Try Grass pike, they act the same as northerns but they only get around 12" max. You can catch them easy with a aquarium net in the spring. Alot of times the ones i've caught get stuck in puddles by the rivers after a flood.
I think if you can locally go and fish one out of the water you should be able to keep it. Maybe as long as your "in season" no one will hassle you about it.
