Fun day by myself.

I always wonder why northerns are treated like rough fish on Mille Lacs. I see report after report on walleyes and smallmouth but never anything on northerns. After the awesome walleye bite in May and June I decided to try something different. I chased bass for awhile and then about mid July I started to chase northerns. When I say I was by myself I mean it literally. I was trolling a area that was very well known for northerns. Don\\\’t get me wrong, there were bass and muskie guys all around but no one else trolling. I was on the water at 6:30 Saturday morning and it was not long before the first hook up. It was a nice 32\\” fat boy. After releasing him at boatside I turned and made another pass because of the baitfish clouds in that particular area. On the way back I nailed a beautiful fat 40\\”er. These fish are well feed and very healthy. I fished the area for 4 hours and landed 9 northerns. The biggest was the 40 and the smalllest was 25\\”. These fish were in tight on the thicker weed beds in 5-8 FOW. The picture is of the big guy saying he was not ready to come in. Sorry about the pic\\\’s but I was solo and wanted to release them at boat side instead of netting and fighting them in the boat.

A picture of the big guy next to the boat.

Nice fish. Trust me If I got up there you would get pleanty of reports on Pond Pike. sounds like you had a good time.

VERY nice fish. Thanks for sharing. May I ask what you caught them on and what speed you were trolling at? Very nice seeing something on northerns as not alot of people talk about catching northerns. Keep the reports coming.
Thanks, Bill

Thanks Bill,
I was trolling between 3.4 to 3.7 MPH. And if you look at the picture closely you can see what the hot lure was.

Here is another cool picture of a smaller one but he made up for his size when he went on a tear by the boat.

Pike can be a blast, and the ones in the pond are well fed and FAT. That 40\\” is a great fish I have run into a lot of those pike this year most of them in the 36-38 range. Great fight in those fish.

I have caught some beauties the last few years, while trolling for eyes. I know I have seen at least a half dozen 40 inch PLUS Pike come into the boat the last few years trolling in the Fall. Last year we had 3 in 2 nights. Actually it was 2 in the boat, because Tuckner was too chicken to touch the 3rd one.

Actually he opted not to bring the beast into the boat in fear of all the Camera equipment lying in the boat. . But you can BLAME him for bad boat control on one of my other ones that we landed.

See the Blooper Reel

Here is one from the pond

Nice fatty there Bob. I swear, I have never saw a skinny pike on the pond.

Lip, I am with Tuckner on that one. I am not afraid of them, I just think it is a little easier on the fish when you just lean over and pop the hook out. Those big ones sure thrash around in the net and sometimes go ballistic in the bottom of the boat. It is not good when they slime up my nice freshly cleaned carpet either.

I agree i was broke off 3-4 times last year trolling for fall eyes finally i got one that i could get in. Nice 42incher. I think it had over 5 tags in its back. I didnt have time to get all of the numbers off of her. Great fish.

I can not tell what lure that is, it looks very strange. Northerns will hit any lure and there have been times at Mille Lacs when you can not keep them off your line while musky fishing. Vineland Bay, St.Albans Bay, and Garrison Bay they are thick in numbers. I got a 40 inch northern on the north end once as well. Jerkbaits like suicks absolutely crush the northerns, thats why I don’t use that lure for muskies up there anymore, lol.

Looks like a Doctor Spoon to me.

looks like hellhound? magic maker? phantom? some type of glide bait?

We have a winner! Good job Jeremy. The man knows his spoons.

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Here is one from the pond

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wow, look at those good musky conditions in the background. Bob, i bet you thought you for sure had a nice musky on there, instead of a pike???

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Here is one from the pond

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wow, look at those good musky conditions in the background. Bob, i bet you thought you for sure had a nice musky on there, instead of a pike???

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That happened about 5-6 times that day. Got hit hard, and thought for sure this time it has to be a lunge..All pike

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Here is one from the pond

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wow, look at those good musky conditions in the background. Bob, i bet you thought you for sure had a nice musky on there, instead of a pike???

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That happened about 5-6 times that day. Got hit hard, and thought for sure this time it has to be a lunge..All pike

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Man, i know the feeling. Pike are fun, but isnt it just a huge let down. Its total excitement, then a kick in the behind.

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Man, i know the feeling. Pike are fun, but isnt it just a huge let down. Its total excitement, then a kick in the behind.

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At least we are catching fish. Have not seen to many reports with pictures from the Slow Roller.

So you have to have pictures in order to be catching fish??? Seems a little silly to me.

my pops, caught on a minnow head 35 inches. (How do I rotate the photo?)

here ya go

thanks, looks great!

Turning your head.