Fly Fishing For Pike

[tbtool]

I have a 9 weight rod and would like to fly fish for pike.  What tactics do people use.  Mostly topwater. or just under the surface.  do pike usually go deeper in the summer or stay in the shallows.  What type of flies do i use.  Any help would be nice. 

[Pigshanks]

Check out this site.

http://members.shaw.ca/clives/pikeflyfish.html

[MickeyFinn]

Tandem streamers, Big Clouser minows, mouse paterns, big popers a bright dish rag tied to a 1/0 hook LOL..  A lake I fish for them has a lot of backwater bays with stumps, downed trees, weed beds  lily pads scatered around. I try to sight fish for them but I have gone HOURS without seeing any so I'll sart fishing for Bass waiting for one to show his toothy face. If your heading toward deep water or murky water for that matter use a sink tip to get it down. With Pike you want BIG flies don't shy away from an 8 inch long fly it looks like you have the right rod to cast them. Remember bright days use bright colored flies dark days dark colored I have noticed hot orange can be the exception and I prefer some hot orange mixed in with most of my streamers. Wish I had a camera so I could post some pictures of the streamers I tie for pike.. Sorry

[pikemaster789]

i dont know about pike in the river systems, but spring and fall the pike are in shallow, they pry like a faster presentation. and in the summer they go deep, pry to deep to fly fish for

[ol crawdad]

do pike usually go deeper in the summer or stay in the shallows. 

The bigger pike go deep during the summer (like everything there are exceptions to the rule) and you can catch smaller pike shallow all summer.  One exception would be you can catch bigger pike shallow, early in the morning, when there is a deep drop-off near the shallows, and sometimes before a front comes in.

[MickeyFinn]

and in the summer they go deep, pry to deep to fly fish for

Not true you can use sinking fly line or attach a sink tip leader. If worst comes to worst throw some lead on, little hard to cast but it will get the job done.

[tbtool]

Thats what i thought.  It would be nice to use some top water and see some good action.  Looks like im gonna have to fish deep for the big boys

[flockshot]

pike usually start looking up before anyother fish do..i was fishing in 6ft or less this weekend with dalberg divers and we hooked three.....land 2...the thing to remember with the top water is popers arent as effective as the cone shaped heads...and you can never fish to fast for these fish..i like leaving a bubble trail at least 6 inches long on every strip...and dont set the hook immediatly when it hits...

large streamers work great...i use a 400 grain sink tip..short leaders(3 feet of 15 floro)...and large(1/0 to 4/0) ..wieghtless flies....the sink tip drags them down no problem...and with the fly being neutreuly boyent...it pauses dead ..neither floating or sinking..after every strip..and anyone who spin fishes knows that supened cranks are leathel....sooo..this is the same..just with flys..(barrys pike fly....lefty decievers....large jointed zoo cougers...)

[Buckski]

Large Streamers Make sure the tail is not too long you will get short strikes.
Rule of thumb for me is 1 1/2 the length of the shank.
I use lead on the shanks to get it down.
Also tie some HEAVY 15-20 lbs mono to the shank and then tie near the bend of the hook. It works as a great weed guard and allows you to strip it off the bottom w/o any hang ups.

Quick strips like a wounded minnow and pike still near beds will strike out of defense of the area.
I coomonly use large plastic minnow baits texas style early in the year and get explosive strikes!

Lastly some guys use a single strain wire leader I suggest heavy mono some break offs but better action and casting.

[flockshot]

i actually find that long tails tempt massive hits...i never get short strikes and my flies are consistently tied with material 3 to 6 inches behind the hook.... especially on top waters....if you think your getting short striked...pause before you set the hook.....pike will eat first..ask questions later...i hardly ever miss a pike when it strikes..

good luck to you..theres a million tactics and all require a long day..few fish and a sore arm...but holly helll is it exciting.

[MickeyFinn]

Thats why I go with tandems or stingers whatever you want to call themwhen Pike are short hitting , I'll use a steel  leader material and tie the stinger 4 inches back from the head hook and make it the tail of the fly. I have even gone as far as soldering a double hook for the stinger in a V position but pointed down it always seems to hook them in the corner of their jaw.

 Good point by the way about waiting an extra second or 2 to set the hook, I can't tell ya how many times I used to try and rip right into the big pike and how many times I hit myself in the face with a fly, they will smash it and start chompin their jaw on it and it seems I would always try and set the hook inbetween chomps. I used to get frustrated as all hell until I seen a pike 6 feet from the boat knawing on my streamer then the light bulb went off, man did I feel stupid usually I 'll wait until tey turn with the fly them WHAM who's your daddy.

[flockshot]

lol...i had to learn the hard way too..but i grew up in northern ontario before moving to mich so i got lots of oppurtunity to make mistakes....and you guys should honestly try the unwieghted fly with density compensated or sink tip fly line.it has to sink about 5 inchs a second...its leathel on about everything that eats streamers...if you think about it..a heavy fly drops really unnaturaly when you stop between strips....just a tip and some knowledge ive been lucky enough to find..kelly gallop talks about it alot in his "modern streamers for trophy trout" book...but i find it works alot better on the larger carnivores...its like they just cant help but eat a nice suspended pulsating puff of rabbit zonker. try it you wont be sorry..

[MickeyFinn]

Flockshot, I hear ya man sink tip or sinking fly line is the way to go especialy for trout on lakes it doesn't create a lot of disturbance and like you said it will suspend streamers not to get this thread off topic but LL Salmon can not refuse suspended streamers it is like a glich in their design..

[flockshot]

great lakes salmon..stealhead is where i learned the technique....it was later that i thought...hmmmm...why not use this for warm water fish too.....i bought the new streamer line from orvis(4 1/2 foot sinking tip perfect for streamers) specifily for pike and bass fishing

[buzzbomb]

I have trouble casting the big streamers and poppers so I just work out enough line and drift in the canoe letting the wind and water do the work!