This will be my fifth straight year going into Iron Lake. I have caught many 30" -36" pike but only 4 larger 36" - 40". Am I missing the big ones in Iron or is that about as big as they are going to get?

What is the larges Pike you have seen pulled out of Iron Lake?

I don't know what Iron lake you are referring to and even if I did I wouldn't know much about it. It sounds like you are a very competent pike angler and I usually only target pike on the border lakes in early spring (like I will do this weekend) when the big fish are up shallow. My biggest BW pike is 37" although I have caught a few bigger fish on the Canadian side of border lakes. I have had some big pike on but I never land them with the 6 pd test mono I use for walleye fishing. Just remember big pike are a cool water species and small pike are a warm water species. I've caught pike pretty deep trolling with down riggers for lakers in the summer. For real big fish look for lakes with a lot of real deep water and abundant bait fish. I'd guess if the lake doesn't have ciscos it probably doesn't have many giant pike. I'm kind of pulling stuff out of my a$$. Does anybody else have some ideas?

I cannot speak for Iron, but up the river in Crooked, We have pulled in some 40+ fish. My suggestion would be big baits for bigger fish. I can't tell you how many times a big pike came up and grabbed a walleye as we reeled it in...it's a sign. Also, ciscoes on a bobber work very well.

Our biggest Iron lake pike was 43". Caught it on a 1.5 lb walleye, netting it as it swam by the canoe with the darn walleye in it's mouth. That pike hit us for 1 smallie and 2 walleye.

Sounds to me like you are already doing pretty well, I wouldn't worry.

quote ktoivola: "I cannot speak for Iron, but up the river in Crooked, We have pulled in some 40+ fish. My suggestion would be big baits for bigger fish. I can't tell you how many times a big pike came up and grabbed a walleye as we reeled it in...it's a sign. Also, ciscoes on a bobber work very well. "

Nice fish !

My group will be camping on Iron for a couple days in September. Any recommendations for big Pike then? We throw all of them back so you don't have to fear me fishing out the hotspots.