Native to most of Michigan’s waterways, the northern pike gets high ratings from anglers who have tangled with this toothy predator.

You never know when a big northern pike will whack your lure close to the boat! Photo by Greg Keefer.

Every year, anglers catch thousands of northerns throughout the state, some in the 15- to 20-pound range. According to fisheries biologists with the Department of Natural Resources, it should be business as usual this season.

These pike waters should be the hottest of the hotspots this year.

LAKE CADILLAC

“Lake Cadillac is one of the better inland fishing lakes for northern pike in Michigan,” said Mark Tonello, a fisheries biologist with the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit. “Lake Cadillac is a pike factory and has produced pike up to 24 pounds.”

The relatively clear water of Lake Cadillac allows extensive weedbeds to flourish in the western section of this 1,500-acre lake in Wexford County. Anglers target the abundant pike with spinnerbaits and weedless spoons.

“Usually there are a couple of nice pike taken every year,” said Jim Anderson, manager of Schafer’s Sports. By a nice pike, Anderson is talking about fish in the 18- to 20-pound class. According to Anderson, fishing pressure is way down, which is good news for anglers wanting to get in on some big-pike action. “Pike 20 to 24 inches are quite common, along with a fair number of fish up to 30 inches. Bass spinnerbaits such as Dixie Dancers work well, as does a sucker under a bobber.”

Depths average 10 feet, with the deepest section being in the southeastern part of the lake. Along with the submerged vegetation, points and weedlines are found in the main-lake basin. A channel connects Lake Cadillac to Lake Mitchell, another excellent pike lake.

Anglers will find state-owned access on the west shore in the state park just south of the channel off Highway 115. A valid state park sticker is required. The county-owned ramp is off Rose Avenue at the western end of the lake on the north shore. Plenty of parking is provided. A city-owned ramp is off Lake Street, north of Highway 55 on the east end of the lake. For more information, contact Schafer’s Sports at (231) 775-7085 or the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit at (231) 775-9727.

PORTAGE LAKE

“Portage Lake is a very good northern pike lake,” said Tonello. “It has an outlet to Lake Michigan, so it has massive amounts of forage available and is capable of growing huge pike. My advice for those hunting trophy northerns is to use large baits. The action won’t be fast, but when you get one, it’ll be a good one.”

Manistee County’s Portage Lake is connected to Lake Michigan via a channel that allows resident pike access to the colder water of Lake Michigan. The weedbeds that line the southern shore of Portage are prime pike hotspots, especially those bordering deeper water. Weedbeds in the eastern section of the lake produce quality pike as well.

“You can’t help catching pike,” said Andy Parks of Andy’s Tackle Box. Anglers take numerous pike, with many approaching 20 pounds and 40 inches in length, according to Parks. Pike are even caught accidentally while anglers are fishing for bass and panfish. “You can catch them anywhere on the lake. I catch them when I’m fishing for walleyes.”

As far as Parks is concerned, pike lakes don’t come any better than this. The lake covers 2,110 acres along the southern edge of the village of Onekama. Depths can reach 60 feet. Brown trout, coho salmon and chinook salmon all make seasonal forays back into the lake, where they’ve been stocked by the thousands. These species not only become snacks for the lake’s big pike, but also provide some interesting fishing of their own.

Boaters will find state-owned access on the north shore, east of the North Point, and village-owned ramps in Onekama. More information can be obtained by calling Andy’s Tackle Box at (231) 477-5737 or the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit at (231) 775-9727.

FLETCHER POND

Fletcher Pond, also known as Fletcher Floodwaters, is another big-pike lake in the Lower Peninsula. At 8,970 acres, this impoundment on the Thunder Bay River in Alpena and Montmorency counties has plenty of room for pike to roam.