Category: Northern Pike

Minnesota Getaway Vacations – Look where you can hide for a week!

On By Red RockIn Into The Brush, Northern Pike, Rental Cabins, Things to Do, Things to See and HearLeave a comment

When you want to bug out of Dodge for a week, why not come hide among the trees and along a pretty northwoods lake just five miles south of the border?  Northwind Lodge is a Minnesota Family Resort and perfect for YOUR family!  Housekeeping cabins tucked away at this simple resort make this the perfect, easy-access, resort away from the crowds.  You need to come here and decompress!

Watch this short video with our Cabin Layout.  Note that I forgot Cabin 6 in the layout – dang it, anyway!  It is just below the Into The Brush Studio on your screen with a car parked next to it.

Ely MN Fishing Resorts – Northwind Lodge on Jasper Lake

On By Red RockIn Northern Pike, Things to DoLeave a comment

When you stay at Northwind Lodge, you re probably going to go fishing for our great bass, northerns and sunfish in Jasper Lake.  It’s not unusual to catch 4-5 lb. small mouth bass and 5-6 lb. large mouths.   What can really make the day exciting is catching sunnies and having the northerns tear them off before they get into the boat.   They usually become pretty active in early June and sometimes the northerns can be ferocious and huge.

Jasper Lake is noted for it’s big weed beds and our fish love to hang our in them.   Everybody in in there along with the occasional big walleye cruising under cover.  But, some of our biggest fish have been landed in the shalllows using top water lures.  When the northern pike are hitting top water and bass spinners, it’s all you can do to NOT be fighting a fish.  The big ones are particularly hard on your equipment.   Lures aren’t cheap so we stock for sale a Finesse Leader that is a 30 lb, super fine leader that won’t chase away the other fish in the lake but gives you a greatly improved chance of landing the northern pike of a lifetime as well.

Finesse Leader
Finesse Leader from Red Rock at Northwind Lodge
Connie Wegisin
Connie W. 2014 – Jasper Lake

 

Bob N. with Nice Smallie
Bob N. with Nice Smallie
Neil S. with smallmouth bass
Neil S. with smallmouth bass off the dock

Filleting a Northern Pike (and all other fish)

On By Red RockIn Northern Pike1 Comment

STEP 1: Make first cut by grasping fish between the gills and poking knife into softer throat region ahead of the two front fins
Fillet a Northern Pike

STEP 2: Slide knife forward towards tail of fish between the two middle fins and stop by the bottom fin just in front of tail
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(Still) STEP 2: Slide knife forward towards tail of fish between the two middle fins and stop by the bottom fin just in front of tail
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STEP 3: Lay fish on side and make a vertical cut using a sawing motion down to the backbone taking care to NOT slice through the backbone.
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STEP 4: Turn your knife flat and parallel to the backbone. Saw along the backbone (You’ll hear rib-bones and “Y” bones being cut through) to the tail, removing the complete slab of fish meat (?) which is one fillet. Do this to each side of fish.
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STEP 4a: Cutting gets easier near the tail doe to no rib bones
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STEP 5: Remove the belly fin by slicing with the tip of your knife.
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STEP 5a: Removing fin is easy if you hold it up and slice it off
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STEP 6: Locate the row of rib bones on the fillet by feeling them with your finger. Then, place your knife edge right behind them and slice underneath. Remember to turn your knife blade up against the underside of the ribs immediately as you are making long, steady slices down the row of rib bones. The idea here is to remove the ribs without wasting meat.
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STEP 6a: After slicing about half to three quarters of the way under the ribs, hold the fillet down with your knife point, grasp the ribs and tear them out. This move greatly speeds up the process and helps if you have a lot of fish to fillet.
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STEP 7: Grasp the tail of the fillet with pliers and cut into flesh with blade while turning blade almost flat and sawing. Simultaneously pull with the pliers and push with the knife with a sawing motion. It helps to waggle your plier hand from side to side as your knife hand saws down the skin of the fillet.
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STEP 7a: Continue down the fillet. The feeling in the knife is one of slight tearing as it cuts. Too sharp of your blade angle and you slice through the hide. Too flat of a blade angle and you will leave meat on the hide. Your knife must be quite sharp and you’ll need to develop a feel.
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STEP 7b: If you will be transporting your fillets, turn your blade down and slice sideways leaving a patch of skin on the fillet for identification purposes.
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STEP 8: Completed Northern Pike fillets will look like this if done properly. If they look like they were driven over by a street sweeper, you’ll need a bit more practice.
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