Pike on Fly, hints please.

[Peter Waller]

This might have been asked before so sorry if I'm raking over old coals.

 

Have been pike fly fishing for a few years now, quite succesfully too. But a trip to Chatsworth Angling Fair made me realise that I have a lot to learn.

 

The rod, reel & line seem to do the job just fine, or it seems to me, working in isolation.

I use the Toothy Critter rod, an Okuma 9/10 weight reel and the Toothy Critter 9 weight intermediate line. I can get most of the line out, 25yd yard or so casts don't seem such a problem, but more I can't easily achieve.

 

Okay, so my casting needs refinement! But I'm not convinced that my leader is helping or is as it should be. I use a twelve inch 10lb wire trace straight to the fly. The leader is a 6ft lenght of 15 lb. mono. I use a stainless carp anglers rig ring for the leader to trace union.

 

HELP! Any pointers in the right, or a better direction, would be gratefully received.

[Squimp]

Peter,

 

If you can cast 25 yards with that tackle you don't need much help!!

 

I am told those fly lines are not very 'slick' and so changing to a better quality flyline (at a price unfortunately) might buy you a couple of yards or so.

 

On leaders, I reckon 6 feet of light line is too simple. That may result in the leader not turning over properly, particularly when casting into the wind.

 

A better solution might be to use a butt section of 40 - 50 lb (approx) line say 4 feet long and then a shorter section of lighter line between it and the wire.

 

Best way is to permanently fix the heavy butt section to the flyline (albright knot or needle knot) that way you don't get the hinge effect of a braided loop. Then put a loop in the end of the butt section and fix the light line to that. If you are worried about breaking strains then use a bimini twist in the thin line , if not just uprate the mono slightly to compensate for the low knot strength of most loop knots.

 

Given the wire trace at the business end I would use nylon of around 15lb for the intermediate section.

 

Remember NOT to use 40lb thru' to the wire. If you do and you hook a snag the butt section won't break and if you are using heavy wire, the fly line will snap first!

 

Other points to consider are: use the shortest possible leader (3ft is enough for fast sinking lines); the lightest weight wire trace you can make and finally the most aerodynamic flies possible.

 

Last one; if you really want to cast big flies maximum distance use a heavier rod (10 or even 11 weight). I use a 13 weight for fast sinking lines!!

 

Hope this helps,

 

Tim Marks

[Peter Waller]

Thanks for the advice Tim, much appreciated. Will give it a whirl. Having watched guys at Chatsworth casting the fly line AND a load of backing made me realise my technique could do with some attention, thanks.

 

[ 03 June 2002, 06:55 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

[Zinky]

Peter what's your location?? if near Stockport email me.

[Restless Oblivion]

i went chubbing down the grand union canal near kings langley in winter a few years back, and after not having much luck, i dragged out my chub fly rod wich i had in my holdall, set it up with a big orange lure and wire trace, and bang, i couldnt belive it, in 45 mins i caught 17 pike!!!!!!!!! not very big, best was a bout 5 lb, but i was gobsmacked! all caught on a large marabou orange lure about 4 inches long!

 

best advice i can give is, use a mobile lure, and retive it very jerkily to make it move, the pike love it!

 

oh yeah, hold on tight.....

[Ken L]

Silly question but was the bloke at Chatsworth using a shooting head ?

That would explain both the distance achieved and the length of backing being cast.

 

Personally, I've never worried about distance when flinging fluff at the toothy boys. The main advantage of the method is that it allows me to put a lure in the fishes face with minimal splash down, work the lure through the strike zone and then simply pick it up and throw it back in the fishes face again without all that reeling in through dead water.