We will not pretend that every pike fly – even an articulated one – solves every problem.

But it can certainly change the course of a day on the water, as many of you have already discovered. It can provoke aggression even from the most sluggish and reluctant fish, and powerful, unexpected takes stay in the memory for a long time.

A streamer that turns sideways, suspends in the water and responds to pauses creates exactly the impulse that soft lures often fail to provide.

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Our latest quick trip in May is a perfect example of what streamers can really do – both with fly tackle and, perhaps especially, with spinning gear.

A number of beautiful, powerful fish gave us tremendous fun and memories that will stay with us for a long time.

We tested three setups:

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• a fly rod with a fly,

• spinning gear with a fly,

• conventional spinning/baitcasting tackle with soft lures, jerkbaits and similar lures.

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At first the fish responded to different methods, but there is no doubt that Belcia – and our streamers – eventually stole the show.

First she improved her personal best to 95 cm, then surpassed herself with a 101 cm pike. In total she landed more than a dozen fish – all on our flies.

Shallow bays 0.7–1.2 metres deep, with crystal-clear water, were her kingdom.

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What should you keep in mind?

Our flies, of course.

A pike fly is an exceptionally versatile lure with no built-in weight. That is precisely what sets it apart from other lures.

The ability to choose the weight – using a Cheburashka weight or an olive-shaped sinker – is one of the keys to success when fishing with spinning tackle.

 

A lighter weight lets you retrieve the fly more slowly and lazily. You may sacrifice some casting distance, but that is rarely a serious problem, especially when fishing from a boat or float tube.

When fish are feeding in mid-water, retrieving a fly just below the surface can trigger absolute chaos.
A pike charges up from the depths like a torpedo, and the explosion at the surface snaps you out of any daydream. Sometimes the entire fish clears the water in a classic leap, and the take is so violent that you genuinely have to hold on to the rod.
The excitement is impossible to imitate. No other fish in Poland produces takes like Esox.
A heavier weight, on the other hand, lets you present the fly deeper – or keep it shallow while retrieving it quickly and aggressively, as we discovered during this trip.

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​What if the pike are present but clearly ignore conventional lures?
This is where pike flies begin to show their advantage.
During our latest trip, fairly heavily weighted flies retrieved aggressively once again provoked the most fish.
At first, the number of follows and hesitant takes was extraordinary. That situation can drive an angler mad, but after a short analysis we found the answer.

We simply stopped the fly for a fraction of a second. A moment later came an explosive take and another Esox was on the line.
The floodgates opened and we took turns landing fish after fish.
This is when a pause has its greatest effect – during an otherwise dynamic retrieve. A heavier Cheburashka weight or a faster-sinking fly line keeps the lure in the strike zone for longer, close to fish hidden in vegetation.

The only pity was that our companion fishing conventional spinning tackle could do little more than watch.

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Size matters.
There are, of course, places and times when smaller pike flies win – especially in clear water and under heavy fishing pressure.
But often it is a large fly that provokes sluggish fish through its movement and profile alone.

That is why our streamers come in different sizes – because we know what pike want.
We all know that the fly is the final point of contact with the fish; it is the fly that has to convince it.

We build ours from Nayat (Snow Runner), the best possible material, using our own construction designed to extract the maximum potential from the idea.

You can read more about Snow Runner in a separate article:

 Snow Runner and Nayat – a revolution in the world of streamers
The rest is up to you...

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Spinning? Baitcasting? Of course.
You need a set of Cheburashka weights in different weights – 1–15 g, and sometimes heavier – a suitable rod, usually in the 20–35 g range, and you are ready to go.

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And if you fish with fly tackle, even better. Use a #9–10 rod, an intermediate line and, absolutely, an S1/S3 line. A sinking line can be extremely effective even in shallow water. Read more about fly lines in the article: A sinking line in shallow water? Heresy!

Pike in a less cooperative mood often respond better to flies presented deeper and faster.

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You do not have to be a purist.Break the rules. Surprise the fish.
Sometimes that different impulse works when everything else fails. It is not magic. It is a different action.
And most importantly – your fish have not seen it before.