Long appreciated for their aggressive nature by spin and bait anglers, fly fishers are now arriving to same conclusion, and, according to Blake Frederickson, owner of Camp Grayling in far northern Saskatchewan, it's better late than never.
"Pike on fly might be the ultimate freshwater experience for anglers," Frederickson said from his homey fish camp on the shores of Black Lake, just outside the mining village of Stoney Rapids, Saskatchewan. "They have a curiosity about them – they just can't help but inspect anything they think might be food. And when they attack, you know it."
Frederickson and his guide staff show clients from all over the world the bounty of northern Saskatchewan's lake country, which includes trophy northern pike that regularly stretch the tape to 40 inches, and can occasionally be found all the way up to 50 inches. Black Lake is Frederickson's primary haunt, but, with the help of a float plane, he can deliver anglers to several remote fish camps, some more rustic than others.
"It really just depends on the kind of experience you want," he said. "The fishing's about the same no matter where we take you--it's excellent."
Pike in the lakes of northern Saskatchewan are particularly fond of big streamers tied in a variety of colors. Some days, red and white Clousers do the trick; others find the big, toothy predators chasing anything with a hint of yellow in it.
No matter which fly pattern the angler chooses, it's the rod set-up that really matters. For instance, going after trophy pike with anything less than a 7-weight rod is suspect. Additionally, anglers will need to forego the light leaders and tippets they might use if they were chasing trout in Yellowstone or another Lower 48 destination. For that matter, chasing pike requires heavier tackle than that needed to fly fish for Arctic grayling in the nearby Fond du Lac River.
Guide Greg Dissain, a native Dene Indian and guide for Frederickson's outfit, was quick to point out that leaders should be "30 pounds, top to bottom," meaning they should be 30-pound-test line. And the bite tippet--one look at the pike's massive teeth, and most fishers will understand--is best constructed out of wire, not monofilament or flourocarbon.
Getting to Camp Grayling is surprisingly easy. Simply contact Frederickson at (866) 455-4488. Prices are reasonable, given the quality of fishing, and air travel to Stoney Rapids is fairly straightforward. A number of U.S. air carriers service Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in the central portion of the province, and it's an uneventful plane ride over the black spruce forests from Saskatoon to Stoney Rapids. Frederickson will meet his clients at the airport for the short drive to the lodge.
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