Pike fly rod combo?
 

Good morning folks, I want to try fly fishing for pike. I do fly fish, however never for pike…. Any advise on a set up that will handle pike is appreciated.

I'd suggest a 9ft 8wt or 9wt flyrod with a 3-5ips sinking line. A floating line can work too with weighted flies. I run floating lines in the early spring when I fish in shallow water (<5ft) and then switch to a sinking line for the rest of the year. Orvis Clearwater Combo is a good quality not not too pricey starter setup. I got my girlfriend the 9ft 8wt combo when she started flyfishing with big streamers for pike and bull trout. If you want a rod for pike and swinging streamers for trout then the 8wt is the answer. If you are looking just to target big pike then I'd go with the 9wt as the extra backbone will be nice to handle those 40"+ fish and for casting giant weighted flies.

Thank you for your time, I will pick up the 9wt.

TFO essox rod, mines seen over a thousand pike, probably over 200 walleye, and in the neighborhood of 20 browns, none of the of other manufacturers can touch their warranty with a ten foot pole, break a piece bring it to TFO in Calgary and they will replace it for thirty bucks, reel, something big, heck, that rod seen a 29” walleye just on Friday………but some people like waiting months for warranty work on their rods, that could end up being your whole summer, reel, just not something cheap and cast.

I've caught pike on a 5/6 weight, but you would probably be better off with a decent 7/8.

I think 9 weight will be too heavy. Heck I even used 8 weight for salmon fishing on the skeena with no problems.

The heavier rod is better for tossing really big flies

A 9 weight is preferred for the heavier, longer flies needed for pike fly fishing. I use a Loop Pike Booster rod with the matching Pike booster floating line. It has been my favorite pike rod and line over the years. Lines in other brands should be a pike taper or bass taper line for tossing large flies. If you are going with a sinking line, I prefer a type 6 sinking line to get the flies down quicker. I have been using the type 6 90% of the time the last few years as opposed to my floating line, but it all depends what depth and type of water you are hitting.

I agree with others about the 9 wt rod. For line, it depends what you plan to do. An intermediate line is a good all-round choice - but surface fishing for pike with a popper or a mouse pattern on a floating line is pretty fun!

And I prefer the lighter rod. I use a short skagit shooting head looped onto a light running line, putting all the weight forward. That combination can deliver a hefty streamer some distance. I find the stiffer rods need too much line weight for shooting.