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Fly-fishing For Pike

Trevor Salmon

First of all, what is fly-fishing?

I suppose to the purist it would consist of using an imitation fly made from fur and feather to tempt a fish to take the lure. I think the operative word here is "lure" because, when you bring it down to basics, fly fishing is a form of ultra-light lure fishing. Especially when you look at today's Trout and Salmon lures, such as the Booby, which bear no relation whatsoever to any creature that ever walked or flew. Some flies (lures) are actually made to imitate baitfish such as minnows and contain mostly man made materials.

At one end of the scale, Pike fly-fishing is about equal to Salmon fly-fishing but with slightly heavier tackle due to the wire trace leader, right up to weighted "flies" that can be cast with a light spinning rig and are fished more like a jerkbait. Every discipline has its place and in shallow weedy water you can't beat a floating diver such as the "Kelpie Diver" with weed guard. It can be placed over weed beds and retrieved as fast or slow as the situation warrants, diving to about 6" below the surface with a tantalising pulsing action which predators find irresistible. The weighted divers such as the "Kelpie Fantail Bugeye" are ideal in enclosed spaces, fished with a short spinning rod and a sink and draw action. Casting one of these weighted flies on a traditional fly rod is virtually impossible, likewise a Kelpie Diver can only be used with a No.10 or higher floating fly line and a suitable heavy duty rod. Horses for courses, as they say.

I don't think Fly-fishing for Pike will never become more popular than lure fishing but in some situations it can be far more productive and much more fun.

And so how do you make the Kelpie Fantail Bugeye, read on......

Fix two 10mm glass beads to the hook just behind the eye with fast setting epoxy resin.

Whip from eye towards hook level with point, select a matched pair of marabou feather tips and whip in as a tail with the natural curve of the feather curving outwards, forming a fan tail.

Whip in an equal length of flashabou tinsel over tail. Knot off and soak all whipping with glue.

Coat hook shank with epoxy resin and wind on two layers of lead wire.

Whip in start of Fritz in front of tail and run whipping to eye of hook, over bridge of eyes. Coat lead wire with epoxy resin to fill in grooves and let it set to the point when it is rubbery but still sticky. Whip Fritz to eyes, figure of 8 around eyes and whip off at eye of hook. Knot off and coat whipping with glue and trim off.

Dab a drop of red paint or nail varnish on eye to form pupil.

The weighted version above is fished as a lure on lightweight spinning gear, either sink and draw with a pause every now and then or as a jerkbait.

For a lightweight version for fly-casting, replace the lead wire with chenille that is soaked in glue to form the bulk of the body and then over wound with the fritz. (I use red eye dots on the weighted and black on the non-weighted for ease of identification.)

Ever caught a 22 Stone Salmon.  The Trev in action.