Photo by Dale Spartas

Old-timers know that northern pike fishing in Minnesota just ain't what it used to be, but it's getting better again. The days are gone when a stringer full of log-sized pike was just another day, which is just fine. Anglers today better understand the need for catch-and-release fishing, especially when it comes to growing trophy-sized pike.

Also, gone from a lot of lakes are the days when all you can catch were hammerhandle pike, or "snakes." Sure, there are still lakes where a 22-inch northern is a monster, but the opportunities for catching pike in the 30-inch range has vastly improved, and catches in the 40-inch range are no longer major news stories.

"I think we can break the 50-inch mark on a few big-pike lakes like Upper Red if anglers don't overharvest and release those big ones when they catch them," said Steve Ladany, the promotions coordinator for Northland Tackle.

A 50-inch pike would be in the 35-pound range, far short of our state record of 45 pounds, 12 ounces, caught in 1929 out of Basswood Lake along the Minnesota-Canada border. Still, the thought that trophy-pike fishing is once again returning to Minnesota has many anglers downright giddy.

Some of the best lakes for trophy pike are Minnesota's big waters, such as Upper Red, Mille Lacs, Winnibigoshish, Vermilion, Minnetonka, Lake of the Woods and Leech. Each one is well known as having quality pike fishing, but for this article, we're sending you to less-pressured lakes with some unique opportunities. The next state-record northern may not be swimming in one of these lakes, but there sure are a lot of big pike that would even make Grandpa proud.

THE ARROWHEAD
Minnesota's Arrowhead Region has a lot of big-pike lakes, but many of them can be tough to access because of the ruggedness of the terrain or the fact that they do not allow motorized watercraft. But there is an exception to the rules in Cook County and near the cool town of Grand Marais.

The Gunflint Trail starts in Grand Marais and snakes through some of the best pike-fishing country to be found anywhere. On the way up the trail, Monty Montgomery of Buck's Hardware Hank in Grand Marais has a few favorite pike hotspots that are not to be overlooked.

"I really like Northern Light Lake and Elbow Lake because they are not your traditional pike lakes, but they are full of decent-sized pike in the 5- to 7-pound range," Montgomery said.

Both lakes are tea-colored, thanks to the tannins in the water from the bogs surrounding them. These dark and shallow lakes become filled with weeds in the heat of the summer but are awesome spring and summer locations -- which up in Cook County means most of May, June and maybe July. Perch are the main forage base in both lakes, so if you are using artificials, that's the color pattern to mimic.

Northern Light Lake is located about 10 miles up the Gunflint Trail and is basically a wide spot on the Brule River. Because of that, the access can be a bit iffy, particularly in the spring when the water is up.

"You might have to back up through a half-block of 4-inch water, but it is well worth it," Montgomery said.

He also said to focus on the headwater and tailwater sections of the lake, and on the points located off the channel. Fishing the river itself can also be good, particularly the deeper spots upriver from the lake. According to the Department of Natural Resources' area fisheries office in Grand Marais, Northern Light has a high population of pike, with an above-average number of fish larger than 25 inches.

Elbow Lake is Montgomery's second choice when fishing along the Gunflint Trail, and he said it produces a fair number of decent-sized pike in the 5- to 7-pound range. Elbow has a nice concrete ramp and dock, but it is rather rocky off the landing. You can also find northerns along the weedbeds lining the shorelines, particularly the one arm of the lake that is difficult to access.