Hi lads and lassies.... I would be grateful of some help...

Every now and then i get an itching to catch some big fish on the fly, and seen as NZ is a bit far away i usually end up going after some pike.

I'm going to try and tie some pike flies, and i'm just wondering if any of ye can advise me regarding the correct make and size of hooks i should use? I assume that Kamasan don't make hooks this large? if so i could get them from Mr O'Reilly which would be great..

The hooks should be suitable for big pike, in excess of 20lb... (may as well aim high)

Oh, if someone could tell me what wire traces i could use and where i might be able to source them? (cheap as possible :P) up to now i've been using the same traces as spin fishers use, but i do know they aren't suitable...

Thanks
JJ O'Malley

you say you want traces "cheap as possible", if big pike are present this is a very bad idea using CHEAP traces, this is thee most important part of your tackle.....

get some pro logic savage gear wire and tie them up loop to loop with 25Ib nylon leader. pennies.

__________________
I HATE BUNGS.........

Send Dougie a PM. He seems to know his stuff regarding Pike fishing. I use Fulling Mill 6/0-2/0. Most of my flies (which is not alot) is tied on 4/0. Like yourself, I'm just starting out.

Hi Alex..

i mean i want to get good quality traces cheap as possible.. No doubt like with every other facet of fly fishing you can source the same traces for 1/3 or 1/2 price online.. For example i have bought rods selling for 900 euros in a shop for about 300 euros online.. so thats cheap, well at least it is relative to what you could pay for the same product somewhere else..

Cheers
JJ

Thanks buzzr... Thats exactly what im looking for..
What wire do you use??


Cheers
JJ

I use the Fulling Mill World Class 32461 Hook. Are you going chasing some of those Mask monsters.......

Is 'Fulling Mill World Class 32461 Hook' a type of wire trace??

Ya, im intent on fly fishing for pike this year more than ever... Mask, Corrib, and heaps of wee waters that i know of around mayo and a few in galway... Just in the process of getting a smaller boat for the smaller waters.. I cant get the bigger boat into these waters..

Whereabouts have you been fishing for pike? Have you tried mask?
I had some success on Corrib last season... Only thing is that if i go onto mask i will just want to fish for trout :P

Cheers
JJ

[QUOTE=JJ O'Malley;391492]Is 'Fulling Mill World Class 32461 Hook' a type of wire trace??

No, these are the hooks.

PM sent.

Ad Swier do a range of hooks which I think would be better than the Fulling Mill as they have a shorter shank and you are less likely to over dress your flies. I'm hoping to try these out soon.

It depends on a pattern you are trying to tie. I have a bit of a problem sourcing good hooks locally so i normally buy them online or grab some hooks that might do when i find them. Anyway i was able to try out Ad Swier hooks, actually to tie a few flies on them, but they don't seem sharp enough to me. Also they look a bit too weak for my taste. On the other hand, Varivas big mouth and big mouth extra, which i have recently tested are great. 7/0 would be my perfect size, 8/0 and 6/0 have their applications too, 4/0 is a bit too small. I use a lot of a longer shank 6/0 hooks as well for some patterns. Now i buy them from Byron, but i think those are same hooks some other companies sell as well. I used to buy very similar hooks, made by Hayabusa. In any case you need a sharp hook. Sharp, with as thin wire as possible, but not flexible and still strong, that would be my pick. Years ago i was using some Partridge hooks, thin wire, sharp.....but i was loosing pike after pike. After a while i came to conclusion that hook was simply too flexible.