Flyrod Setup

I found out that my current setup is not good for these toothy critters. I had been using a "small" snap swivel at the end of my wire tippet to help with fly changing. Well, I hooked a Pike and lost the fish very quickly. When I went to cast back to the fish, my fly went sailing into the water without my line attached and the snap had broken. Luckily, it broke then rather than while the fish had it in its mouth. I still lost the fly, but at least the fish was Ok.

At this point, I am going to try the following setups:

Streamer rod:
Intermediate sinking line
4-5' of 25# mono leader
12-18" 25# titanium wire tippet connected directly to fly

Topwater rod:
Full Floating line
4' 30# mono leader
12-18" 15# Tyger wire connected directly to fly.

My hope is to go with the lighter wire for the surface baits to help keep them from sinking. I'm still working on my strip-strike technique but am definitely gaining ground. :)

Gary, you out there?? I'm so fired up to get these flies in front of these fish its not even funny. Just trying to make sure that the equipment is in order.


Jay

I use a #8 weight rod with #20 pound wire as a final tippet since I tie my own leaders. I've also used short titanium wire leaders and a swivel for streamers and never had the issues you describe. I think another option is to use 60 lbs firewire as a tippet. I plan to experiment a bit this year with that option. I do like the wire but it gets to be a pain if you change flies a lot. Have you ever tried using loops to attach the final tippet to the main leader?

ppalko

From the way that I've seen muskies eat the fly, I would think going heavier on the wire bite guard would be the way to go. Most of the fish that i caught are >40" long and almost all of them had the fly totally inside their mouth. I had a musky bite cleanly through 60# Powerpro before. With that being said, my leaders are short, 4-5 ft long with a 15" piece of 40# Malin hard wire, then tie a haywire twist for my fly. It can be a pain in the butt sometimes after you catch a fish, sometimes the wire kinks from all of the headshakes and rolling, but I'll take the time to tie on another piece afterwards. I try to think of all the ways you can lose a fish and try to eliminate them on my end.

I also rarely change flies from my standard patterns, mainly colors if anything.

Jay,

Gary is still alive and well. I spoke to him yesterday. Hopefully, he will chime in on this today.

Great info guys.

I am still not exactly sure what happened with the snap. I just remember thinking "Hmm, that was a horrible cast" and when I went to cast again, no fly and snap. LOL The loop that I had crimped was still intact. Needless to say, at this point I will just take the time and tie the flies right to the wire. Its really not that bad to work with.

I am hoping to have these kinks worked out before one of the big girls decides to give me a shot.

I just ordered a couple of BIG surface poppers to try this year. Can't wait to see what might be interested in attacking those things.

ppalko,

I have not tried using loops for that connection as of yet. I do plan to try a couple different connections this year to see what might work out the best for me.

The good thing is this is exactly what I was hoping to accomplish early in the season. Get some practice on the strip-strike and test out the equipment. I should just make a trip to High Point Lake and have a field day with those Pike.

Jay,

The big fish that Gary hooked with me on his fly rod made quick work of his 30lb. coated steel leader so he bumped up to 50 or 60, I think. I think he even experimented with fluoro but went back to wire or steel. I am not sure how he is connecting his leader to main line these days either.

Red,

Do you mean the fish bit through the wire?? I have been wondering if that might happen. I thought I remembered reading something in that "Muskies on the Fly" book that mentioned using a little lighter wire for the surface flies. I better go back and read that again.

I do have the 90# fluoro that I could try also. I am just trying to avoid possibly leaving flies in a Musky's mouth.

I always wonder how these people fishing for trout, bass, walleye, etc... can land these things with light mono while those of us who are chasing them have seen them snip right through heavy fluoro. I know its mainly by sheer luck, but its pretty interesting since we hear about that quite often.

I guess I'll just keep working until I get a couple of setups that work well. The rod that I am using for surface baits was sinking the flies a bit last weekend. I decided to try using them that way anyhow. Those fish were still very interested and I could still see the boil when the fish attacked. Very cool!!

Gary and I both think that his leader may have had a weak spot. Otherwise, I really doubt a fish could bite through a wire leader, no matter the poundage.

I got to spend a couple of hours on the water yesterday throwing flies. After the cold front came through, its seemed that everything was a bit slow for the day. I did go 1 for 1 with the Pike running a fly about 3-6" below the surface. Thanks to the H3O's that I bought, I saw the first flash just before the fish nailed it. I even made a decent strip-strike on the fish. I had one other follow but no take. I also noticed one pike just hangin out by some weeds not doing anything, and not interested in any fly. Must have been catchin some rays.

I am really starting to like the current setup on both rods. I will probably shorten the streamer rod leader too since I have it set up with a ghost tip line anyhow. My casting is really coming back too. I have a good feeling coming into this Spring pattern that once the Musky start to come up shallow, I should be ready to give them heck with the Flyrod!!

Hey Jay...... I've been busy cleaning up after a weekend at the Steelhead Show in Mayville NY. Good Show... I had a booth and put on some workshops. I'm anxious to get on the River for some big trout and musky!!

I put my leader together a little different and use loops but there are many ways to skin a cat!! I use:

3 ft of 40 to 50# (.021 or 023 RIO)
SPRO Power Swivel = either # 8 or # 6 50 and 80 lb test respectively
12 to 18 " 30# tippet ending in a loop
20# tippet with loopin one end and other end tied to 12 to 18 inches of wire.
Fly tied to wire.

I keep flies with wire and tippet loop in a Finsport fly file... has individual plastic bags for each fly. works pretty good. I sometimes have gone without loops and just tied the 20# tippet to 30# tippet with regular knot. When tippet gets to short on the wire I take home and add another section of tippet.

The swivels work great... keeps twist out of line.... they are small and strong!! I get them out of Jann's Netcraft. Size 8's are really small can work with size 6's easier.

I do take some wire and tippets along to use with flies i have not rigged yet. with my first experience with Red -----I am still using wire.....I like the 1x 19 American Fishing Wire Surflon Micro Ultra 46 lb. small diameter and easy to tie knots with. what are the specs of the titanium you use and where do you get it?? I've not tried it!

I might try using fluoro this year with top water ... although the action thata the wire gives topwater stuff is not all that bad. I just think you need to make a lots of noise and draw then in!! I've not had any surface takes or follows yet. I've stayed with streamers fished from just under the surface to 4 or 5 foot down. Usually fishing tops of weeds!!

With you knowledge, experience and persistance you'll be into a wall hanger this year!! I'm aiming for a 40+ now!!

Gary,

Those are some pretty interesting setups. Let me know how the fluoro works if you try it this year. I think I am going to stick with current setups and see how they work out.

The titanium that I use is the 30# Tooth Proof Titanium Wire (Cabela's). It has worked well for what little action I have seen so far. We'll see what happens once a big girl gets a hold of it. The Pike have not even bent it yet.

I also ordered some of the 15# TyGer Wire for the surface flies. Probably wont get to try that out until next week.

I like the swivel idea. not sure I trust the loops that I have crimped into the wire right now.

I am also working on a project that will enable me to add a small chamber filled with beads to my current flies. I figure anything that might add a little sound/vibration will help bigtime since that is one of the downfalls of using flies. We'll see how that goes.


Jay