Pike on the fly

[Riggpigg]

Ok then folks. Lets hear your stories. How big was it? where & when?
I'm here to lend a shoulder for you to cry on :cry: if you lost it. well not really. :evilgrin:

Who has plans to be out as soon as the ice is off, Where? Don't tell your secrets, but I'll be out on Newell. It's open year round, just can't keep em.. But thats ok the biguns don't taste good. Me and my yak will be out in the shallows where the big boys are.

If you didn't catch or lose it with a flyrod. I don't want to hear about it.:tongue2:

Ok my story: to be posted at a later date...When I catch one. I fully plan on breaking my fly rod with a bigun this spring.

[WayneChristie]

This will be my first season flyfishing for them, cant wait. I will probably see you out on Newell, as long as my canoe doesnt take flight in the wind :D Lots of them in the shallows now, but pretty hard to hit those holes in the ice from any distance :lol: I did dunk a pike fly Sunday and had at least one checking it out. Not sure if it wanted to eat it or was just wondering what the he11 it was, its pretty gaudy :lol:

[Woolly Bugger]

I caught a 46" Pike with a 2/0 Chartreuse Bunny at Badger in 1997, I was using an 8 weight outfit. She sat in my hands for nearly 10 minutes before gracefully swimming away. I have a great photo, just need a scanner.

[Little Valy]

Wait til the water temp hits 60 to 65.Thats when you have the best chance to catch the monster hens(most aggresive at those temps)Look for them in the bays and shallow water before the weeds get to thick.At ice out,the water is still way to cold,even in the shallows.
I've seen 20lb+ pike in low to mid 50 degree water and they show little if any interest in any thing that I threw at them.Thats what I've found through my personal experience.Hope that helps.

[Kingfisher]

Ok Riggpig I've got a good story to share.

I was fishing in Lac Laronge in northern Saskatchewan. We were staying at my aunt and uncle's place which is 20 miles out in the lake. There are several islands around their place. Some have huge bays. I was in one bay that my uncle had told me about. I told him I was going to fly fish. He told me I was nuts to even try. I had tied up some nice mouse patterns from deer hair. My uncle and I went to one large bay that he liked. He anchored his boat and we were casting into some lilly pads.

My uncle had 2 pike in the first few minutes. Nothing of size. But of course I got a good ribbing. He was a gear fisherman through and through. He was sceptical at best that the flies would even work.

Then one cast I made off to the side landed across a lilly pad. My mouse was about a foot over the lilly pad. I retrieved the mouse and snagged the lilly pad. I didn't want to break off my mouse. So I slowly twitched my line to try and break it free. The tail of the mouse was hanging over the edge of the pad. Just then a monster pike smashed the mouse and the lilly pad from underneath. I just about crapped my pants. Not only did the fish free the fly from the lilly pad he had both the fly and the lilly pad in his mouth.

10 minutes later I landed the 42" pike. My uncle patted me on the back and said well done, I never thought I'd see the day that a fly would work on a northern.

We caught several pike that day. I can't remember who caught more. But we both had a day to remember. My uncle has since passed away. But I will always remember that day in the bay. Each and every time I go there I make a trip into that bay.

Rob