Historical content by Aaron Caldwell
Growing up on the East Coast I hadn't had much contact with Northern Pike other than a few encounters while bass fishing in Ontario. With being busy fishing on the Bow, guiding, bartending and a saltwater fishing addiction it does not leave much time for Pike fishing.
I always said I would treat myself to a fly in trip to a northern lake to fish for "trophies." Well last June was the year. Pike are not known for great selectivity. It is often said that if it moves and it's big they will strike.Well, maybe we do put more thought into our pike flies than necessary and there's no doubt pike are extremely aggressive but as fly tiers we enjoy tying them and are always searching for the next big thing.
There are things about the way we all fish and present our flies that's unique to each of us and makes a fly work better for us than others. One of the reasons I like this fly is because of its excellent visibility at distance which plays into the way I like to fish for northern pike. White flies show extremely well against dark water or bottom, but when I tied the beacon on to the leader i was amazed at just how far and how deep I could see this fly. A lot of the fun of pike fishing is watching the fish follow the fly and you can adjust your retrieve accordingly by watching the fish's body language. Although sometimes the fish don't give you a chance to adjust and slam the fly out of no where.
Materials List:
Hook: Gamakatsu B10S 2/0
Thread: Flouro Orange Flat waxed nylon
Tail: Flouro Chartreuse Craft Fur (just the longest of the fibers)
Flash: Gliss n Glow Pearl or chartreuse
Collar: EP anadromus brush Flouro orange
Eyes: XL Stainless steel bead chain
1 Apply a good thread base to the hook
2 Cut a large bundle of craft fur and remove the shorter fibers only keeping the longest of the fibers
3 Tie the craft fur in tightly deep into the bend of the hook to help avoid "fouling"
4 Select a few pieces of gliss and glow and attach them in the center of the pieces but along the side closest to you so it will lat down the side of the fly
5 Fold the Gliss and Glow back along the far side of the hook so that it lays along the other side of the hook. and build a platform with thread where the collar will go
6 Attach the EP brush
7 Using a stir stick to get some zap a gap goop ready to apply to the thread base
8 Don't use too much just a small dab goes a long way and smear it on the thread so you can wrap the brush through the glue.
9 Wrap the brush tightly into the goop (about 4 wraps) trying to glue mostly the brush wire and not all the fibers by brushing them back out of the way. and secure with the thread.
10 Tidy up the head and twist wire in the brush until it breaks and tidy up again with tying thread
11 Cut a pair of the bead chain eyes and attach them with figure 8 wraps
12 Whip finish
13 Cement or epoxy or tuffleye coat the bead chain and any exposed threads
14 Finished Fly
These are also great tied in Reverse colors or you can try them Black/Red, White/Red, Yellow/Red whatever you favorite Pike colors are. I like these ones the "beacon"