Fly Fishing for Northern Pike

Pike are one of the most explosive and viscous predators swimming in fresh water. Your fly swims just below the surface, every strip has some attitude and intention behind it, your oversized fly walks side to side until right before your eyes a fish appears at mock speed. When this happens, everything freezes for a second, the pike opens its mouth, gills flare and boom, your fly is gone, all in the blink of an eye. You just had front row seats to one of the most epic shows you’ve ever experienced.

Over time you’ll have a highlight reel of your favorite eats that live rent free in your head, both from ones you’ve had the pleasure of shaking hands with and some that ended in heartbreak.  Either way that’s what keeps you coming back for more, the pure aggression and explosive excitement Northern Pike have to offer, and at times the heartbreak that comes with this crazy game we all love to play.

Pike Fly Fishing

While pike definitely swim around with a chip on their shoulder and are some of the meanest and most aggressive fish out there, that doesn’t mean they are always easy to catch, especially when in pursuit of big ones. They are pretty moody fish and are far more willing to move and relocate than many anglers give them credit for. There are certain days you just can't seem to do anything wrong, they are fired up and flying all over the place, eating flies as soon as they hit the water or chasing them down right to your feet before inhaling them off the tip of your rod. Other days, it seems as if they all vanished and even finding some hammer handles seems to be a daunting task. That being said, if you have enough tricks up your sleeve you can usually get some fish to slip up and put on a show for you.

In short, fly fishing for pike offers an element of surprise and excitement that in my opinion is hard to match with any other species of freshwater fish. Their incredible speed and ability to camouflage in plain sight make them an incredible ambusher. As an angler, it makes them an incredible fish to feed over sized flies with often rather aggressive tactics.

In future articles coming soon, we will get into the nitty gritty and cover more information to make you a better and more versatile pike angler. Topics ranging from seasonal changes for pike, what makes a good fly, fly selections by the season and some tips and tricks to convince those big girls to eat on even the toughest days.

John Wielinga

Owner/Head Guide

www.getbentguideservicemi.com

269-277-9293

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