Pike & Musky Flies

Pike & Musky are two of the largest freshwater gamefish. These fish are known for their elusive nature, predatory tendencies, and overall size. If you’re a streamer junkie and like catching large, aggressive fish, chances are you’ve targeted Pike or Musky in a river/lake setting. And if you haven’t, you should. These fish are a ton of fun to catch on a fly rod. While pursuing them necessitates larger gear, heavy-duty rods/reels, and bite-wire leaders, the pursuit is one of the most thrilling in freshwater.

These fish have gained recent popularity with the rise of the ‘big bug’ movement in contemporary fly fishing. More and more anglers are looking to challenge themselves by targeting elusive fish that are known for their size, strength, and aggressiveness. While anglers can go days and days without catching a single fish, the fish you do catch are often high-quality predators at the top of the food chain. As such, they typically eat large flies that necessitate a heavy rod that’s efficient at casting big streamers. We have a solid selection of streamers for Pike & Musky fishing including some of the most popular patterns in the industry. 

One such pattern is Blane Chocklett’s Gamechanger Fly. This fly has an impressive segmented body for incredible movement in the water. Blane Chocklett specializes in tying big game freshwater flies for Pike, Musky, Bass, and other predatory fish looking for a big meal. The lifelike profile of this fly encourages hesitant fish to leave their lays and chase your fly to the side of the boat. When you finally get a big predator like a Musky to eat, this fly is tied on a durable hook that is built for larger fish. 

Other large streamers that increase chances of catching these big-mouthed predators include the Big Fish Deceiver Fly and the regular Deceiver Fly. While these flies are well-known for their saltwater applications, they also imitate freshwater baitfish. Depending on the scenario, the green-backed Big Fish Deceiver can imitate an injured walleye or yellow perch. Pike target these smaller fish and spend most of their time on the hunt for a big meal. The blue-backed Deceiver also imitates a variety of baitfish and has flash tied in to attract a Pike in cloudy water or from a long distance. 

Similarly, the Clouser is another fly that’s known for its saltwater applications. While it is a great fly for Striped Bass and Smallmouth/Largemouth Bass, it can also be used to target large predatory fish in freshwater like Pike & Musky. The dumbbell eyes add weight to the Clouser to help it quickly sink into a Pike or Musky’s feeding zone. These flies are also tied on heavy-duty saltwater hooks that are great for wrangling large fish. Add a wire leader and you’ll have higher chances of boating the big-toothed fish. 

If you’re chasing after Pike & Musky, or other large predatory freshwater fish, we’ve got a few flies that are worth having in your box. Our Pike & Musky fly selection is always growing so check back for more streamers that will fool these elusive fish.