Greetings folks-
My dad and I are planning a trip the last week May this year. We are going to be fly fishing for bass and pike. I have several questions and any help would be appreciated! Forgive me for rambling, but I want to make the best of this...
1) Are the smallies going to be active? Spawning? Where will they be holding? (shallow, suspended, close to shore, structure?)
2) Will the smallies (assuming they're eating) be looking on top of the water or should we fish mainly sub-surface?
3) Floating lines? Sink tips? Intermediate sink?
4) What are some basic patterns we should have (top-water and sub-surface), basic colors, sizes?
5) Pike: Where will they be? How will they feed (top, sub-surface)?
6) What are a few basic patterns for pike? (colors, sizes)
7) Do I need a wire tippet/leader setup for pike?

Thanks for any and all info. As the Appalachians say-
I aprecialate y'uns.
Jamie

1) Smallies will be deep. you are going to have a heck of a time finding them, as the lakes are two weeks later than last year.
2) Will the smallies (assuming they're eating) be looking on top of the water or should we fish mainly sub-surface?- think streamers, with some possible popper action in the evening.
3) Floating lines? Sink tips? Intermediate sink? floating with weight for streamers
4) What are some basic patterns we should have (top-water and sub-surface), basic colors, sizes? 2-4 inches, crawfish, green and chartruse
5) Pike: Where will they be? How will they feed (top, sub-surface)? will be in the bays.
6) What are a few basic patterns for pike? (colors, sizes) bg streamers with wire
7) Do I need a wire tippet/leader setup for pike? definatly

You are asking for a lot of detail when the lakes are not even close to open yet. From the sounds of it it will be a later year than last.

if you are looking for flyfishing may in not your time, early june through mid august is.

sorry to be the bearer of some not so great news. I would say bring minnows and jigs. when we went in last year at the same time, with a likely earlier ice out that is what 90% of our fish came on.

hope I can help. Fly rod hugh? Good deal. I am not from Minnesota but am trying to ger the wife to move to brainerd. The flyfishing pike guys here use hard Mason line attached to their tippets. As for the Smallies I would use poppers on floating line. If they dont bite on that wooly buggers and clouser minnows, black ghost on sink tip line are good. Strip the big flies in front of the weed edges for pike, and fish the head size boulder areas for bass. You might even catch a Walleye with these techniques. Please remember, Northern minnesota is probably two to three weeks behind us in CO. Maybe you should go with spinning and baitcasting tackle?

there will not be any weed beds at this point. If you realy have the intention of only fly fishing I highly recomend going later. this time of year is prime for live bait and walleye though.

I caught a 36" pike on a #6 wooly bugger in late April '06. Ice-out was 10 days prior to our arrival (early). A few of the border waters are open year round for pike- Basswood was then but isn't now.
We were on a short, 3 night, 3.5 day trip, only 2 days of real fishing. I caught a number of pike on wooly buggers, crazy dads, and some silly things I tied myself that are blends of a number of flies.
I had both sinking and floating line, and both caught fish. I mainly used the sinking line in the lakes and floating in the river. We didn't set any records with numbers of fish, but they were there. If you're into the long rod, bring it no matter when you go.
Despite the fact that we could see active crayfish and I was throwing crayfish imitators we didn't catch any smallies on flies,. The only one we caught was on spinning gear.