Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing Fly fishing for Northern Pike.

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...