I CAST the fly into a small pocket between the bamboo-like rushes growing on the shore and the waterlilies further out. As I drew the fly across this tiny bit of water and was about to lift it to re-cast, there was a boil and the fish was on. Into the air immediately, tailwalking, and then a stubborn fight all the way to the net, jumping right up to the last moment. When unhooked, I looked at it. Olive and gold, with those characteristic yellow markings down the length of its body. It weighed about 4lbs and was a perfectly proportioned pike.

Mark my words, fly fishing for pike will be the next angling buzz. I first heard of anglers trying this method about 10 years ago. It seems the Dutch and the Germans were the pioneers, using large, gaudy flies with unwieldy wire traces. The tackle might have been fairly crude, but early success encouraged experiment and over the years the terminal tackle has been honed down and simplified and is now easy to use and extremely effective in the right circumstances.

It was in Ireland where I hooked the aforementioned fish. I was with Dr Ken Whelan, Director of Ireland's Salmon Research Centre, on the shore of the famous Burrishoole salmon fishery in County Mayo.

Salmon was my original quarry, but, it being August, conditions were not helpful. Lack of wind and bright sunshine bedevilled us, so

rather than waste time fishing in unpropitious circumstances, Ken suggested trying for pike with the fly.

In Ireland there are countless small, reed-fringed lakes, rich in fish. Not all contain pike, but those that do will also have fish for the pike to feed on. Roach (a species not native to Ireland, but introduced by pike anglers when releasing unused livebait into a number of waters), rudd, perch, minnow, and stickleback as well as trout and bream, all provide ample feeding to allow pike to pack on the pounds, and some fairly small lakes can support decent populations of pike of surprisingly large size.

We were drifting the margins of one of Ken's secret little lakes just outside Castlebar. When we asked the local farmer for permission to launch our boat, he hooted with laughter. He couldn't believe we wanted to fish his lake for pike. In the west of Ireland, a fish isn't a fish unless it is a salmon or a trout. But we launched the boat and set off.

Basic tackle was fairly simple ... a 10ft fly rod, an intermediate line, 12lb nylon and long flies tied on a single hook to imitate a small fish. Combining silver, red, green, and black is most effective and an epoxy or plastazote head with definite eye markings does the trick. Deer hair and maribou gives the fly life in the water. We are not talking Tupp's Indispensibles here.

But the big problem in pike fishing is always how to protect the line from their sharp teeth. When spinning or bait fishing, a wire trace provides the answer, but is awkward for the fly fisherman. It is stiff, difficult to cast, and doesn't allow the fly to work properly. Ken, a much travelled man, found the perfect answer on one of his trips abroad.

Kevlar is a material used in rod building amongst other things and is extremely strong and resistant to abrasion.

Ken had found spools of it on sale in France and it has proved to be the ideal substitute for wire. It is soft, flexible, easily knotted and, most importantly, able to withstand the sharpness of a pike's teeth.

We eased the boat through the reeds and my first decent cast lined a fish which boiled and sped off. At least we knew they were there. Over the next few hours we hooked a good number of fish in the five to six pound class, best about eight, and each one gave a great account of itself. Several came a second time after missing the fly and one tenacious chap came four times before he made contact, and I don't know of many game fish that would do that.

The takes were spectacular and solid. I've never had trout or salmon hit the fly so hard and since the fly only has a single hook, it can usually be easily removed with forceps and the fish returned.

I can't remember a day when I've caught so many fish around 5lbs in weight and, don't forget, the potential exists to hook fish much larger. You have possibly more chance of a 20lb pike than a salmon. Also it's a lot cheaper than salmon fishing - free in most cases.

So, next time you head for your favourite pikey place, don't forget your fly rod. You could end up having a completely new angle on pike.