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Author Topic: Northern pikeminnow fly patterns  (Read 12546 times)

steve B

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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
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Rodney

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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.
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Dave

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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.
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Rodney

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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.
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newsman

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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
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Till the next time, "keep your fly in the water!"

skaha

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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.
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Silex-user

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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
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Sandman

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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 »
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steelie-slayer

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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.
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gone to the dark side, poor levelwind probly never going to see the water again.

ricer

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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
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Todd Oishi

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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.
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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...
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Labman55

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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!
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chris gadsden

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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
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