If an angler of any skill level determines they want the fighting thrill of fly fishing for pike there are a few things to keep in mind that will lead to a better fishing expedition. While some describe the pike as a nasty looking fish with the face only a mother could love, even they would agree that the northern pike makes up for its less than desirable appearance with a bad temperament, razor sharp teeth, and opportunistic feeding habits. Many of the flies effective for bass fly fishing are also effective flies when fly fishing for pike. When selecting the kind of flies to use for a particular lake or river, try to learn the specific food sources (insects, small marine life, baitfish, etc) that pike will be keyed into.
When fly fishing for pike one thing to keep in mind for your pike fishing tackle is heavy duty. The powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth of pike can weaken and eventually bite through stiff leaders and tippets. A sturdy 9’ or longer fly fishing rod with an appropriate reel will withstand most pike you’ll encounter. Because pike put up a good fight on the end of the line, keep a strong backing in your spool, about 50 yards worth of 20 pound test or stronger. After fighting a pike regardless of whether or not you landed it, it is a good idea to check your leader and tippet for any signs of weakening. If in doubt just tie on another tippet to be on the safe side.
The spring and early summer months are considered the best times for fly fishing for pike. During this time the pike are spawning and they congregate in the weedy shallows where the water is the warmest. The advantage of this to the angler is that with a good pair of polarized glasses its often possible to see the pike ensuring greater casting accuracy. Aim your cast about three to four feet behind the pike and let the fly settle. During retrieval, strip the fly in a somewhat irregular pattern of short strips with long pauses. If you see a pike following the fly, experiment with the presentation to find out what the pike wants. Patience can sometimes be a virtue as a pike might wait until the fly is just breaking the surface of the water before it finally strikes.
If you are content with a catch and release policy then there are some helpful tips for maintaining the health and safety of the pike and yourself. Handle pike as gently as possible. To help with this, a landing cradle comes in handy if using a boat. If you are fishing from shore take precautions not to drag the pike through mud or sand. This debris can cause serious damage to the gills and cause injury. Try not to handle the pike with bare, dry hands as this can damage the mucous membrane protecting the pike’s scales. Those dry spots can lead to infection and death for the pike Needle nosed pliers are especially useful for removing flies if they are hooked deep. Keep the pike in the water for as much of the time as possible including when removing the hook. To make this safer for you, the angler, invest in a fish gag which will prop the jaw open.
The fighting spirit of the pike has been recorded as far back as Roman times and trophy pike have been documented at over fifty pounds. Whether fishing in the northern United States or angling for their larger brethren over in Europe, fly fishing for pike will challenge any angler’s skill with a fly rod.
September 8th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
[...] can reach very impressive sizes and there are even a very small group of fly fishermen who enjoy fly fishing for northern pike.Whether or not an individual wants to get this far into flyfishing is up to them. For some people [...]