I want to reach out and ask the community again for their favorite trophy pike lakes. I know some older posts have been made in regards to this but wondering if any others are willing to share their favorites? You can be as vague or specific as you like but I would love to start a new thread for some beginner anglers as well as myself looking for new areas to explore this coming year! The only thing I ask is that if you do decide to go to any of these spots is to please release the big fish because someday I want to be able to take my kids to these amazing fisheries! I will start and have also attached a picture to go with spot 1(this was the average size I found in this area).

1. Lower Back Bay and into Hoist Bay on Basswood Lake: Took my first trip this August after reading some forum posts about the potential for large fish. Everyone was 100% spot on that this area holds the potential for a state record fish. I believe you would need to go during post spawn to find that large of a fish in the shallows but the opportunity is there. I caught multiple 40" pike and massive largemouths that made this one of my favorite areas on the lake. Make sure to bring a frog and Joe Bucher Jointed Shallow Raider if you are looking to fish this area. Lots of shallow weed cover to explore. Additionally, this area is probably one of the least busy spots on Basswood and consistently had sites open.

2. Saturday Bay on Crooked Lake: This is another shallow bay that I believe has the potential to hold a state record pike. I had success burning purple or blue and silver bucktails shallow along with large swimbaits like the ERC Hellpuppy in a Walleye color to match the semi tannin water. Really looking forward to hitting this area again as I believe it is a little more scenic than Back Bay.

3. Loon Lake and Crab Lake on the Gunflint Trail: These two lakes came onto my radar this year when taking a trip with my girlfriend. I had originally looked at DNR reports for both lakes and thought that Loon Lake would be where I would do most of my fishing but I actually ended up fishing Crab more. Loon is a deep trout lake that is hard to coax large fish to bite with the ample forage base. I found success in the southern most part of the lake near Loon Lake Lodge(which I would highly recommend as a lodging option if staying here). There are some large clumps of cabbage in the southern bay of the lake and you can target these areas to raise dish but no promises that they will bite. On Crab lake there is one spot in particular that was maybe the best honey hole I have ever found. There is a choke point/narrows area around halfway up the lake heading east. Using the largest Blue Fox Vibrax in chartreuse would reward you with a fish nearly every cast. There was a stretch I went 35" pike, 20" small mouth, 37" pike on three casts, it was incredible. I'm not sure the size structure of Crab Lake gets much better than this but the numbers are insane. I'm pretty sure I was the only person in the last year to fish this lake hard as many fish reacted like it was their first lure they'd ever seen!

Basswood - beyond that...I'm not sure how much individuals are going to share.

p.s. That hold on the fish isn't great, spines on pike aren't meant to bend that way.

Support the back half under the belly to lessen mortality after release.

Of the lakes i personally have fished , Seagull & knife lake hold big pike . One smaller lake i'll share (as i will never be back to) is Eddy lake , very few visitors/campers and holds big pike BUT with knife lake right there and being the fishery that it is hard to concentrate on a smaller lake like Eddy BUT it holds big pike i guarantee(early to mid june would be my time frame) ! Many lakes in the BW/Q will hold large pike just a matter of how many 40"+ , example is Alpine lake , known for walleyes but some have caught pike well over 40"+ , this 40"er came out of jasper lake (more known for lake trout than big pike)

There is a lake between Kawnipi and prairie portage that may be the best northern pike lake in the wilderness areas. They are humongus in size.

Not BWCA, but if you get into Quetico, Russell Lake is where I've caught my biggest two pike (Both just shy of 40"). Multiple years apart and both later in the year late Aug - Sept timeframe so likely better in the spring.

You should also take into account that I'm a casual fisherman at best, so if I'm catching something big it probably means more than someone that's hardcore. Apart from random happenstance of course.... For truly trophy fishing though, I'd head farther north. WCPP or something similar is likely to be the best/easiest areas as the pressure is so much lower. I've personally never seen fishing like I have in WCPP though nothing huge yet. Essentially zero pressure has to mean better fish though.

Here's hoping you get a monster, and post pics! Cheers.

Thank you all for your replies! This is the kind of information that makes this forum so valuable. I have already begun trying to take some of these lakes into consideration for my next trip.

Pinetree, I was wondering if the lake you are referring to happens to start with an A and end with an S?

The falls/rapids coming into Alpine from Jasper hold trophy pike just after ice out. Feeding on suckers. The above posts on this overall "chain" are correct.
Personally landed ( not on my line) a 50.25" Pike on Opening Day 1997. My buddy Tom's 2nd cast of opening morning with a #9 Shad Rap (white/gray) up into an eddy on the right of the rapids as you approach the portage going into Jasper. Sadly- the pictures have been lost . But - true story..

Other than that- Iron (downstream of Crooked) - and LLC also hold some true trophies-- as well as mentioned-- Crooked.

Personal bests for myself and a tripping partner have both come out of Knife Lake with LLC being a close second. The larger bodies of water have seemed to produce well for us. Most of our success has been in shallow water, often not far from moving water coming into the lake.

Carp, but I don't generally target pike when I fish.

I’m not going to give any lakes away or than Basswood and LLC. The lakes I’ve caught trophy in are lakes under 500 acres. With a little research on the mnlakefinder, you can find lakes that hold large pike.

Lots of good answers.

In the Q, Wicksteed, Pickerel, Conmee are big fish factories.

T

I’ve caught multiple 37+ Pike on River Lake.

I love all the spots folks have posted and have been to many of them. I would also say that its not just the lake itself but the timing on when you fish them. So many lakes have such huge potential when you are on the water when the big ones are feeding......

hansski: "I love all the spots folks have posted and have been to many of them. I would also say that its not just the lake itself but the timing on when you fish them. So many lakes have such huge potential when you are on the water when the big ones are feeding......"

i agree 100% , timing also = water temp , Try and put all conditions in your favor.