"We were fishing for several days on Saganaga Lake and mostly fishing for walleyes, with good success," said Mike Olmstead of Arlington, Minn., after he landed a 25-pound, 4-ounce, 44½-inch northern.

"We tried a shallow bay to see if we could get some northerns.

"I was trolling a blue magnum floating Rapala in 8 feet of water when this monster smashed the surface and my lure.

"After a 20-minute fight, I was able to land him and take this photo.

"My friend that was with me also boated an 18-pound, 40 inch northern a few minutes after this brute!"