28 replies to this topic

[flykid]

What do you guys think of these? Will they catch pike? I was doing some experimenting with spinner flies yesterday and today. I try to make these pretty large because it seems with pike that big is good. I'd be glad to hear any suggestions/comments on the flies of just pike fishing in general. I can't wait to do it for the first time!

[steeldrifter]

They should all catch some Pike. Nice variety of flies there. Thats something I have to get on before the summer gets here (restocking the warmwater box)

Nice work


Steve

[Floyd]

The flies look good. They should do will. Pike and Bass love Spinner Baits. The streamers might just get the pike interested. The three long flies in the bottom photo might have a problem with pike. If the stinger hook isn't connected to the main hook with wire the pike might cut the mono.

[flykid]

Thanks guys! The stinger is connected with a heavy wire leader so it should hold up. I'm interested to see how the spinners look in the water. They seem like they'd do the trick! When should I start fishing pike here in Michigan?

[kodiaksalmon]

Thanks guys! The stinger is connected with a heavy wire leader so it should hold up. I'm interested to see how the spinners look in the water. They seem like they'd do the trick! When should I start fishing pike here in Michigan?

Dude those look great. The spinners will work great. I've been casting pike flies with spinner blades for several years, and I'm really pleased with how they work. When should you start fishing? NOW! They're already catching them on Lake St. Clair. I don't know if inland lakes are open, but I know LSC is. Check the regs and get out there!!!

Here's some of mine; even though some guys don't consider them to really be flies since we use blades! I had one guy tell me my flies are illegal on "fly only" water. Maybe, but they're not trout flies fished in fly only areas, so until muskie lakes go fly only, I'm set! Don't sweat them; they're just snobs!

Jeff

[flykid]

Thanks everyone! Kodiak, I saw those in the other thread and thats where I got the inspiration to tie the spinner flies, so Thank You! Ya I really don't care if they are considered "flies" or not. If they catch fish I'm good! I'll have to see if there is somewhere nearby to go. Can't wait!

[kodiaksalmon]

Whoa, so you haven't cast them yet? HA! It's an experience the first time you do it. You'll need probably an 8 wt for your flies. I cast mine with an 11 or 12 wt line. You need more line weight to move the heavier flies. I don't know how your casting stroke is, but you're going to want to keep your loops tight to keep the engergy in the line, and down to the fly. That said, you need to open your loop up a bit and make sure the fly has plenty of room to get over the top of your rod tip. You can break your rod hitting it with one of these spinner blades, so make sure you leave room. Keep your loop tight until the end of the cast (forward and back), and then when the fly is about to pass, lower (don't drop) your tip to give it room to pass.

I've got some safety pin spinners as well. It looks like you used the ones you use to clip onto a jig head. Those will work well. But they're too small for what I use. I take bottom bouncing frames, melt off the lead weight with a torch, and use the left over frame and swivel for my flies. I'll get some pics up later tonight.

But those look really good. Make some practice casts before you take them out.....just to save the frustration of figuring it out while there's fish in front of you!

Jeff

[flykid]

Thanks for the advice! I have a 9/10 weight rod, that should work for these. My casting stroke is pretty good I'd say. I can keep a pretty tight loop. I can probably open it up pretty easily too if I need to. I will have to test cast these soon.

[kodiaksalmon]

Here's my safety pin flies. Like I said, I use a bottom bouncer frame, and melt the lead off. This allows me a larger fly body, and Colorado blade without them tangling.







And from time to time I use buzzbait blades too! Better not let any of the nay-sayers see these; their head will explode!

[flykid]

Thanks for the pics. I'll have to try that with the bottom bouncer frames. I'm quickly getting stocked for this species!

[Sean Juan]

How well do the blades spin? Or do they just flutter?

Reason I ask is that spinner baits and buzz baits have a heavy (often lead-headed) lure behind the blade to anchor it, the water resistance moves the buzzer or the blade, because it is anchored. A light fly does not seem capable of doing this...but maybe it could if its water resistance was greater than that of the blade.

Have you guys leaded up the fly to create this effect? Are there only certain materials that will do it?

[kodiaksalmon]

Nah, they spin just fine. I never add any lead to them; in fact, like I said in my above post, I remove the lead from the bouncer frames. I've added coneheads on some flies, but that's to help them sink, not for the sake of the blade. They've got deep cut blades available that will spin easier at slower speeds, but I use standard Colorado and even willow leaf blades, and they spin just fine. I've never given it much thought. A blade will spin on the frame by itself, with no fly body if you pull it through the water. In my mind's eye, the anchor is the line, not the opposing fly body. Same with the in line spinners, I see the line pulling the blade through the water as the anchor, not the fly body behind it. But that's in my mind....and as such, I've not given body weight much consideration, other than what I can cast on a 500 gr line.

And I'm talking up to size 6, but most often sizes 4 and 5. I don't know how double 10's would work, as in a conventional muskie bucktail. I know there's a "start-up" with blades that large.

Jeff

[tyrite]

nice some of thous flies would be nice for gars!!!!!!!!!!!

[JSzymczyk]

on smaller sized versions of the same type stuff, I've had had issues with the spinnerbait-safetypin lures. Mostly they tend to rotate throughout the retrieve, which is annoying. I use .021 stainless spring wire to form the frames- and had to start using heavy dumbell eyes or large coneheads on the flies. This makes them more or less obnoxious to cast on my 7wt.... The lures pictured seem to me as if you might still have probs with a 9 wt.... but I think it will be doable.

They work well for LMB and Crappies, and your versions will no doubt work for pike.

[kodiaksalmon]

Yeah, like I mentioned, I use coneheads on my safety pin flies. I like to fish these deeper than I do in line spinners, so the conehead is there primarily to take the fly deeper; but just as importantly it helps keel the fly, and keep it upright. I've never had a problem with the fly spinning as a whole. I use .026 and .031 wire, and it works well.

Another thing that helps is that Colorado blades generate more lift than do Indiana or willow leaf blades, and this helps keep the fly upright, as the blade helps pull the fly upright. I like Colorado blades for their heavier "thump," and wider spin, but I do use the occasional Indiana or willow leaf if the situation dictates.

I cast these fairly easily with 9 wt specialty lines, but they cast with ease on a 10 or 11. Alot of guys don't like to swing a rod like that all day long, but that's because alot people tend to muscle a cast on a heavy line, or bigger rod. The more efficient your cast, the less you have to work.

Jeff