Pike on fly

[bothbarrels]

I'm looking into getting set up to go after pike with my fly fishing gear. I've read about Authanic wire line being used as apposed to the usual wire trace, has anyone tried this line?

Also what breaking strain leader would you reccomend? I've been told t aim for around 40lb.

 

Thanks o'knowledgable ones!

[Tim Kelly]

Don't recognise the brand you're referring to, but I use the brown plastic coated drennan wire in something like 34 or 40lb. I tie it with a 2 turn half blood knot straight to the fly, clip or swivel. Very durable. I use 40lb clear greased weasel for the leader. Never had any problem with pike to over 30lb.

[SA Shooter]

I'm looking into getting set up to go after pike with my fly fishing gear. I've read about Authanic wire line being used as apposed to the usual wire trace, has anyone tried this line?

Also what breaking strain leader would you reccomend? I've been told t aim for around 40lb.

 

Thanks o'knowledgable ones!

Pike on the Fly is great fun but can be very frustrating too. What wt rod are you planning to use? You can buy this wire link below, it's easy to knot and it lets your fly look more natural in it's movement.

http://www.leslies-luton.co.uk/store/product/890900/DRENNAN-SOFT-STRAND-15lb-10m/

[utectok]

Personally I reckon you need a nine weight rod min. As you have to chuck dom big flies you will struggle otherwise. I find 9 weight with shooting heads is ok for me short wire leaders are fine 15lb to 20lbs is plenty

Edited August 28, 2011 by utectok

[kent]

What you need is 49 strand stainless wire uncoated. Tie your fly on with an articulated non slip loop (for movement) and attach the leader to mono tippet of no greater than 12-15 lb with an albright knot to prevent hinging and poor turnover. Using heavy leaders you will in time break a fly line pulling out of a snag etc. the leader wants to be 6-9ft in total on a floating line with a very heavy but section of say 40 lb down to 30, 20 and then the tippet as mentioned at 12-15 lb max. With a sinker you can simply use the 12-15 tippet and the wire making about 4ft in total

[UKPoacher]

Just be aware that it can be flipping hard work chucking budgies all day.

[snipe]

I would go with this stuff, it is fantastic:

 

http://www.funkyflytying.co.uk/shop/products/american-fishing-wire-surflon-micro-supreme-20lb-49-strand-wire/348/

 

Further to that, it really depends on the size of pike likely to be caught, as a #10 rod is not much fun with 4-8lb pike, where a #8 would be better. Shooting heads, or lines with a short and thick belly are ideal, something like the airflo 40+ expert version.

 

Snipe.

[kent]

I would go with this stuff, it is fantastic:

 

http://www.funkyflytying.co.uk/shop/products/american-fishing-wire-surflon-micro-supreme-20lb-49-strand-wire/348/

 

Further to that, it really depends on the size of pike likely to be caught, as a #10 rod is not much fun with 4-8lb pike, where a #8 would be better. Shooting heads, or lines with a short and thick belly are ideal, something like the airflo 40+ expert version.

 

Snipe.

 

Rod AFTM rating means little, in cheap rods its often the manufacturers best guess after manufacture. Lifting power can be important if your in a boat etc but a quality 8# saltwater rod has more than adequate power available in the lower sections for any pike, the break into double digit saltwater type rods is a big move and i often chuckle when i read someone recomending 11# etc to cast the flies and play the pike, i have pulled large saltwater fish out of the surf on lesser tackle. You are quite correct 10# is way too much rod for 99% of the pike you might catch. The best lines by far are Bass bug tapers, pike tapers and COLD saltwater tapers, reason is the aggresive short front tapers and the way they transfer turnover energy along the leader is all about turning over and quickly shooting large flies to target. I think the 40+ you mention has a long belly and what you want is a short belly and abrubt taper and a good double haul to shoot the line to target, short heavy shooting heads have thier uses with sinking lines or when you realy need distance but are better cut heavy and rather short IMO

[UKPoacher]

Rod AFTM rating means little, in cheap rods its often the manufacturers best guess after manufacture. Lifting power can be important if your in a boat etc but a quality 8# saltwater rod has more than adequate power available in the lower sections for any pike, the break into double digit saltwater type rods is a big move and i often chuckle when i read someone recomending 11# etc to cast the flies and play the pike, i have pulled large saltwater fish out of the surf on lesser tackle. You are quite correct 10# is way too much rod for 99% of the pike you might catch. The best lines by far are Bass bug tapers, pike tapers and COLD saltwater tapers, reason is the aggresive short front tapers and the way they transfer turnover energy along the leader is all about turning over and quickly shooting large flies to target. I think the 40+ you mention has a long belly and what you want is a short belly and abrubt taper and a good double haul to shoot the line to target, short heavy shooting heads have thier uses with sinking lines or when you realy need distance but are better cut heavy and rather short IMO

 

Agreed. The biggest dilemma is choosing a rod to cast or play fish. Most of my pike have been on a Bloke #8 which is a decent compromise as it has the action to chuck budgies without being too stiff for the many small pike that you have to endure while looking for the bigger ones.

 

As for fly lines I defer to the Yanks as they have far more experience at this sort of thing and have a better choice of weight forward lines. I prefer to use a sink tip for all but surface popper fishing as pike tend to be deep lying. Remember though that the knots and leaders need to match the fly line otherwise you won't get a good turnover of the heavy fly.

[Tim Kelly]

The line weight for chucking flies depends entirely on the size of flies you're throwing. I tend to use bulky 8"-18" flies and so use an 11 wt rod. My floater is a cut down 15wt. All lines are shooting heads on floating or intermediate running lines. I fish entirely from boats in trout ressies and am expecting big fish. If you are fishing from the bank on a loch expecting 4-12lb fish and you're using small flies I would think you could use an 8wt. It's using the weight of the line to overcome the wind resistance of the flies that is important. Most people fish with small flies, probably under 6", so you can get away with lighter gear easily.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Tim Kelly

[kent]

The line weight for chucking flies depends entirely on the size of flies you're throwing. I tend to use bulky 8"-18" flies and so use an 11 wt rod. My floater is a cut down 15wt. All lines are shooting heads on floating or intermediate running lines. I fish entirely from boats in trout ressies and am expecting big fish. If you are fishing from the bank on a loch expecting 4-12lb fish and you're using small flies I would think you could use an 8wt. It's using the weight of the line to overcome the wind resistance of the flies that is important. Most people fish with small flies, probably under 6", so you can get away with lighter gear easily.

 

Tim your hurting yourself without need, the line should match the fly but the leader must transfer that energy otherwise all is lost, cutting tips and using a 15# is only going to give you tenis elbow. You can cast a realy big fly with a 9# but you do have to have a balanced fly, i hope you know what i mean by that statement as its hard to explain but its a balance of weight, water sheding and arodynamics. However i cannot agree you have to use realy big flies on Trout waters, big livebaits yes, big jerkbaits yes, big flies nope 7" in the right place will do fine

[Tim Kelly]

I'm very happy with my catch rate with my flies. I do at least as well as anyone else and don't find it difficult to cast the outfit. I'm not a man giant or a macho masochist either. I think it's just a matter of getting used to the gear you're using. I tend to cast the outfit with only one or two back casts and get an easy 25 yards, so it's a pretty slick system. I do think there's a lot of people who try to make it over complicated. Short stout leaders and traces, heavy lines and big flies work well for me. Presentation isn't an issue, like it would be if you're trout fishing, you just need to be able to get the job done with as little casting as possible. You don't catch fish while your fly's in the air.

[bothbarrels]

lots of advice to take onboard ,,,,thanks for all your time and and info guys, I'm a lot more informend now.

 

BB.

[P~MX]

Hi, Haven't had time to read all the other posts yet but I caught one on a hare's ear nymph size 14 last week in our trout lake, last year we had one at 27lb on a damsel nymph !

[UKPoacher]

I'm very happy with my catch rate with my flies. .......................You don't catch fish while your fly's in the air.

 

You are right Tim. That's why I get more pike towing a turkey behind the kayak on a downrigger than I do chucking budgies at 'em.

[Tim Kelly]

LOL!

[ack-ack]

Hi, Haven't had time to read all the other posts yet but I caught one on a hare's ear nymph size 14 last week in our trout lake, last year we had one at 27lb on a damsel nymph !

 

Had one at Bewl on a cat whisker last spring. Hooked into it and it surfaced like a U-boat about 25 yards out. Thought it was a bit of old branch off the bottom and then it made a few spirited runs. I'd gone walking and was a good way from my net so I beached it. It was only about 6lb but the fly was well back in its gob and the leader had been dragging across its teeth for 5 minute duration of its scrap. Wasn't a scratch on it. Fulling Mill 6lb flouro point all the way for me now.

[kent]

I'm very happy with my catch rate with my flies. I do at least as well as anyone else and don't find it difficult to cast the outfit. I'm not a man giant or a macho masochist either. I think it's just a matter of getting used to the gear you're using. I tend to cast the outfit with only one or two back casts and get an easy 25 yards, so it's a pretty slick system. I do think there's a lot of people who try to make it over complicated. Short stout leaders and traces, heavy lines and big flies work well for me. Presentation isn't an issue, like it would be if you're trout fishing, you just need to be able to get the job done with as little casting as possible. You don't catch fish while your fly's in the air.

 

Tim, i suspect you might know who i am from old anyway? - take the advice, or see yourself in physio in a few years (been there done that). That said there are 11# and nine weights mascarading as 11's. Alternatively use two hands and forget the double haul and just get a switch rod especially if your in a boat you will love it

[snipe]

Rod AFTM rating means little, in cheap rods its often the manufacturers best guess after manufacture. Lifting power can be important if your in a boat etc but a quality 8# saltwater rod has more than adequate power available in the lower sections for any pike, the break into double digit saltwater type rods is a big move and i often chuckle when i read someone recomending 11# etc to cast the flies and play the pike, i have pulled large saltwater fish out of the surf on lesser tackle. You are quite correct 10# is way too much rod for 99% of the pike you might catch. The best lines by far are Bass bug tapers, pike tapers and COLD saltwater tapers, reason is the aggresive short front tapers and the way they transfer turnover energy along the leader is all about turning over and quickly shooting large flies to target. I think the 40+ you mention has a long belly and what you want is a short belly and abrubt taper and a good double haul to shoot the line to target, short heavy shooting heads have thier uses with sinking lines or when you realy need distance but are better cut heavy and rather short IMO

 

 

Hi Kent,

 

the 40+ extreme lines are short belly I can assure you; they are basically welded shooting heads. They are essentially the same as what you would get from a bass/pike taper i.e. a short, thick head section that can turn over bulky items without hinging but also load well over a short distance. A but like a skagit line for salmon fishing.

 

Snipe.

[kent]

Hi Kent,

 

the 40+ extreme lines are short belly I can assure you; they are basically welded shooting heads. They are essentially the same as what you would get from a bass/pike taper i.e. a short, thick head section that can turn over bulky items without hinging but also load well over a short distance. A but like a skagit line for salmon fishing.

 

Snipe.

 

Ok i assumed they were a long belly line were you arialised more, Skagit? a little extreame a comparisom perhaps?

[snipe]

Ok i assumed they were a long belly line were you arialised more, Skagit? a little extreame a comparisom perhaps?

 

Nope, not really. A bulky line that's used to turn over bulky flies. Exactly the same end result and utilised for the same purposes. A short, thick head section. One used by Trout anglers, the other by salmon/steelhead anglers.

 

Also, in regard to your note above about rod ratings; you will also find that line manufacturers differ in their ratings and weights, so neither becomes an exact science. I would always recommend that you try before you buy whenever possible, only then can you assure a correct balance, and, most importantly, an outfit that suits the end user.

 

Snipe.

Edited August 30, 2011 by snipe

[utectok]

I fish a xi sage I built in 9 weight favourite line is 300grain teeny t series lethal outfit on pollock too managed 10 to 7lbs. This summer up north

[Tim Kelly]

Ah, that Kent. Hello.

 

We never agreed on much before and it doesn't look like much has changed. Lol

 

Diff'rent strokes and all that.

[kent]

I fish a xi sage I built in 9 weight favourite line is 300grain teeny t series lethal outfit on pollock too managed 10 to 7lbs. This summer up north

 

Now thats a rod with lifting power, i have the earlier RPLXi 's myself, the 11 # is very good for shark and big Tarpon