Pike Diver - Tying Instructions

This is just a modification on the dahlberg diver for pike.  It can be tied with a rabbit strip tail as well but the yak hair makes for a lighter fly that won't wear out your arm casting all day.  Yak hair is really nice to get a fly that fishes big but isn't too heavy.  There are a lot of synthetic materials out there too that you can use as a substitute to the yak hair.

Pike Diver

Hook: Gamakatsu B10S #1/0

Thread: Black Mono

Flash: Red Fire Fly

Tail: Black Yak Hair

Hackle: Black Schlappen

Body: Black Deer Hair

Step 1: Tie in flash.

Step 2: Tie in yak hair.

Step 3: Tie in schlappen.

Step 4: Wrap schlappen forward.

Step 5: Stack 1-2 bunches of hair and tie in on top of hook.

Step 6: Push hair back with hair packer and use tight wraps to push hair back.

Step 7: Spin 1-2 clumps of deer hair around hook shank.  Push plastic baggie over eye of hook.

Step 7: Spin 1-2 more clumps of deer hair around hook shank.

Step 8: Your fly will now look something like this.

Step 9: Trim diver head back to plastic baggie.  Trim bottom of fly flat.

Step 10: Tear baggie off of hook.

Step 11: Trim in deer hair collar.

Step 12: Tie off.  Some finished divers.

When tying this fly make sure and use strong thread and use tight wraps to secure materials to fly as pike beat the hell out of flies.  When spinning the hair hold in place and first make a loose wrap followed by a second loose wrap and the pull down hard and release the hair to flair it.  The baggie trick works great for tying divers.  I got the technique from Charlie Craven and the only disadvantage is sometimes the baggie remnants are still visible on the fly but the fish don't care.  Go fish!