Isle Royale Forums

Hello! I'm heading to Isle Royale tomorrow. I want to catch some pike. I'll be in Windigo, Huginnin Cove, Barnum Island while volunteering at the Rock of Ages lighthouse, and have time to explore for a few days before leaving. There's a canoe to use at Barnum to fish from too. Any advice would be awesome. Is there pike lurking around those areas or am carrying extra weight for nothing?

I haven't fished those areas, but it sure looks like there ought to be pike at the mouth of Washington Creek. They're generally found in the back bays of the big lake. Huginnin doesn't appear too pike friendly, however: pretty open and no vegetation. I'm just speculating, so hopefully someone with experience will chime in.

I'm not an avid fisherman but I've caught many Northerns at Isle Royale and elsewhere. Typically the best places are shallow areas that are weedy and grassy. As Ingo stated, the mouth of Washington creek is a very good bet. There might be a few other places as an inspection of the nautical chart indicates some shallow areas in both Washington Harbor and even the lessor protected Grace Harbor. Also Grace Creek empties into Grace Harbor. Maybe around any docks either at Windigo or around Barnum Island and in between Barnum and Washington Islands. Feldtman Lake is almost a sure bet and it's easy to get to from Rainbow Cove but there's not enough information on the table to suggest a canoe trip around Cumberland point (especially solo in an unknown canoe). I suppose you could always temporarily abandon the canoe and walk back to Windigo if you got stranded. Out and back in one day (even not solo) would be A LOT of effort and maybe risk. I don't know how easy or even if appropriate it could be, but you might be able to connect with the Feldtman Lake trail by taking the canoe just 1/2 mile almost directly southeast from Grace Island as the trail runs fairly close to the shore there. The hike to Feldtman Lake would then be only about 3 miles (one way). It may be the shoreline there is not conducive to landing a canoe. I'd inquire with the rangers when you meet up after arriving about this possibility and any other suggestions they might have.