THE OFFENSIVE EDGE

Pike On The Fly.
(Fishing for The Slough Shark)
By Chris David

Imagine if you will, a quiet shallow bay full of submerged weeds, and logs on one of the many clear lakes in Northern Alberta. You are standing on the flat deck of a 17-foot boat with your 8-weight fly rod in hand, drifting silently into the heart of the calm water, or the calm before the storm shall we say. Suddenly the logs that you observed earlier begin to move in all different directions. You strip out your line,and cast a 6-inch long buck-tail streamer right at one of the sub like fish lurking in the bay. You strip it in erratically, then pausing, and striping hard with 3 sharp 12-inch movements. As you watch the scene unfold, one of the leviathans turns and stalks your helpless fly, and your heart begins to race and skip beats. Just then a depth charge like explosion breaks the water, and on the other end of the line is a 20-pound super charged submarine called the Northern Pike. The battle lasts for nearly 15 minutes, and your rod has been punished with out question, and now you hold your prize up to the camera, and back into the water it goes to battle another day. The Northern Pike has quietly become one of the most sought after species on fly in the world today.



The Northern Pike goes by many different nicknames such as; Slough Shark, Jack fish, Snot Rocket, and The Fresh Water Barracuda. Any way you look at them, they are an aggressive predator that will burn out a fly-reel in a heartbeat if given the chance. As a professional fishing guide and host of “The Hunting Chronicles TV Show”, I have the opportunity to fish many different lakes for the big Northerns. I get revved up just thinking about hooking into a 48-51 inch monster, and the fact that sight fishing these huge fish, and watching them chase the fly, makes it just that much more exciting. Long being ignored by the fly-fishing world, the Pike has become a target by these purist anglers. Over the last 10 years or so, thinking has changed towards these high-powered eating machines, and why not? Look at these reasons alone and you will see the light as well.

1. Pike can obtain huge weights upwards of 40 pounds in some Canadian waters.
2. Explosive takes on the fly.
3. Powerful fighters when hooked. (10 pounds+)
4. Like the Great White Shark, they spend half of their life looking for food, and the other half eating it.
5. Not very picky eaters, most of the time.
6. Smaller Pike (3-5 pounds) are great eating when caught in cold water. (Winter & Spring).
Many people cannot tell the difference when eating Pike and Walleye caught during these seasons, and cooked together. Part of having a successful experience is having the right gear, and fishing the right locations. I recommend hiring a guide when fishing new areas. This will shorten the learning curve of the lake in mind, and add to your success tremendously. For those of you that now waters that hold big Pike, then here are some gear suggestions to help you catch that trophy of a lifetime.

1. Rod: (7-9 weight fly-rod). A good backbone is important.
2. Reel: (size 6/7 or 7/8). A good reel with a stellar drag system a must. The Okuma
Integrity, or Magnitude, are among the best for the price.
3. Lines: I recommend 3 types of lines. Floating lines are great in shallow water, a
Sinking tip is good for the 3-6 foot depth range, and the full sink type 3 lines are my
favorite. The full sink type 3 lines are a slower sinking line that allows for even line
distribution beneath the surface, and is great for suspended fish in the 4-15 foot range.
4. Leader: I would use a saltwater steel leader rated for 20 pounds or better.
5. Flies: I like to use big streamer patterns with lots of Black and silver in them.
Chartreuse works well, Red and Orange and Mouse or Popper patterns can be effective as
well. Most of the streamers I use are 5-7 inches in length, and have epoxied eyes on them
for added likeness.
6. Polarized Glasses: Pike on the fly can be an exciting experience, and when you
can watch them attack the fly, this heightens the event.
7. Structure: Shallow weedy bays near drop off points, and fallen trees will attract
Northerns. Contrary to popular belief, Pike turn off during low light hours, so concentrate your fishing to hours between 8:00am – 11:00am for the mornings, and in the evenings I would fish the 6:00pm – 8:30pm range. Most of the trophy Pike that I have caught and released have been between the hours of 9:30am and 11:30am. Some regions may vary slightly, but this has been my experiences. I promise that if you give Pike on the fly a chance, you will fall in love with it. You will see what all the hype is about!!
Tight Lines, and Happy Fishing.
Chris David/Host & Producer
The Hunting Chronicles TV Show
www.thehuntingchronicles.com
“Our Hunt For Adventure”