Locations and depth for summer months.

[slurpie]

I have been trolling trying to get some bigger northerns and keep getting 2-6 pounders. I have been trolling the edge of bars in 10-18 foot. Are the bigger northerns located shallower there is some Muskie in the lake and there is a huge perch forage and tullibe in the lake. The lake gets 80' plus deep and has some big flats. I have seen some big pike surface but can't catch any.

[OnAFly]

Troll over the tullibee. They'll suspend over deep water where the forage sits.

[slurpie]

Thanks I trilled some last night and no hits will try again, but thanks for the tip.

[RumRiverRat]

I caught 7 pike between 22" and 28" on topwaters in less than 3 foot of water on Sunday evening.

I have caught a bunch of 25 to 30" pike in the slop in less than 3 foot of water on one particular lake this year.

[20lbSloughShark]

I agree rumriverrat, some pike just don't move deep. I think throughout a day they move around a lot more than people think, but if you look at the big picture, they don't actually move deeper in the season. Pike do not care about temperature that much, they just want to kill, using as little energy as possible. I have now caught pike from 6" deep to 30'. I have noticed this year it is very different lake to lake, and I think weed growth has to do with it. The weeds are thicker than ever, some pike like it on certain lakes, some hate it.

[solbes]

On our lake with perch and tullies, the 25" and under pike are located primarily on the outer weedline. Very easy to get these fish to bite. You catch (and mark) the occasional 30-36" fish in this outer weedline, but they are fairly rare.

I mark most of the huge arches suspended 20-25 feet down in deeper water. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how to catch them. Used riggers, used depth curves for various diving cranks, varied speed. I do have a few more ideas though and haven't given up (my goal of a 40"+ fish from last season is still unfulfilled). My guess is these fish suspend during the day and get active when the tullies rise above the thermocline to feed. Need to target the large pike then.

[OnAFly]

Solbes - Your experience is consistent with what I've read/experienced. As pike get bigger, they lose their tolerance for the warm water found in the shallows and head for the colder water found in the depths (or near underwater springs or coldwater creek mouths). If there are ciscoes in the lake, it's likely that they'll be feeding on those at some point.

[JPenny]

Pike don't care about temperature? I can't go along with this thinking. OnAFly is spot on. Big mature pike are temperature driven in their seasonal movements. When the shallows warm, big pike will vacate them in search of forage in cooler climes. It could be out in the open sea, or close to a coldwater spring or even on a deep weededge.

That being said, I think this depends on what one considers a big mature pike. If the fish in your lake top out at 30", you might find them shallow later in the year. But a healthy 40" pike will not stay in 65 degree water long.

[ThunderLund78]

In my experience, I think you're both right. They do hang out in as cool of water as possible but where in the deep water depends on the forage. If there are tulibee in the lake, you find a lot more big ones on the open deep water following the schools. Here in Southern MN where forage consists mainly of perch, panfish and rough fish, I find I mark bigger fish on the deep weed edge or suspended in open water close to it. They go shallow only briefly to feed and return to their deep near-by hideaways. Just what I seem to find in my outings. Catching those suspending fish is a whole other story They're definitely more finicky than their hammerhandle brethren.

[tolle141]

A northern over 30 inches can be considered a cold water fish. Depending on what oxygen is like in the lake, it could be a matter of finding the thermocline or working around until you find a deep spring.

[Nick Kuhn]

On my lake last weekend I could see the big pike glued to the bottom right where the thermocline met with a dropoff. And they were extremely inactive in the hot weather. You might have to get them at the crack of dawn when the water is the coolest.