STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 4
STEP 3
STEP 1
There are several ways to achieve the barrel knot. I prefer to simply form a loop and wrap the tag four times over the wire uni-knot style. Then I twist the tag end so the coils align. Be careful not to pinch into the coating on the wire. Make sure to lube( spit) on your knot as you work the coils into a barrel. Some anglers prefer to use a nail-knot tool. Again, make sure your materials are lubricated as you draw them together.
STEP 2
Wrap your tag around the standing line three times and come back through the loop. You are basically tying a three-turn clinch-knot through the loop you created in the tippet. Draw the knot together carefully, allowing approximately 3 / 8 inches of loop space. The wire bite is flexible, but adding a loop knot allows your fly the best free-swimming motion. And that may prove the difference between a solid take and just a look.
If you make numerous fly changes while fishing for pike— meaning you throw everything you got until you find the answer— forgo the loop knot and tie on a Cross-Lok snap. It is hard to argue with the convenience of a snap. The Uni-Knot is perfect for this connection.
STEP 4
Here is the finished assembly( see below). Notice the connection is clean and the wire and mono are both straight with no kink or set. For added security, you can add a drop of Zap-A-Gap or UV Knot Sense.
STEP 3
HOW TO ADD THE FLY To add a fly, a non-slip loop-knot works great. This is likely how you tie your streamers to tippet already. Start with an overhand in the tippet and run the tag through the eye of the hook. Take the tag back through the loop you formed in the tippet. You will need about 2.5 inches of tag to work with.
SETTING UP FOR A FIGHT Here at North 40 Fly Shop we’ ve got everything you need to get set up for old Esox lucius. Spring offers the best pike fishing of the year( and for tiger musky, too) so there’ s good reason to get ready for the season right now. If you need a dedicated pike outfit, we’ ve got 8 and 9-weight rods ready to roll. We’ ve got some great reel pairings for your rod, along with the Rio Pike / Musky Fly Line, which has a heavy head and turns over large flies, i. e., those tube socks. Now that you’ ve constructed the perfect pike leader and attached a large fly to a proper fly rod, deploy your system in pike infested waters and get ready to brawl.
FIND PIKE IN MONTANA- THE SHORT LIST
• Fort Peck Reservoir • Clark Fork River
• Smith Lake • Bitteroot River
• Pushkin Reservoir • Flathead River
• Lake Frances