FLY FISHING NORTHERN PIKE 

It's Time to Step Up to the Next Great Adventure 

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The boat slowly drifts into a large bay on the slightest of breezes. Your eyes strain against the mid-day sun. Suddenly you realize that what looks like a large stick has just shifted positions. Ah... your quarry, you make a quick survey of the area and wind conditions, a couple of false cast to release the necessary amount of line, casting to just past the large Northern Pike. You let the fly settle for a few seconds, and then begin a jerky retrieve, just as your fly passes the fish the water explodes with a fury seldom seen while freshwater fly fishing.

Flies can be a very effective way to target BIG PIKE


Does this sound exciting to you? If it does you may just want to start flyfishing  for Northern Pike and hunting them with a with a fly rod. Hunting fish? I know it sounds crazy, but sight fishing for large Northern Pike in the spring time is a lot more like hunting than most people realize.

One of the most exciting, and fastest growing segments of the fly fishing experience is Fly fishing for Northern Pike, and the techniques used often mirror those used in hunting big game.

Knowing the habitat, knowing where your quarry will be, given the weather conditions and wind, slowly and silently stalking into position, and knowing travel patterns. Sounds a lot like deer hunting doesn’t it. All of these same techniques can and are used while fly fishing for Northern Pike.
Although it does take some specialized equipment and a little practice, the average fly fisherman or woman can be converted in a matter of hours. 

The first and most important part of Fly fishing for Northern Pike is going where there are pike and preferably big pike. While there are many local lakes in the U.S. (And some very good ones) one of the best opportunities is to plan a trip to Northern Canada, most of the provinces from Alberta east will have areas that produce big pike. Checking with the Game and Fish Commissions of the particular provinces will be the best way to determine where the best areas to fish will be. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario would be good places to start.

Although the principle of fly fishing for Northern Pike is the same, your equipment will generally be much heavier than the rods, reels and lines used on most trout waters of the U.S. The rods used are generally 8,9, or 10 weight with a fast to medium fast action. I like the Temple Fork Outfitters TiCRx series for a good fast action rod. If you prefer a somewhat softer rod the Sage Launch or the Temple Fork Outfitters Lefty Kreh Professional Series would be great rods. You will need a rod this big to throw big flies (some will look bigger than the trout of your home waters), the stiffer action in the rod will help in turning over the big flies, but action is a personal taste and preference.
Your fly reel should match your rod weight and be big enough to handle a larger line and about 50 yds of backing. Generally northern pike do not make long, line consuming runs so having a large amount of backing is not that critical.

A weight forward floating line to match your rod will get you started on your quest of fly fishing for Northern Pike. As you become more experienced in fly fishing for Northern Pike you may want to start using more specialized lines for different situations, but a good weight forward line will get you started. 

A short stout butt section of 30 lb monofilament approximately 4 -6 ft in lengt h is generally sufficient, Shakespeare Cajun Line is a good choice, it comes in multiple weights and the red color disappears in the water. You may want to experiment with the length to find what works best for you. A 12"-18" steel or titanium leader should be attached to the butt section. There are a multitude of leader systems to match all budgets.

Although fly fishing equipment for Northern Pike is heavier than most trout set ups, with a little practice it can be easily mastered
If you are a trout fisherman or woman, the first time you see a pike fly you’ll wonder how in the heck you are going to throw something that’s as big as the trout you catch back home, but if you have matched your rod, reel and line set up you shouldn’t have much trouble. Flies tied by The Pike Slayer are listed on this web site and they all catch fish. The most important thing with fly selection is get a variety of flies to cover the water column from the top to about 10 ft in depth.

 I hope that these tips are enough to start you on your journey to fly fishing for Northern Pike.