The biggest Northerns I have caught (three that went 45" and one that was a good bit larger) have been while trolling lake trout lures down almost at lake trout depths. They seem to like hitting the lures when I stop trolling and start reeling upwards.  At least a couple of these big ones (maybe all of them) hit on 6-inch Sutton Featherlight Spoons using 2 oz clip-on weights during slow trolls. I know I was trolling in water between 45' to 60' depth. The other LT lures I might have used would not go deeper than 15' - 20' deep but both Northerns and LT will come up a considerable distance to nail them if they're active. The really big Northerns seem to hang around the thermocline during the summer months.

In mid-May the story will be different as big Northerns (and LT) are in shallower water. My brother nailed a huge one - it rivalled my 45's - at the surface on a "Fire Tiger" Rapala just below a waterfall at that time of year. In fact, that was the ONLY lure he used during that entire trip.  In addition to his huge Northern, he also boated the largest Smallmouth I have ever seen. That was a hot lure that Spring! 

I've used some gigantic Daredevils, 8-10" white plastics on huge spinnerbaits, etc., and have had successes when purposely fishing for Northerns but the REALLY big ones I've landed have come while I was fishing for LT.  Makes sense, too, since I fish for LT a heckuva lot more than I fish for trophy Northerns.

My old rule of thumb for catching big Northerns (I seldom purposely go after them, anymore) is: take the biggest danged hook you can find, attach a rusty-old Schlitz beer can to it, and troll it at about 15-20' depth about 15-20 yards off of any rocky point.  Works like a charm!

Jimbo    

LOVE those misty mornings!   Just spent a week on Poplar Lake on the Gunflint and was disappointed that we didn't get a one of them.  Just not there at the right time.

Beautiful photo.   Thanks.

PhantomJug wrote on Jul 25^th, 2023 at 7:31pm:


Yup.  But I am usually up before 6, whether it is a tent or a cabin, and you still have to have the right weather conditions.   

Similar to Jimbo I have caught most of my large northerns trolling for LT.  My largest northern was 50 inches caught on a 30 feet tail dancer in about 50 feet of water in August.  I think as the water warms the large northerns like the cool oxygenated water.  Personably I like caught large northerns.  Northerns tend to fight horizonally and lake trout more vertical.  Of course in spring when the trout are in shallow water they will fight in a horizonal plane.

Westwood wrote on Jul 26^th, 2023 at 9:04pm:


Westwood,

I have a hunch that you, Phantom Jug, & I have caught many of our truly large ones in the SAME lake (or, possibly, an adjacent lake).

50" is quite a large fish.  My big one went 48", at least as best as I could measure him.  I was in a solo  dealing with considerable wind and waves that the SOB did his best to pull me crossways to.  I was anxious to take a quick measurement and divest myself of the beast before he capsized me.  A day or two later, I boated an even larger Northern though not quite as long. He had a huge gut. THAT one had a REALLY nasty disposition but, fortunately, wind and waves were more manageable.  Neither one of us wanted any part of the other, so I released him as quickly as I could... and counted my fingers.

I agree with what you say about how LT and NP fight.  That's pretty much my experience, too.

Jimbo