Hey guys ive always took pike on the dead baits and rapala styled split back lures but as ive obviously taken up fly fishing ive started targeting these guys ahead of trout. Ive been using large/perch tailed imitation single hook flys. Been putting these out with an 8 weight line,may invest in a heavier rig for these. Anyways i was wondering if you guys use any kind of wire trace..i thought this would upset my balance but surely there mist be some solution to your line catching their teeth and you being left devestated. cheers

Wire tippet every time William, you owe it to your quarry....


Dougie

9ft 10weight rod 25-30ib seagur fluoro and some 28Ib wire........

anything else is too little. cheers

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

yeah dougie its not happened yet but i could see it coming and figure id best try to work summit out.....so the tipped would be used much the same way as my wire trace in spinning. But i cant be attaching straight to my fly line so must have to attach to my leader...more research is needed.

Simple answer
Making Ti leaders

Always use a bite-proof trace on the end of your leader - You know it makes sense

yeah it does. I was just a bit miffed with how i would go about casting and such like but i reckon id get to grips. That rig looks the business. Fly line...leader...link r..relatively short braided wire.link......can just clip my flys on :P

Get hold of some AFW Surflon Micron Supreme in around 28lb. Then either use a tapered leader ending in 20lb or use a butt section of 4ft 50lb soft mono to 3ft 20lb Seaguar joined with a slim beauty knot or similar. A spool of 50lb Sufix Zippy and one of 20lb Seaguar will work out a lot cheaper than lots of tapered leaders that get shredded quickly at £3 a go.

Tie a triple surgeons loop in the end of the 20lb and another loop in the wire. loop to loop wire and mono but go through twice (Cats paw) so the 20lb Flouro/Mono and wire sit straight and the loop to loop doesn't slip.

Tie the fly on with a lefty's loop/rapala knot and you're good to go.

Swivels and clips are horrible in a fly leader system.

Slim Beauty Knot

There are several 27 strand fine wire tippet materials, notable Tyger Wire and the American Leader Wire product. These can be knotted. I recommend 30# test. Attach it to your leader (12 - 20# flourocarbon is best) by making a simple surgeon's knot with the wire around the mono, and then a uni-knot or double or triple surgeon's knot with the mono aeound the wire. Snug each up and then put together and tighten firmly, pulling on all 4 ends. Trim the tags, and your in business. The fly can be attached witha figure-8 knot or uni-knot, but I saw another neat way to do it on a Barry Reynolds video. Tie a simple overhand knot at the end of the tippet and pull very tight (use a pliars on the tag end. Trim off the tag, then make an open, overhand knot about 1" from the end. Thread the tip through the eye of the hook, and then through the open knot. Now draw it tight, and you have a no-slip, open attachment that allows the fly to swing freely and it won't impede it's action.

I also agree you need a 9 or 10 wt. rod to handle the big flies and to release the fish quickly enough so it has a good chance to survive. Anything much lighter will tire her out too much before release.

Keep it simple... 30/40 pound, abrasion resistant hard mono - 6 foot. Connected to 80 pound, shock tippet, hard mono or tyger leader 30lbs tippet (@ 12 inches) connected with a Surgeon's knot (with super glue). Fly to tippet connection - I use a SWFF or surgeon's loop to maximise fly movement and pulse...
no different to old school Lefty Kreh kickin'****, plus I have to pull most of my double figure pike out of dense weed on the kayak with a 12wt as my 10wt's don't have the guts to drag an extra few pounds of weed around Lough Corrib. By the way I had over two hundred pike last year on 80 pound hard mono tippet without one break off. Take the pike experts with a grain of salt dood as it is a fledgling sport!

I've used 80lb flouro for a few years with similar story, no bite offs except for one jack that snipped me off at the boat. Its a nice system but not 100%. You just have to live with your conscience if you do get a bite off. I wasn't happy when it happened but then the same has happened with wire before..