I dont make it up to Perham much anymore, but I used to. Here are a few good lakes nearby-Big Pine(as you mentioned), Little Pine, Otter Tail (fishing a tourney there next weekend and again in Sept), Rose, Rush, Little MacDonald. The lakes up there are really strange. They all hold good numbers of fish, but are often EXTREMELY hot for a few weeks and then are quiet again. I have fished in small tournaments on Big Pine where the weekend before was great fishing and then 7-10 fish were weighed out of 50 boats.
My college buddy grew up out there and did a little guiding. He is still “tapped” in to guys that fish the lakes often and let us know where to try. It is too bad that more people havent gotten turned onto FTL in that area. Great lakes and great fishing. I would be awesome to see the type of sharing of info that there is for the Miss and Mille Lacs.