https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w8gn1AOyIA
 
Enjoy

I've seen a duck get eaten. It happened on a  lake in NJ when I was about 8. Maybe that's why I still am a bit scared of them.  I would have loved to have a video of the 15 lb'er that i pulled over the gunwhales of a  buddies canoe after getting a lucky grip behind the head. It proceeded, after eluding my death grip to send the contents of  both our open  tackle boxes half into the water half into the bottom of the canoe. My not so happy friend dispatched it with a skinning knife, but not before it ripped his thumb open enough  for some stitches. We ate it. They're like eating a demon, you still think the thing might come up off the plate after your face. Thanks Clint, that's some wild footage. The Navajo Reservoir, which provides the water for the stretch of the San Juan I'm fishing starting April 5th has some decent pike cruising the shoreline this time of year. I wasn't going to - the 8 wt. and a few snake flies are going in the fishing duffle.  I'm second guessing getting on a plane to go play and fish. Lots of opportunities right here, especially in the coming few weeks for pike. I've been going out of my way to pass a section of the Hudson, but it never really happened the way I wanted it to.  It's now high and very murky; the window closed on my chance. I hope one of you guys go out to the estuary with a big Rapala or spinner bait and tag one. When I get back, I hope to head to some of the estuaries on Lake Champlain with the yak.  I now have a Boga grip and pliers and they hang OUTSIDE the canoe or yak.
 

I wonder if the cat survived.........
I have had a few latch on fish as I brought them out of the water.  Nearly emptied my bowels each time. 

I'm a fan and haven't even caught one yet. This will be the 3rd season in a row I've eagerly wanted to get out for them. I really would love to have one crush a large streamer

Why would you have a large pike in a gold fish pond? I did n't enjoy seeing that kitten getting taken by that fish.

pafisher
Why would you have a large pike in a gold fish pond? I did n't enjoy seeing that kitten getting taken by that fish.

If you watch the super slow motion at about 1:16 or 1:17 it appears that both of the kittens get away, the target kitten is on the lower left almost under the other kitten and it scoots off of the left side of the screen.
 
.... and it bothered me too!  I know it is natures way but doesn't change it.

My computer just blurred it out when I paused it. Glad you saw that. And yes, it's a pretty stupid  place for a pike. I saw a dozen good sized  perch throw themselves up on a mud bank a couple of years ago, when a 3 ' plus wolf was on their tails. Red / white, yellow  /chartreuse, and black /red are good color combos for them, db.  Long tailed flies, like a big Deceiver work well.
My most productive incorporates long grizzly and white hackle, white and yellow deer hair with red tinsel for flash.  I use about 6" of Cortland Tyger wire as a bite tippet, using a figure 8 knot to attach both leader and fly. I've lost many flies to bite offs while bass fishing.

Thanks fichy! I always figured deciever type patterns were good go to flies. Time is the biggest problem though. Maybe this year. Slowly but surely catching up with near middle age :).

Steel leaders??? Or 12" 50 lb. Mono strike leaders???

Andy, I like the 30 lb. wire the best. I've had them fray heck out of heavy mono and the wire is easy to use.  They have those long alligator-like snouts and the line gets crossed up across the teeth more often than not.
They aren't leader shy, far as I can tell. I was talking about a canoe/pike venture on one of Vermont's best pike rivers  (Otter Creek) with a friend last week. Hope you find some time, Andy.  Alex would enjoy fighting one. They do occasionally do  multiple cartwheels.  Pretty cool.

I had a brief encounter with a big pike in the Great Sacandaga many years ago.  I had hooked and was reeling in what I thought was a sunny but I thought I might be fouled in a branch or line.  Just as I got the hooked fish within sight I could see that it was in the mouth of a huge pike.  The pike saw me and spit his meal out disappearing into the depths.  Scared me half to death.