Post by philpot on Jun 28, 2013 9:02:44 GMT
Well my entry onto the pike fly fisherman's wall of fame has just been opened.
I met up with Deerphil last night to try to get my first fly caught pike and I am delighted to say with success. It was my first pike on the kayak, my first pike on the fly gear and my first pike on my own flies.
The first pike was a very lively little chap of a couple of pounds which thought he was related to Charles Atlas because he was really going for it. I then fished in an area that was a bit weedy so changed the fly to a popper so that it would stay on the surface.
These poppers are not as easy to cast because they are not streamlined and have a tendancy to drift in the air, twice hitting me on the shoulder before splashing on the surface. The second take was quite spectacular as the pike come up from below, grabs the fly breaking the surface so you suddenly have a crescendo of water as the surface errupts. This was a far better fish that kept it's head down and gave a really good account of itself on the fly rod.
Now as I am not a seasoned pike man, I fought a little shy of chinning this one and netted him instead, no problem but only just went into the net. As I had left my camera in the car, decided to sack him until I could get the camera.
Well this is where the fun began, I wet the fish sack and positioned the opening on my lap with the landing net on top. Simple job, slip him out of the net and into the sack which I did only to watch him swim off, how the hell do I miss a 4' opening but I did. A large amount of swearing then followed which became a chuckle----what a dip stick.
On the next drift, the same again-----sploosh, splash, and in again but alas this time the fight did not last for long as he shed the hook.
What a great evening, good fishing, good company and a good result, may many evenings like this fill my life because I'm now hooked on pike fly fishing.
Phil
I met up with Deerphil last night to try to get my first fly caught pike and I am delighted to say with success. It was my first pike on the kayak, my first pike on the fly gear and my first pike on my own flies.
The first pike was a very lively little chap of a couple of pounds which thought he was related to Charles Atlas because he was really going for it. I then fished in an area that was a bit weedy so changed the fly to a popper so that it would stay on the surface.
These poppers are not as easy to cast because they are not streamlined and have a tendancy to drift in the air, twice hitting me on the shoulder before splashing on the surface. The second take was quite spectacular as the pike come up from below, grabs the fly breaking the surface so you suddenly have a crescendo of water as the surface errupts. This was a far better fish that kept it's head down and gave a really good account of itself on the fly rod.
Now as I am not a seasoned pike man, I fought a little shy of chinning this one and netted him instead, no problem but only just went into the net. As I had left my camera in the car, decided to sack him until I could get the camera.
Well this is where the fun began, I wet the fish sack and positioned the opening on my lap with the landing net on top. Simple job, slip him out of the net and into the sack which I did only to watch him swim off, how the hell do I miss a 4' opening but I did. A large amount of swearing then followed which became a chuckle----what a dip stick.
On the next drift, the same again-----sploosh, splash, and in again but alas this time the fight did not last for long as he shed the hook.
What a great evening, good fishing, good company and a good result, may many evenings like this fill my life because I'm now hooked on pike fly fishing.
Phil