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

Thanks for the info. It's archived now. Just need to find some fancy flies like Ingwe. Next investment is a fly tying kit.

brinky; the flies are easy to tie yourself! get a kit and a few materials and you are golden...MUCH easier that trout flies, and pike dont much care how they look, as long as they are bright, and move....

Ingwe

Ohh and P.S. Use Superglue or Superglue gel for head cement on the pike flies....

ingwe....question, do the rabbit strips ever wrap around the hook while you're casting?

I wouldn't reccomend a kit. They've got bad materials and stuff you'll never use. The hackles are sub-par. Plus, they're relatively expensive given that you will never use 40% of what they furnish.

Get yourself a good vise, a thread bobbin, a hair stacker, good scissors and the rest depending on what flies you want to tie: thread (3/0 for big pike flies, ) Bunny strips, marabou, deer body hair, buck tails, chenille, lead wire for weight. A big hair bug like used for bass, except with a longer trail, works pretty good.

I've fished several times for pike in N. Michigan, and the ones I've caught are voracious and good fighters for a few minutes and then give it up. The only reason you need a heavy rod and line is to throw the big flies.

Good stuff, thanks.

Where about in Michigan? If you tie into one on the big water (Superior) you might want to strap yourself into the boat. There are some dandies lurking in the deep cold water up there. My dad tied into one that snapped 40# steel line like cob web. Not much a fly rod would do against that kind of monster.

KY, sorry it took so long to answer, but yes, they do, on occasion. Ordinarily, they behave pretty well, but you can imagine its like casting a wet sock.However, fly fishing for pike in Alberta one day yielded a "personal best"
55 pike on 55 consecutive casts...busy afternoon


Ingwe

Wowsa that is incredible!!

Dober

Its all in the flies I tie....

I can "hook you up"...

Ingwe

Dober, did anything come of either my flies or those extra jigs I sent?

Yeah have them in my box at the lake, caught a smallie on one of the flies a while back. Thx again, it's always a blast to use flies that you get from someone you know.

Dober

Okey-doke, thanks.
Of course, I'd rather you said that those pictured monsters fell for my creations, but...

I'll get some pics on my fall trip, promise

Dober

Ingwe,that's about what I figured. If you are catching fish every cast, there's no time for the rabbit strips to wrap around the hook though. They're good looking flies for those toothy critters.

Yeah, and an alternative to casting is to let the wind drift your boat, and just mini-strip it...I know, I know...lazy man's way...but it works just as good, and keeps the fly in the water longer...

Ingwe

Hmm, you sly young dog I thought I was the originator of that one. As per usual you beat me to it...grin

Dober

Mark and Ingwe,
that lazy man's way has a proper term, and is a very accepted practice for landlocked atlantics, and even in some canadian waters with true sea-run fish. It is called "harling." And doesn't that take the snobbery level of flyfishing to a new level!?!
Just returned from Wollaston lake Lodge, 8-days of bliss in northern saskatchewan. Fly rodding northerns and grayling, jiggin lakers and walleyes. Best day size-wise was six pike over 40, all on the fly, and all but one sight-fished.

From one piker to another,
dan

WLL--man would I ever like to go there!!!

Got pics?

Dober

Mark,
the place underpromises and overdelivers-- just as a lodge or any business should. It is much better than advertised. go to their website, www.wollastonlakelodge.com Then, click on the brag board. My trips were 11-16, 16-20 of July. Each guest gets one photo per session on there, determined by the photo tech.
Warning, you'll be drooling!

I have a kind of off topic question, kind of. What time of year is the worst for fishing for Pike? I've heard it's near the end of July or August. Something about them shedding teeth??????? I fished ALOT growing up on Lake Superior and never heard of this. I thought the angry buggers bite all the time if properly provoked?

INGWE: could you send me some pics of your favorite pike flies so I can steal the pattern. No sense being subtle about it Thanks Ed

Got the first ones you posted, just curious what else you have up your sleeve?

Sorry brinky I just saw your post..PM inbound...

Ingwe

I tie a LOT of pike flies. I think the way to go is a bunny leach of some sort with a trailing 2/0 octopus. Use firewire to form a loop in the front hook and loop it through the eye on the trailing hook. I also like to use dumbell eyes on the fly because it gives it more movement. 30 pound maxima is just fine for leader. Don't use extra long shank hooks because they are easier to straigten out and you will end up bending the hook trying to unhook the pike. A short shank hook is better for fighting fish and easier to unhook.
Also talking about pike flies, macrabbit ties a mean baby pike aztec minnow which knocked the crap out of them for me a couple years ago.

As you can see by my pics I never even bothered with a trailer hook, didnt find it neccesary and indeed where we fish in Alberta its single hook only anyway..I always used just a single cause it makes them easier to unhook and get off the line.
My problem has been the opposite, they inhale the flies, leader and all, and cut the line above it..a three foot section of toothy critter helps that but its like casting a chain...

Ingwe

Which one was that, AK? Was it the simple 2/0 black, the one with the 1/2" gape to meet regs?

The main hook point is cut off so the trailer is the only remaining point. It allows for llloooonnnnnngggg flies of modest weight, short shanks to hold them without the leverage of long shanks, and the option to replace hooks in a flash if you dull one.

It also seems the trailer hooks hang in the corner of the mouth and are easier to remove... The fish come in at an angle more often than not...

I used Toothy Critter this spring for the first time and it is the first (only) wire leader worth using, IMO. I still prefer a simple shot of Maxima 30# or so for leader.
art

When I was fly fishing a couple weeks ago in Minne for giggles I tied on a steel 10" leader like one would use on spinning gear. It worked like a charm for me to be able to change fly's in a nano. And yet it still tossed really well on my TFO, have I mentioned how much I love that rod..grin

Dober

Ingwe--pm coming your way

Mark,
I do have pics, lots of them. But, I am techno challenged so can't figure out how to post. In fact, I just posted a slew of them on my fb page. I'd be happy to e-mail some to you if you wish. They are big files, large format jpegs.

dan donarski

Mark...I did exactly the same thing before the advent of toothy critter...works like a charmmm


Flies Inbound!!!

Ingwe

Ingwe and mark,
i have gone to tieable wire leaders and put a snap on the terminal end for the quick change deal. With regular spinning/casting leaders I just don't like the hinge effect--almots feels like a double loading of the rod to me. But, in a pinch, I'll use one, too. Juat saying...