Pike Flies

[Traditionalist]

Over the years I have tried loads of them but now I more or less use only three.  I have caught more pike on these three than on all the others combined!  They are very simple indeed and I have indeed already referred to the basic fly for other fish.

Here is the basic version;

http://globalflyfisher.com/staff/bech-petersen/tinsel_fly/index.php

Here is a variation which I mostly use  and some footage of Rasmus Hansen who also uses it more or less exclusively for his pike fishing, with some observations of why he does so. I agree with his observations. Rasmus is a great guy, can present an absolutely fantastic slide show,  and he catches loads and loads of fish in lots of places. Also a Baltic seatrout expert, have a look at his flies here;

http://www.rasmushansen.com/?t=kyst&s=5


The pike fly;

http://www.rasmushansen.com/index.php?t=andet&s=1

http://www.rasmushansen.com/?p=image&i=gedde5

Here is Rasmus in action;  PIKE ACTION

Take note of his observations on weight.

I have caught quite a few pike on floating frog patterns and similar stuff and this can be fun of course, but if you want the big pike a large flashy streamer like this is hard to beat. I don't carry any other pike patterns any more.  If this fly and its colour variations wont work then you will probably struggle with anything else anyway.

You can also use the sbirulinos mentioned here to fish these flies;

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=16629.msg177709#msg177709


The holographic tinsel mixed in with normal mylar works extremely well, or on its own. A touch of red improves the fly.  Some tinsel is quite expensive. I mainly use this which I bought in a supermarket near Christmas time. After running some quick tests on it for strength etc (Much "tinsel" is very weak and more or less useless for fly-dressing) I went back and bought a whole load of it, It was cheap and in large amounts. I have been using it ever since.  I will take a picture later when I get the camera accus loaded.

Rasmus also got pretty well known for this;

http://www.rasmushansen.com/index.php?s=2&p=pdv

I have since been told that this fly works best if you dress it on some old stock hooks from Allcocks. 

(  I will have to tell Rasmus, maybe he doesn't know?).

http://streamers365.com/2011/07/allcocks-and-more-on-auction/

TL
MC