On the other side of Highway 2 is Cass Lake's Pike Bay, which contains jumbo perch. Sathre said the jumbos are not as big now as they were in the past, but it's a good bet for sheer numbers of decent fish. On the north shore, fishing on top of the weeds and sand flats in 5 to 10 feet of water is the best way to go for these jumbos.

"If you find the cabbage, you'll find the perch," Sathre said. "It's a great lake to fish and a lot of fun, and between the numerous eating-sized perch, you'll catch a few 10- to 11-inchers."

For more information on both Cass Lake and Pike Bay, contact the Cass Lake Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-356-8615, or online at www.casslake.com

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH
Winnie is a great spot for jumbo perch. Sathre makes fishing this behemoth body of water sound easy.

"The flats are so big that we move around looking for dropoffs, and then we drill five to 10 holes per break, then move down to the next structure hump," Sathre said.

This requires plenty of drilling to pinpoint the perch, but once you find them, it gets going like gangbusters. Sathre said they usually start drilling at 15 feet and go down as deep as 35 feet. The head of a fathead minnow pinched off below the gills is the bait of choice to be hooked on a jigging spoon for perch.

Big crappies are also prevalent on Winnie, especially in front of Sugar Lake and in front of the Richard's Town access on the southwest corner. This is a great area for a combo fishing experience because the crappies are usually mixed in with the perch, although they are usually found in the 15- to 20-foot range.

Sathre recommended using an underwater camera on Winnie so you know what you are setting your hook into when the bite is on, and so that you know they are down there when the bite is cold.

"You can do some great sight-fishing on the north end, but they don't always bite, and it's frustrating to see them down there with lockjaw, but at least you know they exist," Sathre said.

For more fishing information on any of the lakes along Highway 2, contact First Choice Guide Service at www.firstchoiceguide.com. Additional info on the area can be had by contacting the Lake Winnie Resort Association at www.lakewinnnie.net.