yeah when we were there a fox was running around checking our old holes. The rainbows and pike are good eating out of that lake. Next time you go don't hesitate to harvest a few <24" northerns....Their meat has an orange tint actually from all the crawdads they eat, lol. It is good though. 9 feet might actually be a bit deep for those pike if you had to walk out a ways...5 feet off of a shoreline contour or weededge is all you need, especially this time of year near fresh running water (inlets). I think the monsters were probably lurking...Good fishing up there! I'll be up there for a week after memorial day also, so you'll probably see me.