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I'm heading to the Canada side of the boundary waters on a fishing trip in May. I'd love to catch some smallies or pike using my fly rod. I'm thinking of taking an assortment of streamers and some big bass poppers. I would appreciate guidance on sizes/colors since I've never been there before. Thanks!
[QUOTE=eddie_m;399084]I'm heading to the Canada side of the boundary waters on a fishing trip in May. I'd love to catch some smallies or pike using my fly rod. I'm thinking of taking an assortment of streamers and some big bass poppers. I would appreciate guidance on sizes/colors since I've never been there before. Thanks![/QUOTE]
You are in for a treat my friend! We have been going to the Quetico National Forrest in Canada for over six years now, and it is incredible! I would bring numerous crawdad patterns as that is the staple for the smallies up there. They really like a natural look, anything brown with some red/orange accents in it. When chosing streamers, go with white and chartreuse....did I mention to go with white and chartreuse?!!! :D The pike up there LOVE white w/chartreuse! Try Clouser Minnows in both colors, size 1/0....also try Bunny Flies size 1/0....also Half & Halfs size 1/0. Smallies will smash a top water popper, also in white. Have Fun! Be safe....weather up there in May can be VERY unpredictable! Camp on islands so you don't have to worry about wildlife (bears). Make sure to check your creel regulations up there, they are usually very strict (one fish over 20" per person, per day) up till June...then it becomes two fish per person. If you want any info on some lakes you should hit while up there, shoot me a PM.
-Rich
THANK YOU! This is just what I needed. We are heading to Basswood Lake for eight days of heaven, but I'll be the only one bringing a fly rod. Do pikes chew off your flies?
[QUOTE=eddie_m;399137]THANK YOU! This is just what I needed. We are heading to Basswood Lake for eight days of heaven, but I'll be the only one bringing a fly rod. Do pikes chew off your flies?[/QUOTE]
You will go through several flies if the pike are hitting, so bring plenty. And make sure you use a steel leader when going for those toothy critters, they will make short work of fluro or mono leaders. We are heading to Lake Lac La Croix this year instead of Quetico (for a change). I too am going to be the only one packing the fly rod. Can't wait! Take care!
-Rich
[QUOTE=eddie_m;399137]THANK YOU! This is just what I needed. We are heading to Basswood Lake for eight days of heaven, but I'll be the only one bringing a fly rod. Do pikes chew off your flies?[/QUOTE]
DUDE...............you're in for some FREAKIN awesome times.
AWESOME.........but you really need to leave that sissy rod at home and take that fine allpro rod.
Maybe another one or two of them.......a few hundred of the "magic bait", and I will DEFINITELY hook you up with some AP-2000 and AP-3000 jigs :) :) .
Now guys.....I'm just jerkin Eddie's chain with the sissy rod............no need to flame me to hell :) :) .
BTW.......BTW........A guy took one a few years ago and while he caught fish using the fly rod, it came out of the boat exactly 1 time. WHEN they are hot and heavy, you can HAMMER them probably 3-4 to 1. AND that craw pattern works great in 10/12 ft of water, RIGHT off the beds.
Later,
Geo
[QUOTE=GeoFisher;399224]DUDE...............you're in for some FREAKIN awesome times.
AWESOME.........but you really need to leave that sissy rod at home and take that fine allpro rod.
Maybe another one or two of them.......a few hundred of the "magic bait", and I will DEFINITELY hook you up with some AP-2000 and AP-3000 jigs :) :) .
Now guys.....I'm just jerkin Eddie's chain with the sissy rod............no need to flame me to hell :) :) .
BTW.......BTW........A guy took one a few years ago and while he caught fish using the fly rod, it came out of the boat exactly 1 time. WHEN they are hot and heavy, you can HAMMER them probably 3-4 to 1. AND that craw pattern works great in 10/12 ft of water, RIGHT off the beds.
Later,
Geo[/QUOTE]
You have been officially banned from the FF board Geo.......lol! How dare you!!! :D Consider yourself "flamed to hell".
-Rich
[QUOTE=RICHYD4U;399234]You have been officially banned from the FF board Geo.......lol! How dare you!!! :D Consider yourself "flamed to hell".
-Rich[/QUOTE]
Hahahahahhaha.............I've actually thought about taking a fly rod, but **** they are hard to use.......and even harder from a canoe. I've tried it from the land a few times, and can barely get it done without killing someone.
I'd hate to do it in a canoe.........AND imagine a MONSTER northern hammering that fly...............THAT would be cool.
Later,
Geo
That's the problem with base camping. I might have 100lbs of gear--fully equipped for fly fishing and spinning. Of course, if the fish are biting, who cares?
Geo, do you have fly envy?
[QUOTE=eddie_m;399324]That's the problem with base camping. I might have 100lbs of gear--fully equipped for fly fishing and spinning. Of course, if the fish are biting, who cares?
Geo, do you have fly envy?[/QUOTE]
I think Geo does have fly envy eddie! :D I would bring both spinning and fly fishing gear like you said. Both have their time and situation. If you are truly dedicated to the idea of FFin up their, bring just your FFin gear...you just have to live with that decision, even if the other guy in your canoe is spinning and yelling "YAHOOOO" every few minutes! :D The fish up there are so wild and aggressive that they will go after your fly just as much as they would spinning gear. It's just funner to fight the fish with the FR than the spinning rod, IMO. Don't listen to Geo......he just envious that our rods are longer than his, lol! :D
-Rich
Geo, allow me the honor: "I flame you to hell!"
That is all.
Just to add, don't forget leach patterns. Black wooly boogers, rabbit leaches, ect. If I were only taking a fly rod I'd make sure I had interchangable tips with the ability to go down 20 feet. May is early up there. Depending on the weather the fish may not be shallow. I took my fly rod one year and had fun with leach patterns and pike. This was in September and I'd work the bank and weeds just like largemouth fishing. Caught a few small smallies but most of the larger ones hold deep in September. Most of the pike were caught on rabbit strip leaches tied on 1/0 worm hooks with a 30 lb floro leader.