Northern Pike

[jbird]

Went trout fishing for the first time here. The guy I met who took me warned me that Pike are in the same streams. Well I was glad about that because the trout were nowhere to be found. After all day hiking and casting with nothing to show for it, I suddenly got bit off! 3 times in a row!!! Found some 0x tippet for a bite leader and finally landed a few. These things were a gas on my 3 wt! Some of them even jump! But the real battle begins when you try to get your fly out of its toothy maw!! I landed 5 of them between 16-25" and lost about that many.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/DSCF1195.jpg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Wild stuff......they look like a baracuda?

they are good eating too.

[luckydude]

I've never cared for eating pike though I've landed lots on a 5wt fly rod in Canada.

Walleye on the other hand, oh, my, that's the best eating fish I've ever caught.

[kokaneejr]

Count me as jealous. Always wanted to catch a pike on a fly. I was in Jasper Nat'l Park and before I knew to much about fly fishing so I guy told me to use a Safeway spoon. My wife who can cast 3-4 feet on a good day started at one end of a cove and I started at the other with beautiful long casts. You go it... she caught one and I got skunked!

p.s. Did you set up a new reef tank yet?

[jbird]

Count me as jealous. Always wanted to catch a pike on a fly. I was in Jasper Nat'l Park and before I knew to much about fly fishing so I guy told me to use a Safeway spoon. My wife who can cast 3-4 feet on a good day started at one end of a cove and I started at the other with beautiful long casts. You go it... she caught one and I got skunked!

p.s. Did you set up a new reef tank yet?

Nope. dont know if I ever will. Im enjoying being free from it to be honest.

[Frank Alessio]

Nice job J.... What Fly? Do you think a Clouser pattern would work? Thanks Frank

[jbird]

Nice job J.... What Fly? Do you think a Clouser pattern would work? Thanks Frank

Yep. I used a big brown and red bugger with heavy dumbell eyes. Its my understanding that if theyre in the mood, theyll bite a dirty sock.

I went to some BIG water today looking for some serious fish. Nada. Tough learning curve so far. I did catch a nice walleye the other day in a deep hole of a river on that same bugger pattern.

[Frank Alessio]

I am starting to tie for warmer part of The Yellowstone...Baitfish pattern Clousers... I am anxious to try them...Thank you... Frank

[jbird]

The jury is still out on wire vs. mono/flouro for bite tippet. Lots of guys in both camps here. If youre targeting pike they arent particularly leader shy. But if youre after smallies or largemouth with a chance at pike, the heavy flouro may be a better choice. Wire can get funky and kinky after some abuse.

[mems]

Aloha Jay, nice nothern doncha know. Like the badger hat as well. I wanna see ya get ona dem muskies ya hey der der. I would tie a loop on the end of my line and then make up some flies with fluro and tyger wire leaders like 6 inches. I keep a fly like that in my hat under the lining for just such a case as a toothy critter. Then you can switch leaders and flies in a second and be back in business. I was fishing smallies in virginia on the New River whne a big musky hit the wolly bugger and was on for one slash. I wish I had some wire back then with me. Good luck and have a leinenkugels for me, Don.

[jbird]

Hey Don, that leader system you described is exactly what I got busy building when I got home.

[joshfish]

been enjoying your posts from wisconsin just as much as the ones from oregon. keep them coming. as for reef tanks im in the same boat as you. i miss mine but dont miss the commitment it takes to keep them going.

[lee s.]

We have not had the chance to try it, but we have been told that the "super-braid" line that some conventional guys use works great for a bite tippet without the cumbersomeness of wire or HEAVY mono. We have had 60# mono sliced like hot butter and have also landed 36" pike on 8# mono. Go figure..... ;-)
Tyger wire is expensive and STILL kinks....though it takes just a bit longer. American Fishing Wire has been completely adequate for us and 20# or less is not bothersome at all to toss.
....lee s.

[jbird]

We have not had the chance to try it, but we have been told that the "super-braid" line that some conventional guys use works great for a bite tippet without the cumbersomeness of wire or HEAVY mono. We have had 60# mono sliced like hot butter and have also landed 36" pike on 8# mono. Go figure..... ;-)
Tyger wire is expensive and STILL kinks....though it takes just a bit longer. American Fishing Wire has been completely adequate for us and 20# or less is not bothersome at all to toss.
....lee s.

I found a product by Cortland called 'toothy critter'. It is a very supple, knotable wire and priced reasonably. havent put it to the test yet but have some flies prepaired with it.

What I do know about super braids is they are VERY hard to cut thru.... until you pull tension on it, then it cuts just like thin mono.

[FRSam]

Not at all impressed with pike...they just drop and shake...they screwed up my blue ribbon lake which is still trying to recover...

Here's mine outta Lake Davis a few years back...6 weight rod, 12' 4x tippet, 13 lbs 36".

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/FeatherRiverSam/Sammie/May242005DavisPike.jpg

Pete