In the last week or two I've watched a couple of big pike fly fishing videos. The one with a pair of Swedes—I recall it being on FLY TV and titled Shallow Water Monsters— was the best. They were a pair of amiable guys who sounded pretty much like you'd figure English speaking Swedes would sound. You know, pretty much like us Minnesotans. And they did catch some big like. A lot of big pike.
Briefly they showed big, fluffy flies they were fishing and then upped the ante with a monstrosity of a jointed thing. Seems like when fly rod fishers go for pike and muskies they leave the number twenty-four midge hooks in the box. Don't know what they'd cost but figure them at south of ten bucks a pop. Way too rich for my blood.
Anyhow, I recalled tying a few pike monstrosities a couple of years ago but had never used them. Rooted around for a few minutes, found the box, blew the dust off and checked them our. A few were not much bigger than bass-sized, most were around four inches and a couple were seriously hideous, eight inch, floating popper affairs. Damnation, they were not only ugly but absolutely perfect. There were even a few beaded, garishly colored, homemade lightweight versions of an inline spinner. Wow, I even got a little teary eyed looking at the mess I'd made of perfectly good material.
They're packed and heading to Ontario with Allan and I. Best part is, if I don't catch anything it won't surprise or disappoint me in the least.
