On the other hand, panfish thrive here. With a modest number of adult pike competing for a plentiful supply of food, every individual fish has the opportunity to gain girth. Although this type of diet is not conducive for an exceptional growth rate, pike as large as 34 inches have been recorded here.

Duck Lake is also known for a hot panfish bite in late winter. The crappies found here are plump and bluegills are abundant. For more information, contact the Greater Mankato Area Chamber of Commerce at (507) 345-4519.

LAKE TETONKA
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is able to keep a close eye on the northern pike within this 1,300-acre body of water, literally, as the Waterville Area Fisheries Office is located along the lake's southern shoreline. Lake Tetonka, in Le Sueur County, stretches northwest from the city of Waterville and the intersection of state highways 13 and 60. A public access is located a few miles west of town along County Highway 14.

Reports of large pike coming from Tetonka have steadily increased in recent years. After suffering a decline in numbers at the end of the century, the lake was stocked with nearly 300,000 northern pike fry. The lake's structure, forage and foliage is fairly accommodating for pike and gives them the ability to reach lunker status. Test netting in recent years has shown that the lake is now home to a good population of fish, many that easily surpass 30 inches.

The maximum depth in Lake Tetonka is a modest 35 feet, but much of the lake exceeds 20 feet. Numerous humps, sunken islands, rockpiles and other assorted structure make a lake map a near necessity for an unfamiliar angler. Look for pike to hit shiners or suckers in the bays and around the points, while jigging spoons will occasionally produce fish in the deeper water.

Regardless of what you would like to catch, it probably swims in Lake Tetonka. Besides northern pike, fishermen are entertained here by walleyes, bluegills, black crappies and three varieties of bass. Ice-anglers must be very cautious. The Cannon River flows through the lake and ice conditions are always a concern. For more information on Lake Tetonka and other lakes in this area, contact the Waterville Chamber of Commerce at (507) 362-4609.

LAKE HANSKA
This is a lake that consistently produces large pike because of natural reproduction and a plentiful food supply. Although the eastern portion of the lake has been dredged to a depth of 15 feet, much of the elongated and narrow lake is very shallow. Aerators have been placed at two locations in the 1,750-acre lake to help prevent winterkill. The last reported kill was in the winter of 2000, so fish have had plenty of time to rebound. Lake Hanska is in Brown County, 15 miles south of New Ulm. Accesses are located at the eastern end of the lake, off county highways 6 and 11.

The total population of northern pike in Lake Hanska may be a bit disappointing, but their size is not. In recent DNR surveys, the number of fish that were captured was below average for a lake of this type. However, their weight was very impressive. The 2006 gill net survey recorded pike averaging nearly 8 pounds and those documented in trap nets a whopping 9 pounds. The largest pike measured 37 inches in length. Since the oldest and largest pike can be quite adept at avoiding nets, it is certainly possible that a few 40-inch fish are present.