Good morning!

We will be going on our third annual trip to the Boundary Waters at the end of September. Our current reservations call for entering Mudro and we will be heading up through Lower Basswood Falls. We have had discussions about possibly changing this to other entry points to help find our goal of a 40" pike and would like to stay on the west side of the park. For background information, we have spend the prior two years in the motor zone of Basswood Lake and we have gotten close to our trophy, but we would like to get into a canoe only spot. There is something off about canoeing and being passed by a motor boat, so we are in search of a new location that might lead us to a 40" northern pike. If anyone feels like sharing their ideas on here or through email, I would be very thankful.

Thank you,

SCSUspitzer

Horse and Fourtown do hold large pike as well. I'd also consider heading into Shell Lake. I've caught several 40 inchers in there. Here's one from this past summer.

Most consistent big pike lake for me on the west side has always been LaCroix. In September they will be deep with the walleye...where soft and hard bottom meet. Smaller lakes hold big pike too, but your odds are better on big deep cold water lakes.

If you are heading in at Mudro, you might consider going through Sandpit, cutting over to Range Creek and heading into the south end of Jackfish Bay. There are a few real nice campsites in that area and it has a strong reputation for harboring some genuinely brutal gators. The downside is that area is open to motors. When we went through there on our way to UBF last year, we saw very few of them and the ones that we did see were always on the other side of the bay.

SE

I suspect there are big pike in most lakes, to be honest, and I suspect most folks don't run into them often (at least after the spring) is that they spend too much time casting shorelines after most good fish have moved elsewhere.

I've fished that area many times, and there and elsewhere, I've run into a big pike or two almost everywhere, sometimes by accident and other times on purpose. My most consistent pattern has been finding smallish walleyes...Often there's a big pike nearby.

The big lakes might have more big fish, but there's also more water for them to swim around in. Tougher to find, at least in my opinion.

I'd say get a big bait on and start trolling. My .02. My hunt for said pike is still ongoing.

quote : "Most consistent big pike lake for me on the west side has always been LaCroix. In September they will be deep with the walleye...where soft and hard bottom meet. Smaller lakes hold big pike too, but your odds are better on big deep cold water lakes. "

+1
I'd target 30-50 FOW

quote scsuspitzer: "Good morning!

We will be going on our third annual trip to the Boundary Waters at the end of September. Our current reservations call for entering Mudro and we will be heading up through Lower Basswood Falls. We have had discussions about possibly changing this to other entry points to help find our goal of a 40" pike and would like to stay on the west side of the park. For background information, we have spend the prior two years in the motor zone of Basswood Lake and we have gotten close to our trophy, but we would like to get into a canoe only spot. There is something off about canoeing and being passed by a motor boat, so we are in search of a new location that might lead us to a 40" northern pike. If anyone feels like sharing their ideas on here or through email, I would be very thankful.

Thank you,

SCSUspitzer
"

email me , for some reason i cant email here ? but i'll share a smaller lake that holds trophy pike . just dont want to give it too much attention.

I caught a 39, 38, 36 last week trolling for walleye with a deep diver. They were all on Crooked. I was told the big ones start biting this time of year. From what I can tell is that two of the three came from 18-22' of water as to where the 39 came from the edge of a bay just beyond the visible sub-surface weed line. I don't carry a clock when I go so judging by the sun it was probably 9 ish. My son was bobber fishing at the shore for smallies and I was casting a deep diver for whatever may be lurking near the bottom.

Thank you to everyone that shared some of their information. 2.5 weeks until my group enters the BWCA and I hope with some of this information, one of us will be able to find one of those elusive beasts. I hope in about 3 weeks, I can post a picture for everyone showing off the fresh catch!

My preferences for big pike are well known in these here parts but require specialized gear. For more typical canoe country tackle I have 3 suggestions. And I would use all three in the same area........the tops of the deep weeds, preferably still green.

1) a BLACK 8" mugambo grub (Octo variety) rigged on a 1 oz Hogy Barbarian jig head in the purple color (though its mostly black). This jig head has a lengthy shank hook, excellent configuration with good sticking power. Expect to pop some nice walleye as well.

2) Super Shad Rap in Perch

3) Venerable Daredevil in Crackle frog (you will have order).

All of this is fished on 30 braid minimum, I like power pro in the heavier lb tests (30 and up) with 60 lb fluorocarbon leader joined together via an FG Knot (Saltstrong video via Utube). The fluorocarbon is tie via a 3 turn Gryp knot utilizing a Tie Fast tool, the easiest and strongest knot to use with heavy fluorocarbon.

My top 3 biggest pike have come out of Basswood on the Quetico side......