Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns  (Read 11388 times)

steve B

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 91
Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« on: April 25, 2011, 01:49:19 PM »
whats flies would these aggressive fish go for i usually spoon fish but wanna try out flyfishing for them
Logged

Rodney

  • Administrator
  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 14817
  • Where's my strike indicator?
    • Fishing with Rod
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2011, 02:25:43 PM »
Last year was when I started really fly fishing for them in the Tidal Fraser River and it was a lot of fun as expected. I caught them from flies as small as a size 10 Copper John to as large as a size 1 Rabbit Zonker.



The small Copper John was a surprise. In late August, I also encountered peamouth chub and cutthroat trout with the same small fly. It was pretty exciting as I never knew what the next fish would be.
Logged

Dave

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3402
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2011, 04:14:43 PM »
The old peanutbutterandjam fly and thehotdog fly are my personal favourites :D :D :D
Seriously, that would depend on where you are fishing – if you were targeting NPM in Cultus Lake I would use a small crayfish pattern (trust me on this)
On the Fraser any baitfish pattern would be effective now, with the spring fry/smolt migration underway.
Logged

Rodney

  • Administrator
  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 14817
  • Where's my strike indicator?
    • Fishing with Rod
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2011, 05:05:36 PM »
Here's one from Mamit Lake, caught by a small chironomid pattern, but you can see that I've flossed its nostril. :-[



Water is too dirty on the Fraser right now to be fly fishing for them, best to wait until mid July.
Logged

newsman

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1278
  • Dude what's a llama?
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2011, 07:35:12 PM »
I have caught them on Stone Nymphs, Black Gnat, Nations Fancy, but mostly on Minnow patterns
Logged
Till the next time, "keep your fly in the water!"

skaha

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1043
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 08:18:48 PM »
--Evening on the usual dry's.. smaller tom thump and elk hair caddis
--Fishing Pyper in the Chilcootin saw no other fish thus assume the hatchery stock rainbows were was just pike minnow food.
Logged

Silex-user

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 255
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2011, 09:37:15 AM »
Gee, that looks like lots of fun. I going to gave NPM a try on fly.

P.S I love any type of fishes pulling at end of my line!!



Silex-user
Logged

Sandman

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1498
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2011, 08:12:05 PM »
The ones I encounter on the Harrison do not seem to be very selective.  The 4 lb hog I hooked in Buntzen was on a large woolly burgundy leach.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2011, 08:14:50 PM by Sandman »
Logged
Not all those who wander are lost

steelie-slayer

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 445
  • catch and release
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2011, 03:23:44 PM »
i have got them on minnow patterns, wolly buggers, and some big salmon flies. also with gear i have got them on red/green/orange wool. theyll pretty much go after anything.
Logged
gone to the dark side, poor levelwind probly never going to see the water again.

ricer

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 72
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2011, 09:07:10 AM »
Rodney,
ever try indicator fishing a nymph at Garry for these fish?  Or do they need more action to encourage the strike
Logged

Todd Oishi

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 150
  • Maple Ridge, BC
    • Innovative Fly Fisher
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2011, 10:11:27 PM »
Ricer, I've caught dozens of them while Czech nymphing (dead-drifting) deep pockets with heavily-weight Czech Nymphs, Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear and bead head Pheasant Tail Nymphs. They're also absolute suckers for nymphs that are slowly swung across the tailouts and inner edges of the seams.
Logged
.
>>>http://innovativeflyfisher.com/forum<<<


For me, the quality of a trout is not measured in pounds and inches, but rather by the journey and circumstances that allowed our paths to cross...
.

Labman55

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2011, 06:20:31 AM »
Small off topic question.
Being old and politically challenged, is this what we used to call Squaw fish?
If so, they used to bite on anything we offered them!
Logged

chris gadsden

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13952
Re: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2011, 07:58:18 AM »
Quote from: Labman55 on June 01, 2011, 06:20:31 AM
Small off topic question.
Being old and politically challenged, is this what we used to call Squaw fish?
If so, they used to bite on anything we offered them!
Yes
Logged