Potential Record Fly Fishing Northern Pike

[Guest Jeremie]

so i've moved up to yellowknife and started going out biking super early in the mornings (5:00-5:30) and hunting for some gators.. well today i hooked something i dont think i'll ever forget...

 

I sat there on the mouth of the bay while the sun came up over the trees. I look up and i saw probably the biggest eagle I've ever seen fly overhead. Of course no F****** camera. There was a slight breeze enough to make it hard to cast poppers on to this little lake that i can bike ride too. So i said, ah might as well give the 7" long Buck tails a go. First cast resulted in probably the fattest pike I've ever seen, probably over 34" then nothing for 2 hours.. the breeze suddenly stopped and thats when i saw it.. 55" + of mean gator fish swimming within casting range. I put the fly right next to him.. CHOMP, i set the hook. Probably the biggest bend I've ever seen on a 9Wt fly rod and this boy just guns it... so far and nothing i could do about it. I tighten up the drag after a little bit... slack... nothing..

 

I actually dropped to my knees in the water going past my waders... dropping the fly rod in the 3 foot deep gravel bed... all the line still close to 150 yards out... and i just sat there for a good 15 minutes.. and looked up and and saw the amazing view once again (at this point I'm more happy that i had the chance to encounter such a beast then frustrated that i lost the fish) I reeled it all the way up to find the buck tail trailer hook had been savagely cut off. Thats 50-60lb test, Sliced right there. I then blind casted and caught a few small 20-30" Pike and then landed a beauty 40" second pike up here so far at that length.

 

Its about a 30 minute bike ride from my house on a road to a 20 minute off road area all the way along the lake.

 

I'm bringing the camera next Saturday and i'll grab some of the stunning view and pics of the fish. It hasn't been consistent but man 2-10 fish in the 20" to now 55" range is good enough for me.

 

I've come to think.. what would i have done had i actually landed that thing.. it was close to the same height as myself.. its teeth were obviously razor sharp.

 

Hope you enjoy the read!

 

Jeremie

[Hawgstoppah]

awesome

[Guest Jeremie]

perhaps not the world record... but it could be the provincial record, im not saying im 100 percent certain on the length of this fish. But when i first looked at him i thought it was a seal... it was just simply that big.

[EvilWeevil]

you need to go to wire leaders that 50 - 60 pound flourocarbon just doesnt cut it with pike fly fishing works good with hard tackle usually but i hae had even small ones bite thru that crap just depends how you hook em .....i used to swear by the flouro to still do for icefishing .......nice catch though

 

[Guest Jeremie]

you need to go to wire leaders that 50 - 60 pound flourocarbon just doesnt cut it with pike fly fishing works good with hard tackle usually but i hae had even small ones bite thru that crap just depends how you hook em .....i used to swear by the flouro to still do for icefishing .......nice catch though

 

I was using wire leaders, where the trailer comes off the hook is what got sliced.

[lorney]

Tie your own and use wire for the trailer. Only thing I will use for pike and it has paid off for me. Haven't had a pike break or bite through the wire yet and have caught a few beasts. Even store bought streamers can usually have the trailers cut off and wire tied in with a new trailer. Keep fishing with mono and you will keep filling your waders.

[jksnijders]

First cast resulted in probably the fattest pike I've ever seen, probably over 34" then nothing for 2 hours.. the breeze suddenly stopped and thats when i saw it.. 55" + of mean gator fish swimming within casting range.

 

 

Always use steel. And measure your pike up around 40", they can be deceiving when you first see them. I used to get fooled alot on lengths but pack a tape religiously so I'd always double check. Now my guesses are usually pretty close. I've been up that way and know there are monsters there, but pike over 50" are pretty rare. Good job if it was though.

 

 

[ham]

There's monsters up north, theres no doubt about that.

[Guest Jeremie]

I measured a 41" incher the first morning. Theres no doubt in my mind there are bigger pike in great slave. This fish was substantially larger then the 41". Theyre are monsters, the tackle shop believes the next world record northern will come from great slave. He's seen himself fish over 50" before that have been released that could be potential records, and he's lost bigger.

[jksnijders]

 

I went by boat across the southern end of Great Slave from Hay River to the Mackenzie River, the size of that lake defies imagination. I have no doubt there are huge pike in that whole system. I recall hearing it's 200 or so km from Hay River to Yellowknife and its alot longer than wide. So get yourself some steel and get a plus 50, but remember to post a pic..

[Guest Jeremie]

i've got steel, i was using it, i find the baitfish patterns dont seem to matter much. I will just keep them single hooks. I'll get pictures, im bringing the tripod out next time. Im gonna find that beast again and this time, hes mine