Evening folks, me and my fishing buddy have decided to have a go at catch pike on the fly!!

I have had a few jacks when trout fishing but never been after them intentionally!!

We have done some reading and bought some pike gear ie stronger fluro, wire traces, pike flies etc... however no amount of reading will prepare us for the real deal, so i want to ask, where did you guys trip up or find a good idea/tip to pass on??

Second to that, any suggestions on somewhere to try, thinking The Trossachs?? Obviously, ideally free or low cost to get going...

Steve

Good choice ! pike great to catch on the fly...

Advice here .. A GHILLIE'S TALE

The article on winter pike now becoming relevant in the next few weeks.
My favorite stamping ground is Loch Awe - Kilchurn or Ford both fish well from bank or shore very reasonable costs.Basically only a few quid..and fish into double figures.
Surface fishing the ' mouse or rat ' deerhair lures are my favourite methods of fly fishing.

Follow my tip on fishing a dry lure with a sinking / intermediate / or sink tip line and you won't go far wrong !

Don't be put off or disappointed if you get lots of follows but few hook ups this is the norm as the pike chase the fly.
exiting stuff though...

john

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One thing to remember when surface fishing for pike I read in a book once..

Pike nipping lures off the top is like us picking a coin from the bottom of a bucket of water. Our eyes aren't made for it, it can be a bit hit and miss. I used to do lots of surface lure fishing with poppers and would say hook ups are about 40%, even from very determined takes.


You would be well researching leader/ trace setups. The trace takes a serious battering on fly gear due to constant turning over, Ti traces have lasted the longest for me.