Bull Flies / Pike Flies???

[NormanMcLean]

I'm pretty new to fly fishing for pike. So my question is can you use the same streamers that you usually use for bulls (clouser minnows, bow river buggers etc.) for pike as well? Because I see so many different flies for pike that are in yellow and pink colors. Don't they generally eat the same minnows? Thanks.

[birchy]

I'm pretty new to fly fishing for pike. So my question is can you use the same streamers that you usually use for bulls (clouser minnows, bow river buggers etc.) for pike as well? Because I see so many different flies for pike that are in yellow and pink colors. Don't they generally eat the same minnows? Thanks.

 

Yep, from what I've read they'll work just fine.

[Brownstone]

From my experience..Pike love yellow anything..usually when targeting pike your in still water and want to cast a fairly long line, I'd avoid heavy overweighted streamers as they'll get difficult to cast, if your fishing deep water, a slow sinking leader or line will be the answer. For shallower water I don;t use any weight at all ... don;t forget a mouse and frog imitation, not that they work overly well but it sure is fun watching them pound it on the surface through the weeds...remember to beef up the tippet for the sharp teeth, i use 12 lb and change it often with few incidences...

[lonefisher]

I'd be curious to know if Clive or any of you other guys ever throw double streamers for pike?........ bad idea? ly

 

The best I can figure out is pike like big active baits..... whether they pop, skim, dart, jig, or vibrate. Knowing the size of the pike you might catch I think might help to determine the size of fly you want to use as it seems to me they seem to be the sorta fish where the big fly big fish is fairly true.......

 

but I should point out I am by no stretch of the imagination an avid pike fisherman or even terribly good at it Not enough opportunities to do it

[dryfly]

NM...pike will eat a lot of stuff including scuds. But most of us have settled into large flies from 6 to 8 inches...which pretty much precludes "throw double streamers for pike?" It would fall under the general heading of "bad idea" And yes, yellow, is the general color of choice, but always have other colors too as they seem to have their moods (... don't forget the large pike are always female ) and some days prefer orange, red, and whitefish colors too. and some days it just does not matter. We had a slower pike season this year (cold all of April and May--hard to believe right now), but still managed a few good days.