Strikes Vs To Hand

[DonAndersen]

Guys/Gals,

 

Was playing @ Cow Lake for pike this AM and having more than a passel of trouble.

After having 12 strikes and "0" to hand. I just have to wonder what I'm doing wrong?

last summer I used flies primarily tied on #2 hooks. This summer I tied a bunch on 4/0 hooks. The fish liked 'em but they wouldn't stay stuck.

Now previously I landed 50% or so of fish hooked on a poor day and maybe 80% on a good day.

If the hook size an issue?

 

Help!!

 

 

Don

[Tungsten]

Maybe slow down the retrieve, pause a little more/longer.Pike will often strike again if you just stop after you feel a tug.Hard to do I know .

[ÜberFly]

Don are you using a "strip set" (horizontal) or a trout set (vertical)?

 

P

[DonAndersen]

Peter,

 

Am trout striking them. Some were on for 10>20 seconds and then popped off. Exasperating.

Mind you, I picked up enough beer and pop cans to pay for my gas today. All is not lost.

 

 

Don

[Simpson]

Hi Don,

 

I was fishing pike on Sunday and ha no issues on a #2. Standard trout set. I would say 50% or better. Not sure if that helps.

 

Can't see using a bigger hook to be anything but an advantage with pike.

 

James

[CDone]

Shorten the tail on the fly especially if you're using a rabbit strip fly, bloody pike will hold on for a long time and then just let go. I use 1/0's and 2/0's for most of my 'hammer handle' flies. bigger hook should allow for a better hook-up I would think.

 

Colin

[jksnijders]

I tied a bunch on 4/0 Partridge hooks this year with the hopes of reducing hookups on dinks. Seems when they want it they have no issues getting even a 4/0 (Partridge Ad Swier's are pretty big btw) Though I have landed smaller fish without actually hooking them when their velcro-like upper plate snagged up in the synthetic (rabbit can wait in the car as far as I'm concerned) I used for the streamer. Often I think this is the case when they get off after a bit. And I strip set religiously. If little else it keeps it on their plate if you miss them the first time, and hits them alot harder when they do get it.

[Guest Sneaky]

Strip Set. I had a buddy fishing poppers for the first time out of my boat a couple weeks back. He couldnt keep em buttoned to save his life, he'd lift every time and miss them, it got painful. Once he incorporated strip strike after the weight of the fish is felt, he nailed them.

 

Rabbit strips are a pain. They suck to cast and dont give the hook up advantages synthetics do. I've landed pike on synthetics with no hook. Shows how greedy the bastards are.

[DonAndersen]

Things got better!

Off to Cow Lake this AM for some coarse fishing.

Had tied up some smaller perch imitations on both # 2 & 2/0 to compare.

Landed 6 - lost six. Missed one in the 3 hours I stayed.

Hooking average about back to "normal".

No idea what caused the lousy effort the first day.

Tired slip striking them and it seemed to work better.

All but one lightly hooked.

A seething rain finally drove me home to coffee & left overs.

 

Don

[DonAndersen]

And it gets stranger. The first 8 strikes came unbuttoned while using a perch imitation on a #2 hook. Switched to a red clouser on a #2 and never missed another.

Strange doings!

 

Don

[maxwell]

I think it's there jaw pressure! I feel your pain don I've had days where I didn't miss a fish almost and other days once they open there mouth the hook come out! don't fish them a ton but when I get the chance I have really good or really bad days landing them it seems!