe

Fish: just re-read your post...my first time on pike I tried a tippet of 80 lb test "hard" mono, designed as shock tippet for Tarpon. On pike #1, #2 and #3, it took them no more than six seconds to go through it. I didnt even bother trying for pike #4 with the stuff. Toothy Critter is a Godsend..

Ingwe

Yeepers Ingwe, we need to talk about you whipping me up some of those flies!!!

I'm back on the lake in 3 minutes...grin

Life is soo good..

Dober

And last nights sunset, what a great night

Dober

Thanks for the nice pictures.

Dober..Ive got a double fistfull of them..I could "hook you up"

As for being back on the lake...YOU SUCK!!

Ingwe

Now it's in for a bit of din din (elk roast that's been slow cooking all day and some spuds...grin) And then, back out to the lake for the last couple hours.

Dober

You still suck.....

Ingwe