POKEGAMA LAKE
Boser said that Pokegama is a sleeper lake for big northerns, and with a 30-inch pike being almost guaranteed, sleeping is the last thing an angler should be caught doing. "There are just some beautiful pike on Pokegama, and it seems like we catch a 30-incher every time," Boser said.

The pike on Pokegama are most commonly found in the 19- to 20-foot range on the deep weedlines, deep rocky points and along the long breaks. A 1/4-ounce jig tipped with a large minnow is best when fishing these locations. To prevent its being bitten off, Boser recommends using a 20-pound-test monofilament leader on a 1/4-ounce jig.

Another presentation that works in midsummer is lead-core trolling along the thermocline, which tends to be found 50 to 60 feet down.

"Smelt are the major prey source on Pokegama, and if you get a 8- to 10-inch slim-bodied crankbait down that far, you'll catch some huge northerns," Boser said.

You can find additional information at www.grandmn.com or by calling the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-GRANDMN.

LAKE VERMILION
Dandy pike are found on Vermilion, and while some anglers pursue them exclusively, most anglers focus on muskies, walleyes, and smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Northerns well over 40 inches are caught on Vermilion, and Mike McClain of the Lake Vermilion Trading Company chases them as often as possible. His summer work at a resort limits his angling time, so he chooses to focus on pike -- with an occasional outing for walleyes.

Last summer was a particularly good year for McClain, with several pike catches over 45 inches. He recommended fishing in the Black Bay area around the Partridge River. Legion Bay is another good spot, as well as Muskego Point and the nearby bay.

McClain said the big pike are up shallow once the fishing opener comes around, and they tend to stay shallow well into the summer.

"You can find them anywhere from 4 to 13 feet of water, lying up in the weedbeds," McClain said.

The pike on Vermilion are weed-oriented, McClain said, until fall when the weeds begin dying off, and then northerns begin to relate to rocks. During the day, an angler would do best trolling or casting big spoons. In the clearer water, silver spoons are best, while in the more stained water, copper and gold-colored spoons are best. Once the sun goes down, put away the spoons and take out the plugs and topwater lures.

For more information, go to www.lakevermilion.com, as well as www.lakevermiliontradingco.com. You can also call 1-877-666-6052.

LAKE CALHOUN
I was born and raised in Minneapolis, though I didn't really and truly discover the big-fish potential of metro lakes until I was an adult. I grew up fishing in the Boundary Waters and Brainerd Lakes area -- home to some massive pike lakes. But some of the most consistent pike fishing I've had has been on Lake Calhoun in the Twin Cities metro area.