Yuku free message boards

This is the fly i used(all black, salt water with a little faux red gill). I used an intermediate orvis line(10 wt). rod was a redington 9 wt. The trick was to slow down my retrieve. for weeks i had been alternating between fast and super fast strips; thinking that i would get a BG type hit. i re read pike fly fishing articles and found that the experts recommend a slow retrieve and an easy hook set sometimes. so when the pike took the fly, i was surprised that the take was very soft. the line simply stopped moving and got tight. the line began to move to the right then the left before he charged off in the direction of NYC! The reel was zinging; line was disappearing and i wondered if i had the right rod for the job. he made several attempts to reach the east side of the river. I was able to turn him by sticking the fighting but in my gut and using my legs as i pumped the 9 wt rod. after a few forced change of directions he realized that he wasn't going anywhere "resistance was futile."
since july 14th, i've hooked & lost about 12 pike before this one. the pike seem to be more aggressive around the time of the new and full moon and the water is warm from the sun. i lost four in one day last month.

Bill