On the fly with a difference.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I had a good mornings fly fishing for wild brownies with some decent fish caught. Then I hooked into what felt like a PB trout for me on this river. Only it was a Pike; on a size 14 nymph. With a 6x tippet and a 5# rod I was sure I was in trouble but amazingly this 8lb pike eventually came to the bank with no loss of tackle. If just shows how catholic pike are in their feeding and how resilient our fishing gear can be. I know we can fly fish for pike but I didn't think this particular set up was suited.

Flysfisher

Mira Little Homemaker wrote: »

I had a good mornings fly fishing for wild brownies with some decent fish caught. Then I hooked into what felt like a PB trout for me on this river. Only it was a Pike; on a size 14 nymph. With a 6x tippet and a 5# rod I was sure I was in trouble but amazingly this 8lb pike eventually came to the bank with no loss of tackle. If just shows how catholic pike are in their feeding and how resilient our fishing gear can be. I know we can fly fish for pike but I didn't think this particular set up was suited.

Disgusting comment, offensive and insulting stuff. Was the pike saying his prayers?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Flysfisher wrote: »

Disgusting comment, offensive and insulting stuff. Was the pike saying his prayers?

Sorry, I used catholic in the sense of diverse or indiscriminate - lower case c. Or was that a joke?

kildare lad

id say the pike gave you a good run for ur money on that gear!!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

kildare lad wrote: »

id say the pike gave you a good run for ur money on that gear!!

I have done all sorts of fishing since I was 7 and I am now 70. I wouldn't say this was physically the hardest to land but but technically it took a lot not to loose it or the gear. Exhilarating to say the least.

dodderangler

Flysfisher wrote: »

Disgusting comment, offensive and insulting stuff. Was the pike saying his prayers?

He meant it that the range of food the pike will eat. Like it took a nymph so shows they don't just swallow fish and frogs but have taste for a wide variety of food.

rpmcmurphy

Mira Little Homemaker wrote: »

Sorry, I used catholic in the sense of diverse or indiscriminate - lower case c. Or was that a joke?

I know anglers who catch nothing but catholic trout. I say this as everyone of them meets the priest shortly after getting caught.

Bio Mech

Mira Little Homemaker wrote: »

I had a good mornings fly fishing for wild brownies with some decent fish caught. Then I hooked into what felt like a PB trout for me on this river. Only it was a Pike; on a size 14 nymph. With a 6x tippet and a 5# rod I was sure I was in trouble but amazingly this 8lb pike eventually came to the bank with no loss of tackle. If just shows how catholic pike are in their feeding and how resilient our fishing gear can be. I know we can fly fish for pike but I didn't think this particular set up was suited.

I have had that happen a couple of times, its always an exhilarating fight and then huge disappointment when a pike looms up. Once I thought it was a large trout and another time a large tench. Both times it was high single figure pike.

Is there any chance the pike grabbed a hooked trout and the nymph came out of the trout and snagged the pike? was he hooked in the mouth. I have had pike genuinely take fly, worms, maggots and corn but they have always been very small jacks. Small pike as you no doubt know do take inverts but I would have thought that above 4-5lbs they would be almost exclusively taking bigger prey. Of course the are opportunists I guess. Hard to know for sure really I suppose.

I was once tench fishing on the pole (and not catching any tench) when I hooked a small roach and shouted "tench" to joke with the guy I was fishing with. When he came over I laughed and lifted a 5oz roach clear out of the water with the pole at 9 metres. I had just lifted him about 6 inches out and a pike came up like a missile, took him on the way up and snapped the line on the way down. He would have actually closed his jaws out of the water. It was very impressive as he was a low double.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It seems the pike took the nymph. I hadn't hooked into anything else and he was cleanly hooked himself. As you say, exhilarating if disappointing that it wasn't a trout that size. I was on my own so couldn't even share the excitement with anybody.

bluezulu49

Mira Little Homemaker wrote: »

It seems the pike took the nymph. I hadn't hooked into anything else and he was cleanly hooked himself. As you say, exhilarating if disappointing that it wasn't a trout that size. I was on my own so couldn't even share the excitement with anybody.

Nice fish Mira Little Homemaker.

Bio Mech wrote: »

Small pike as you no doubt know do take inverts but I would have thought that above 4-5lbs they would be almost exclusively taking bigger prey. Of course the are opportunists I guess. Hard to know for sure really I suppose.

I caught a 42" pike on a size 10 leaded jungle alexandra on Lough Corrib in 2010 when I was buzzer fishing for trout. The jungle alexandra was weighted to sink the buzzers. Fortunately the fish was hooked in the scissors and the 8lb fluorocarbon held so that I landed it after 30 minutes. Opportunists indeed.

Flysfisher

Mira Little Homemaker wrote: »

Sorry, I used catholic in the sense of diverse or indiscriminate - lower case c. Or was that a joke?

yes of course it was a joke, see second part of sentence!!

ive caught pike on buzzers on the lake, but they also love mayfly nymphs too..