Fishing for Pike on Flies

Fishing for Pike with Flies
(please note that likes, comments and subs help Fishwish Projects that engage new, young or disadvantaged anglers who might not otherwise get the opportunity to fish, so let us know if you're reading this or watching the vid - thanks)
In this Fishwish video, I show how the worst fly for fishing can still catch! I head to Chew Valley Lake in Somerset. Chew Pike are renowned for getting big but how big do pike get? Many believe the UK record will be caught from Chew or the neighbouring lake (Blagdon). The manmade lake is fed by a calcium rich limestone run off from the Mendip Hills and retained within the natural flood plains of a shallow and nutrient rich valley. A perfect combination for prey abundance and bone growth. There are also the rainbow trout to feed on. This attracts anglers from all over the world and a guided days pike fishing on the neighouring Blagdon Lake can cost over a thousand pounds!
Pike fishing with baits or lures is restricted to a few weeks a year over winter but you can currently fly fish for the pike all year round. They see a plenty of flies. So what flies for pike that see lots? At certain times of the year, these learned fish can totally ignore anything put in front of them. It's a catch and release (C&R) fishery, so these educated C&R fish that learn from being caught, are not as easy as one might think. Interestingly, and despite the intentions, flies that do not catch trout, can end up catching pike. If you've not tried it, try a fly you've tied yourself as the catches are so much more rewarding.
The heaviest fish tend to come out over winter but pike after spawning are more difficult to entice. My own selection of pretty rubbish flies give me half a chance as there's no way they've seen anything like them before (honestly - they really are that bad!). The water visibility is very good and seeing big pike is not unusual. When pike follow the fly, they will often hang back and turn at the boat. Pike don't care for anything that they have seen time and time again. A bit like a kitten after it's chased the ball of wool and grown tired of it once a cat.
The interesting thing about making these videos is seeing holw long I had the pike out of water for. From beginning to end it was 3m and 28s. That's about 2m longer than I would have liked. It's so easy for the excitement blinker you from the ticking clock. Thankfully, it's been a cold spring and the fish didn't seem to mind, but weighing and photographing fish in warmer weather could present a bigger problem. Anyway...it's a new pb pike for me so I'm over the moon to have a lucky fish story to share. Chew Valley Lake is nothing like as easy as people might think - it's a very big lake; has some very big fish; and attracts some very good. anglers.
Sam's homemade boat seat was made after reading www.flyfishing...
Total cost of parts was approx £45 and included a boat seat: www.securefixd...
and a boat seat swivel: www.securefixd...
For more information on Fishwish, visit www.fishwish.co.uk
#fishwish #flyfishing #pike

[@carnaflycasting6287]

Beautiful flypike good job 👍💪👏👏👏🎣🦈🍻😉

[@cinnamonchallenge1030]

Lovely

[@Fishwish]

Thanks ☺️

[@WSFScotland]

Absolutely fantastic!!! Such a lump on the fly!👍👍👍. They really are a different fish on the fly.

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. Yes - very. I can’t wait to go again! Thanks for taking the time to comment 👍

[@gaiusbell3309]

Awesome fish! Excellent dangling monsieur!

[@Fishwish]

Merci, mon grande cloche 😘

[@majordefect]

Great video again Charlie, I will definitely be trying fly fishing for pike.

[@Fishwish]

Thanks for watching it and commenting. The takes are so exiting - especially in shallow water and especially when it’s by your feet. Think it’s because you’re holding the line and they smash it so hard

[@blondie853]

Great fish Charles.Well done.Cant beat a big pike on the fly!.

[@Fishwish]

Thanks Steve. Big pike on a fly are still such a rare novelty for me, but I can see how it can become very addictive. Can’t wait to go back. Going to focus on brown trout for the next few weeks though, I reckon.

[@flyfishingchannel]

Wow nice fish...witch flies you use

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. It was one that I tied myself using a strip of mink and one of daughters elastic hair bands!

[@carnaflycasting6287]

🤩😍😍😍😍🎣🦈😁

[@alexfox4140]

Lovely Pike mate ... but unfortunately you didn't subtract the weight off for the sling after weighing it

[@Fishwish]

Thanks for watching. The scales were zero’d with the sling..I think! 😅

[@alexfox4140]

@@Fishwish Its a lovely Pike to catch on the fly, but the scales look zero'd without the sling first, and the fish is then weighed in the heavy sling, you should have weighed the sling after and taken the weight off for the correct weight, still very much a nice twenty though !

[@Fishwish]

@@alexfox4140 ha! I had to rewatch it and check my Fb post from that day. You’re right dammit! I edited out the bit where we deducted the weight of the sling 😅 (which weighed a couple of pounds). Well spotted 👏🏻

[@joseyluca]

The lunges from big res fish are something else. Congrats on the pb!

[@Fishwish]

Thanks mate.

[@samuelpitcher4680]

Awesome video mate, such a great day, despite of the terrible weather at the start. Made up for your catch and it was great to experience it with you. Still can't believe the weight, it looked so much bigger!

[@Fishwish]

Yes, glad that rain eased up. Thanks so much for the good company, great lunch, and help with fish and vid. You still owe a quid and a pork pie though 😂

[@samuelpitcher4680]

@@Fishwish a promise is a promise 😊

[@willhalliday6777]

Wow, what a fish, even i was nervous whilst watching you play it. Well done lads, and well done Chew.

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. I have to admit - I got quite nervous playing it. Edited the fight down from 8m 30 secs.

[@Fishwish]

Thanks Bro. Wish I could get you on a boat!

[@ComeFishingWithME]

Well done mate!

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. Not often I’m that lucky!

[@dannyharris3580]

well done 👏 . we went last week and had a go but it was soo bright and hot that alot of people had given up by 1pm and gone home. we stuck it out but didn't catch unfortunately, we heard the same from every other angler we spoke with so atleast it wasn't just us 😂. congrats on that pike! can't wait for October when I have a boat day booked for lure fishing there. Blagdon lake has been fishing well for the trout btw 👌

[@Fishwish]

Thanks Danny. That place has punished me until on this particular day. Apparently those big pike go into hiding after they spawn and that bright cold spring didn’t help but at least you gave it a try. We were lucky to get some cloud cover. Good luck in October and thanks for taking the time to comment

[@simonw8tube]

Really lovely video. I have not tried Pike on the fly at Chew yet. This has inspired me.

[@Fishwish]

Thanks Simon - that’s music to my ears! 👍

[@andrewcarson9068]

Could I ask what AFW wire was that. Great Vid also.

[@Fishwish]

Hi Andrew, Thanks for the kind comment. It was 40lb American Fishing Wire (Surflon Micro Supreme 7 x 7)

[@davidprocter1585]

Fantastic day! Well done on the pb. 👍 Have your feet found the floor yet? 😂

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. Don’t worry - Three dire fishing sessions in a row since then has brought me back to earth.

[@davidprocter1585]

@@Fishwish 😂 aye, one gets a strange impression of fishing from this utube thing!

[@gordonmillsjr.1957]

Good fish - and no backing!

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. There was backing on the reel…or did you mean no backing needed?

[@Nikonp-hg6yl]

Lovely fish

[@Fishwish]

Thanks. The fish at Chew Valley Lake always seem to be in tip top condition. Good fishery management or ideal habitat? Maybe both.

[@Nikonp-hg6yl]

@@Fishwish are there still slots for chew. As I might try get one in this year on the fly. I’m always fishing Exeter canal. Seen you fish Tiverton.

[@carperblue]

Really enjoyed that and a fantastic fish too. 😀 Magic 🪄

[@Fishwish]

Thanks 🙏. Makes me want you go back but probably won’t til late October now