# 3-9 [Big Flies = Big Fish]



## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Being in Wisconsin for three days without catching any fish has really taken its toll on me. Despite hitting two spots on Sunday with a couple friends, we still had nothing to show for it. Planned to hit the water today around 2, but Spanky Baits got slammed with a 169 lure order & I got stuck in the shop until 5. My buddies Troy & Alex came over to have dinner with my friend Maggie & I & then we headed to a spot that has produced large northern pike for us in the past. Troy & I were already bragging to each other about how we were each gonna catch a bigger fish than the other person before we even left the house, so once we got to the spot, the competition was on! Troy opted for a stick bait on spinning gear, but I had tied up some sweet flies today & knew that I had to soak at least one of them to see how it looked. Troy pulled the hook on a good fish on his first cast, so after that it was a race to see who could find the next one that was hungry enough to eat. The problem with 40 degree water in the middle of winter is that the fish who inhabit the water tend to be insanely lethargic. It's not uncommon for good northern pike to follow a lure all the way to you, only to turn at the last second & swim off slowly. I had this happen once today, so I switched up my tactics. Let my big streamer sink to the bottom & then began stripping it back in a super fast & erratic manner to try to entice one of the lethargic fish in the area to strike. My efforts paid off with a nice 35.75'' 9 pound northern pike. I'd like to say the fight was killer, but truthfully I don't think she ever knew she was hooked. I watched her follow for a few feet & then engulf the fly, but even after doing so all she did was swim parallel to the shoreline for about twenty feet before Troy scooped her up in the net. Despite the lackluster battle, she sure was one beautiful fish. & she wasn't too camera-shy either! After photographing & then releasing her, it was Troy's turn to hook up with a fish. His efforts were rewarded in the form of a fat little 20'' northern. Fished for another half hour or so after that without another take, so we decided to head home & warm up. Then it was back to the shop for me until a little after midnight. Gotta love being back in Wisconsin!

*Tally for the day: *

*Me:* 35.75'' northern pike
*Alex:* Nada
*Troy:* 20'' northern pike
*Maggie:* An excellent photographer! 

Tight lines everyone.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Alex decided to give Maggie a run for her money on photography skills on the way home... Haha.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Very nice fish bro, thats too cool. Love the pics and its nice to see a different species of fish on the forum occasionally too bad those things dont live under 3MB hahahaha


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## jonscott8 (Jan 18, 2015)

Awesome report. That 35 incher looks like a pickerel on steroids.


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

Very nice! If you're not already trying this, google figure 8 retrieve for Muskies and give that a try for those non eating chasers .


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

wtbfishin said:


> Very nice! If you're not already trying this, google figure 8 retrieve for Muskies and give that a try for those non eating chasers .


Been doing the figure 8 retrieve since I started fishing big pike & musky back in high school. It works really well.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

jonscott8 said:


> Awesome report. That 35 incher looks like a pickerel on steroids.


I know right?! Really wish the pickerel down south got as big as the northern pike up here! I sure miss catching these while I'm in Pensacola.


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Great pike bro!


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Great report and really good photos. 

If you happen to see one, please pick me up a bowl, like the one Troy uses for his haircuts. If he is a Mennonite, forget I said anything. 

Alex looks like he played in the movie, 'Multiplicity'. I think he is trying to steal Mitch's eyeglass fashion. Looks like a fun bunch.


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Congrats, great photos. Nice pike


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Fielro said:


> Congrats, great photos. Nice pike


Thanks man, appreciate it!


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

One of these days I need to actually put in the time with the fly rod in the salt & hook into a bull...


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