Deep Water Northerns

[IaDave]

I know this is a walleye site but I have a question that is kind of related. Where we fish in the fall the walleyes are in 30' of water or more. Many times a Northern would grab the walleye and mangle it forcing us to keep it even though it was in the slot. My first question is are the Northerns in that 30' of water or are they cruising say above that depth. We would like to target the Northerns this fall in that deep water. Any type of presentation besides jigs for that purpose? Jigging spoons? Any advice would be great. Oh yeah there are Lake Trout there also.

[Crankin]

The pike tend to go deep in the warmer months of the summer. If you troll deep diving crankbaits in the 15' to 35' foot depth range in July you will find big pike if they exist. Keep your baits next to the bottom and use large baits. The pike are harder to catch later in the fall, because they are harder to find, but they still can remain in the deep water.

Good luck,

[Peanut]

Sometimes Northerns will cruise by suspended, but most sit on/near the bottom of whatever depth they're at.

But, you don't necessarily have to go right to 'em. We've found that they are far more willing than walleyes to rise up for a bait - often we get hits as soon as a lure hits the water. Obviously, 30 feet is a long way to come, so at that depth you've got to go to them to some degree, but if you can get something with enough flash/motion/noise somewhere they can sense it - they'll go get it.

As for your walleye example, my guess is that they are likely sitting deep, and as the struggling walleye moves upward, they come up after it.

Good luck.

derrek.

"It's the weaseling out of things that sets us apart from the animals.... Except the weasel."
- H.J. Simpson

[Xplorer]

IADave,
Have had this happen quite a bit on Rainy, mostly during late summer. Anytime you find walleyes around reefs you will find pike, and many times they are big pike, they will be where the feed is. Try running large baits over the top with snapweights. As you have seen, no bait is too large. Or try casting muskie size sluggos/plastics on a jighead over the reef/area.
Xplorer
PS: I would not be keeping any of those mangled ones, any MNR i have met would ticket you for out of the slot fish, even tho it is "unreleasable". We have had to "release" many that were either dead or nearly so from a pike attack. Did get one 13#er in the net, the rest have always dropped the eye near the boat. One 40"er hit the eye three consecutive times on the surface.