First Pike on the Fly Rod + Bonus WALLEYE!! | Pine Lake, Alberta

[Timidhc]

I've had a few run ins with the notorious Pike on my Fly rod before. Both times those crafty gators left me heart broken as they escaped before i could land them.

But not this time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtjV3diCmWI

It took a couple hours to find the Pike but once I did my Fly rod was bent until the wind picked up and forced me to leave! And I even managed to catch my second Walleye from Pine Lake just before I left!

[Dweb]

What kind of camera are you using to film these videos?

[scel]

When fishing a streamer, always point your rod directly at the fly on the retrieve. For pike, it is important to keep a tight grip on the line too. They hit so hard they can rip the line out of your hand. As soon as you feel the weight, strip set!! A strip set works only if the rod is pointed directly at the fish.

The biggest difference between the conventional fishing and fly fishing is the role of the rod. A fly rod is not designed to impart power on a fish the same. A fly rod is meant to absorb and redirect energy. In fly fishing, there is the trout set and the strip set. The trout set is used to punch a small sharp hook into a relatively soft mouth. With pike fishing you have to drive a much bigger hook into a much harder mouth. For almost every species other than trout, a strip set is needed to set the hook.

The first big strike you had, if had been pointing your rod tip directly at the fish, with a good grip on the fly line, you probably would have hooked it (i.e. it would have hooked itself). The rod can absorb so much energy, that the hook does not have the best chance of piercing the fish's mouth. Without the rod being pointed directly at the fish, at least some of the energy from the strip set is absorbed by the rod

[Timidhc]

Originally Posted by Dweb

What kind of camera are you using to film these videos?

It's a Go Pro Hero 4 silver. Hopefully I'll get a real camera to compliment it one day too.

[Timidhc]

Originally Posted by scel

When fishing a streamer, always point your rod directly at the fly on the retrieve. For pike, it is important to keep a tight grip on the line too. They hit so hard they can rip the line out of your hand. As soon as you feel the weight, strip set!! A strip set works only if the rod is pointed directly at the fish.

The biggest difference between the conventional fishing and fly fishing is the role of the rod. A fly rod is not designed to impart power on a fish the same. A fly rod is meant to absorb and redirect energy. In fly fishing, there is the trout set and the strip set. The trout set is used to punch a small sharp hook into a relatively soft mouth. With pike fishing you have to drive a much bigger hook into a much harder mouth. For almost every species other than trout, a strip set is needed to set the hook.

The first big strike you had, if had been pointing your rod tip directly at the fish, with a good grip on the fly line, you probably would have hooked it (i.e. it would have hooked itself). The rod can absorb so much energy, that the hook does not have the best chance of piercing the fish's mouth. Without the rod being pointed directly at the fish, at least some of the energy from the strip set is absorbed by the rod

That makes sense. I'll use that technique next time I'm out fishing, thanks!

How do you set the hook for Trout? I'm going to try to hit up some creeks with my 6 weight this weekend.

[scel]

Originally Posted by Timidhc

That makes sense. I'll use that technique next time I'm out fishing, thanks!

How do you set the hook for Trout? I'm going to try to hit up some creeks with my 6 weight this weekend.

If you are fishing dries or nymphs, a trout set is a quick lift of the rod, much like conventional tackle. Because you are using size 12-20 hooks, it does not take much effort to pierce a trout mouth. Also, in this case, you are using the absorption of the rod to help protect your tippet, which is usually less than 6# test for smaller streams. A 6wt rod is a little on the heavy side for most of Alberta's trout streams (not judging, I use my 6wt all the time). In this case, the lift is not that aggressive---just a quick rod lift.

With a streamer, you are (usually) using beefier line and bigger hooks. You still use a strip set but it is much gentler than a pike or bass, where I yard on the line from the reel to the waist. When doing a traditional downstream swing with a streamer, the fish usually hooks themselves because they hit the fly then immediately turn away. I still do a quick strip set when fishing streamers.

Pete Kutzer from Orvis tells it best