The Door County side of Green Bay doesn't have big tributary streams like the western shore. This means the best pike-fishing areas are shallow bays and in the Sturgeon Bay ship canal. Unlike the west shore of the bay, these areas remain hotspots for a longer period, due to the cool water of Lake Michigan and upper Green Bay. In fact, the ship canal is a popular gator spot all year long. The trophy pike will move to deeper water in summer, but early-morning fishing trips will catch you some good fish here with shallow-water presentations.

Sturgeon Bay is a good place to set up camp, but both sides of the Door Peninsula have excellent fishing. The Sturgeon Bay Visitor and Convention Bureau's official Web site is at www.sturgeonbay.net. You can call (920) 743-6246, or toll-free 1-800-301-6695, for information on travel to the Door County area.

BIG CEDAR & MENDOTA
The DNR lists four Wisconsin lakes -- Big Cedar, Gilbert, Mendota and Twin Valley -- with a 40-inch minimum-length limit on northerns, and 19 lakes with a 32-inch minimum length. These waters are managed to produce a quality fishing opportunity. Two of these lakes are large enough to warrant your fishing efforts.

Big Cedar Lake is Washington County's largest lake, at 932 acres. The maximum depth is 105 feet and its mean depth is 34 feet. The lake lies north and south and can get rough when the wind is blowing along its length. Two boat ramps on the north end provide good access. Long known for panfish and largemouth bass fishing, Big Cedar also has walleyes.

Pikers like to drift and cast the flats or troll on Big Cedar. When water temperatures climb in summer, the pike go deep, and you must adapt. Much of the lake is over 20 feet deep. Deep-running crankbaits, deep-water jigging and live-bait fishing are favorite summer pike techniques.

For travel information on Big Cedar, contact the Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau at (262) 677-5069 or toll-free at 1-888-974-8687. You can also log on to www.visitwashingtoncounty.com.

Dane County's Lake Mendota is our state's top trophy-pike water. It's big, with almost 10,000 acres of surface area. Mendota's maximum depth is 82 feet and its mean depth is 42 feet, so summer pike fishing means deep water because the fish seek out cooler temperatures.

When in Madison, it's best to hire a good guide -- not only for the nightlife but also for the fishing. The best guide on the Madison Chain is Ron Barefield at (608) 838-8756. The Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau can help with arrangements and logistics. Log on to their Web site at www.visitmadison.com, or call (608) 255-2537 or toll-free at 1-800-373-6376.

OTHER WATERS
On the first Saturday in May, pike fishing opens up statewide. But some lakes were already opened up for the season because they never closed in the first place.

Lake Puckaway in Green Lake County is one example where pike fishing is open all year. There is a 32-inch minimum-length requirement and a one-fish daily bag limit. The lake has been a well-known pike producer since way back in 1952, when the 38-pound state record was caught there by J.A. Rahn.

Lake Koshkonong in Dane County is another water where pike fishing is open all year. It's big, with over 10,000 acres, but its mean depth is only 5 feet. Koshkonong is known as a panfish lake, thus providing easy snacks for big pike.

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Many other waters are open to pike fishing all year. You just have to do the research, and the state regulations pamphlet is the place to start.

There's no shortage of fishing options during the open-water season for Badger State trophy-pike hunters. Think rivers in that period between ice-out and opening day in May. If you choose to fish our lakes, fish the shallows when the water is cool, and fish deep after the water warms in summer. Then in autumn, work the shallows once again, right up to ice-up or deer hunting season -- whichever comes first!