Anyone Tie Flies?

[Lando]

Tis the season to sit down at the vice and work on new flies. Tweak the ones that didn't work, tie more of the ones that did, and add some new product to the boxes.

I just got my hands on the new swimbait hook from Ahrex....the PR378.





I am looking forward to tossing this through some weed beds.

What colors and sized to you guys find to be most effective for pike flies?

[WormWiggler]

just a shot in the dark, tie one to look like a frog.

[LBrandt]

Or mouse and not Mickey.

[JayKay]

That thing looks awesome. Sometimes I nearly lose sleep thinking about what fish want. Then I wake up, remember that I've caught them on pop can tops, and chuckle to myself.

[Fly Carpin]

Nice fly. I can picture it getting crushed by roosters in the Baja surf if I think hard enough

[Fisherman25]

I use to take a piece of my sisters hair and tie it around a fly, and let it buzz around on a leash....does that count?

[dblkluk]

Nice tie! I tie a bunch, but mostly smaller trout patterns. I haven't tied anything Pike specific, but have good luck with alot of the bigger streamer patterns in whites white.reds and yellows. Home Invaders, D&D's and nearly any of Galloups patterns designed for big browns.

[bigsky2]

Black pike flies are hard to beat. I prefer flies around 6" or so.

[Mr. Stevenson]

Your above pic would be my first Tailrace "go-to". If you're tying for your visit to ND; I suggest matching the following Rapala colors/patterns: Perch, walleye, clown, vampire, and rainbow trout. Nice looking work BTW.

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Perch and walleye are my first "go-to" "colors" anywhere other than the 'race. ("Shad" is another good option everywhere on the planet which the above pic acceptably mimics.)

Love to see a vid of the fly's action. Some days in the Tailrace such a lure is more effective with a dead downstream drift as opposed to stripping. If stripping; don't be too hasty pulling the lure from the water. Many vicious strikes occur in inches of depth: Actually; this is true everywhere all the time. Keep it down and work it in place: Bank and boat.

I hope you make it over here and liven up this place with reports and pics.

[Kentucky Windage]

The only thing I know about flies is killing them. Bug-A-Salt Assassin here!

[Traxion]

I haven't tied any pike flies yet. If I knew a lake with a good population of hammer handles I'd give my 6 weight a test. Had a lake years ago loaded with them, man would that have been a riot on a fly rod!

I just started tying trout flies this winter. Started simple zebra midges and such. Getting down into the 20/22 size will sure make your eyes strain. But working on some other patterns too. I need to get a good material stash going so I can work through a few without having to go buy every ticky tacky thing.

[SDMF]

Tis the season to sit down at the vice and work on new flies. Tweak the ones that didn't work, tie more of the ones that did, and add some new product to the boxes.

I just got my hands on the new swimbait hook from Ahrex....the PR378.





I am looking forward to tossing this through some weed beds.

What colors and sized to you guys find to be most effective for pike flies?

If someone can't catch a pike with that beauty then they need to sell the boat/waders, give away all their fly gear and start collecting rocks or running a metal detector well up on dry land.

[Iceman]

Mr Stevenson kinda reminds me of svnmag

[fireone]

My fly efforts are dismal but I once met a couple fellows from X while hunting pheasants who asked for hun skins. Every few years I mail them a hun pelt and in return get a bunch of flies that are works of art to me. A pretty good trade.

[njsimonson]

Fantastic tie!

I have found success around Bismarck on the river in spring and smaller pike lakes using Size 2 to 2/0 bunny leeches and deceivers. The Sheyenne River, especially under Baldhill dam, and the Detroit Lakes area are also great pike destinations early in the season!


Bunny Leech


Deceivers


If you're looking to get into fly tying, Cabela's deluxe kit just went on sale for $39.97 this week. This is what I used to teach my lure-making class on, and is a great base to get started in fly tying! https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabe...-kit-with-case

[Fly Carpin]

Here's a kit from a sort of local fly shop in Rapid, if you're not into spending money at the Walmart of sporting goods. Buy local!

https://shop.flyfishsd.com/products/...chman-tool-kit

[Lando]

Thanks for all the kind words-it really is too much fun.

I use to take a piece of my sisters hair and tie it around a fly, and let it buzz around on a leash....does that count?

I think that is how it all got started......

I get a lot of stuff from that shop out of Rapid; they are a bunch of good guys. As for the small flies, less is more-you can always add materials, but it is very hard to remove them. You need to go get a pair of cheater glasses....I use the 2.0 Clics, myself. I haven't tied much top water for pike, but I sure would like to.

Currently I am on that baitfish look kick.....

Perch



Walleye



Shad



Black



I like pink



But man do I love a big old Buford....





Bluegill???




The best fly I've found to copy a D and D is that Swingin' D. It is a smallie pattern that with a rattle, makes a sweet pike bug.



That foam head makes for some crazy action.

[tikkalover]

Does this count??

[fireone]

What wt. rod and line are you guys throwing those pike streamers with?

[camoman]

What wt. rod and line are you guys throwing those pike streamers with?

Most of my pike fishing I use an 8wt. For the big flies, especially articulated flies I wouldn't fish anything less than a 7 wt, the right angler with appropriate setup could probably get away with a 6 wt, but I wouldn't fish any lighter than that.

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I'm doing a lot of my own tying, mostly for trout fishing (nymphs), but at times of the year I tie some bigger streamers. You tie some really nice bugs, hopefully they get fished every now and again.