[steeldrifter]

Ok guys I need some help (shut up Will ) I have never caught a pike on the fly rod before so I want to change that this summer. On my 2 week trip up north to the Au Sable I plan on taking the heavier fly rod in the boat this year and seeing about gettin some pike on the fly, but questions.....

What type of water should I look for them in? shallow weed bed's? or do they go deeper mid summer (the time I will be there)

What wt rod, type of leader?

What flies?

strip and pause or just strip strip strip? fish them just under the surface, deep, mid depth?

I know lots of question but any help is good help

SD

[DFix]

[Carlin]

You should fish them in the shallows, fish them in the weeds,
Cast to the edges where they swim and feed.

Strip, pause, strip goes the 8wt with steel leader,
They'll eat about anything, so keep hidden that peeter!

[steeldrifter]

Dave, thanks now that songs gonna be stuck in my head for the rest of the day

Carl...what the hell is that Dr.Seuss goes fishing lyrics?

So 8wt, steel leaders....how long of a leader? and do most fly shops carry steel leaders

[cornmuse]

8wt - yes. Steel leader - no. I recommend either Tyger Wire (it can be tied just like mono or braid) or a heavy florocarbon shock tippet - about 30lb test works fine. Or if you want to make it REALLY easy on yourself, get to the local tackle emporium and get some 12lb test, 5 inch long kevlar leaders made specifically for pike and walleye fishing. They are black, use a small swivel and a small locking snap. Very light and works extremely well if you are foresighted enough to tie all your pike flies on ring-eye hooks.

Big pike will definitely hold deeper during bright daylight hours. You can often bring them up by quickly working a very noise surface popper. My favorite fly is a double bunny - olive zonker strip back, white zonker strip belly tied over a pearl mylar braid body over built-up red wool yarn. I tie this on a 4/0 Sealey Octopus light wire hook. Its not as big as you think, but it has held together just fine for me for fish up to 36" or so.

If you want to get serious, bring a Teeny 200 grain or similar sinking line and fish that bunny fly with stacatto strips about 2' long and quick in 10 to 12 feet of water. Hold on and remember that lipping a pike is a one-time experience.

Good luck and make sure you post the pics!

Joe C.

[steeldrifter]

Thanks Joe, I actually have a Teeny T-200 line already that I use for steelhead fishing, so good to hear I can get some use out of it for this as well.

I have to run to the fly shop ethier later today or tommorow so I will take a look at the different kinds of pike leaders they have there as well.

Theres a decent size north bay on the stretch of the Au Sable just downstream from where I fish for bass that is about....I'd say on average around 2-4ft deep. It's not really "swampy" per say, but is filled with cattails and weeds. I use to spin fish that bay with my dad when I was a kid for pike so thats the area I'm thinking about hitting when I'm up there in July.

Appreciate the help

[DFix]

Gotta argue the 30# mono/fluoro point. 50# inside the teeth, I'd be more comfortable. I'd argue the 30# would be okay with the use of a circle hook that might pull back into a corner of the mouth. That said, I'm sure our resident pike master will weigh in.

Alternative: "Tyger Wire." Knottable stainless, stranded, coated.

[ArkieFlyGuy]

[JarrodRuggles]

what do ya mean this could turn into another Jarrod thread. Yall aint heard the last of it trust me...Im just waiting to present me evil plan..Bru hahaa.

Any ways...got a friend who went pike fishing. And bout all I know is that they'll hit just bout anything you throw out there that looks fishy.

[rougetrout]

I per usual will recommend 50# fluoro or 30# mason hard line for tippet. There are some good threads posted on the pike species page detailing all the opinions on leader types and styles that everybody uses. SD, Check the tippet after every strike, you don't want the pike to break off because the last strike abraded the leader. I usually have good luck on shallow 8-12ft deep weed beds with a slow strip and sink retrive. It'll get 'em. I usually go with a 7wt or 8wt rod unless I know I am going to tie into some real monsters like those fish on isle royale, where I recomend 9wt or above with a true saltwater shock tippet. These monsters have pulled me into backing on a 10wt more than once.

[SmallieHunter]

Steveo,

Don't know crap about Pike but check out this link it looks like we have some suggestions on leaders and such as well as some patterns: http://www.flytyingforum.com/species/northern_pike/

[steeldrifter]

Thanks fellas,

I went up to the shop today and talked to the owner John for a bit about leaders and flies and such. He showed me some pretty cool stuff. he had these leaders ther were 30# test, but they had steel inpregnated into the mono somehow, looked pretty slick!

They also had some wire leader material that was kind'a neat as well that you just twisted to knot somehow, didnt quite understand that but I'll be going back before my trip to pick up some different pike stuff.

He also suggested the T-200 line like Joe did so thats cool that that will work.

[Dble Haul]

[Dble Haul]

[ArkieFlyGuy]