[flyguy]

I have been trying to get a pickerel pretty hard and I've had some luck with a green bass bug (when i was bass fishing) and a hot orange and black deer hair popper.
Does anyone have any pattern suggestions?
I'm open to all ideas but would really like some streamer suggestions.
thanks guys.

 

[Darth_Wader]

I don't know much about pickerel as I have never caught one of those in Ontario... I don't know if we even have those unless it's the Chain Pickerel. Seeing that they look alot like a pike/musky i'm thinking Clouser Minnows will work. Also to mention are patterns like the "Yak Attack" or "Emerald Shiner". The shiner is based on a forage fish here in the Great Lakes called the Emerald Shiner. For the Shiner go at least size 4. Or some big bucktail streamers but make them with eyes for sure.... and epoxy the heads. Just my $.02

Alex

 

[meh]

A turd on a stick, by that I mean anything big and attracts attention. just a ball of deer hair, or a mickey finn with a bunch of krystal flash.

 

[Noelco]

Their favorite food is.....frogs. So anything that mimics one or a tadpole will work wonders.

 

[Irvine]

When I fish spinner for pickerel, I tend to use a Red Devil. Seems to work wonders.

Also, other medium to medium-large spoons/spinners seem to work. Especially, red + white ones, or green + yellow.

I have a frog (hard-plastic body, soft plastic, wiggly legs) for my spin gear. I shall try that out some time soon.

I live on Hunter Lake (Brown trout, Lake/Brook trout, Brown Bullhead (catfish), Yellow Perch.
But, two minute drive down the road is Bradley Lake (Pickerel.)

So, I'll just pop down one day and try that lure out, while fishing for the day. I may even bring my little blow-up boat down, and drift around fishing pickerel. It's been over a year, sounds like fun. lol.

 

[pond jumper]

Best ones ive found are big red and white dalhberhg divers , and any frog/ mouse pattern, if there arent to many weeds any of the big black salmon flies work good to

 

[Joe Branscombe]

I've got them on a Red and white streamer before . I think it was red on the bottom then white aand then red on top . It was fluffy red devil

 

[Darth_Wader]

Pike and similar species just love to go after red and white combos. I tied a fly during the Winter Olympics that I dubbed the Oh Canada!. She's red and white.

Alex

 

[lobsterman]

How do you flyfish for picks without them nipping off the leader and taking off with the fly?

 

[meh]

How do you flyfish for picks without them nipping off the leader and taking off with the fly?

heavy mono or flourocarbon, anything bigger than 10lb test should be alright, you can also buy steel leaders specially made for pike.

 

[lobsterman]

I got some steel leaders, but can't imagine a fly caster of my ability using them on a fly line. I'd likely catch my own face.
Will try the heavy mono, though. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Darth_Wader]

I use a leader for pike called TyGer Wire. It's soft and flexible. You just cut off a segment 6-12" long and attach it to your leader by a double surgeon's knot. Then you tie on the fly using a clinch... just two twists though. It's awesome. You cast it and don't realize that it's even there.

Alex

 

[Well Hooked]

I use a leader for pike called TyGer Wire. It's soft and flexible. You just cut off a segment 6-12" long and attach it to your leader by a double surgeon's knot. Then you tie on the fly using a clinch... just two twists though. It's awesome. You cast it and don't realize that it's even there.

Alex

 

[Well Hooked]

Darth is right and TyGer isn't the only one who make a wire or wire-like leader material you can knot, but it's real hard to find around here. If you're ever anywhere that supplies salt water fly gear you'll have better chances of finding some. They use it for everything from blues to barracudas. I've tried heavy mono but lost some big fish when they bit through the 20 and up to 30 lb. test. The heavy florocarbon worked better but it is amazing what big pickerel can bite through.
As far as flies goes, they don't seem real selective and have hit just about everything from bombers to streamers. Wooly buggers, muddlers, leech patterns they all work although I've had the best luck with brighter colours. Foam grugglers and mouse imitations are also a good bet.

 

[Darth_Wader]

Darth is right and TyGer isn't the only one who make a wire or wire-like leader material you can knot, but it's real hard to find around here. If you're ever anywhere that supplies salt water fly gear you'll have better chances of finding some. They use it for everything from blues to barracudas. I've tried heavy mono but lost some big fish when they bit through the 20 and up to 30 lb. test. The heavy florocarbon worked better but it is amazing what big pickerel can bite through.
As far as flies goes, they don't seem real selective and have hit just about everything from bombers to streamers. Wooly buggers, muddlers, leech patterns they all work although I've had the best luck with brighter colours. Foam grugglers and mouse imitations are also a good bet.

Nice. I'll have to take advantage of the last info that you offered up. I leave on the 28th for a few days in Halifax and then the 2nd of July til the 10th in Saint John. I'm gonna have to give pickerel a shot. How are they when it comes to purple.. on the brighter side? I just tied up some pretty big Buggers. Ironically, I just tied a couple of Gartside Gurgglers.

Alex

 

[morfrost]

Another wire leader material is Toothy Critter Wire. I think it's made by Cortland. I got some at LeBaron's in Ottawa.
TRhis stuff is just like the Tyger Wire.

 

[Well Hooked]

Haven't tried purple, but they like the black gurgglers with red on the throat section and so do the bass.

 

[lobsterman]

Thanks guys!
I've lost some mighty expensive flies trying to flyfish for picks. Them mice flies ain't cheap!
At one point I got fed up and cast at the pickerels only to tease them, pulling the fly away from them at the last minute, just for fun, because I was losing too many flies. After that episode I never tried again. Now I can go at 'er again thanks to your advice.
Cheers!