A nice early June stringer of walleye! |
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Fishing
Report
June 2009
A late ice out left a few lakes closed for opener, but things have warmed up. The walleye spawn is over and the water temps are ever so slowly increasing. Folks are having luck throughout the day, but with more activity at dawn and dusk.
On the big lake, lake trout are being taken in deeper waters, 170-200 feet, and are generally about 18 inches.
Good luck
fishing!
DNR's North Shore Fishing Report
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The walleye spawn ...
Here's a photo from the spawn in the Seagull River at the northern end of the Gunflint Trail. |
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State Record Fish
caught in the North
Shore area |
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Atlantic
Salmon
12
pounds, 13 oz; Baptism River at Tettegouche State Park |
Chinook
Salmon
(shared
record)
33
pounds, 4 oz; Poplar River and in Lake Superior, near
Duluth |
Coho
Salmon
10
pounds, 6.5 oz; Lake Superior northeast of Two Harbors |
Pink
Salmon
4
pounds, 8 oz; Cascade River near Lutsen |
Steelhead/Rainbow
16
pounds, 6 oz; Devil Track River near Grand Marais |
Lake
Whitefish
10
pounds, 6 oz; Lake Superior northeast of Lutsen |
Lake
Trout
43
pounds, 8 oz; Lake Superior near Hovland |
Brown
Trout
16
pounds, 12 oz, Lake Superior northeast of Two Harbors |
Walleye
17
pounds, 8 oz; Seagull River at the end of the Gunflint
Trail |
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Fish Descriptions &
Tips
refer to current
regulations prior to fishing |
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Walleye
Description
average
1-2 pounds, but can exceed 10 pounds
Location
shallow
waters (less than 15 feet) moving to deeper waters as temperatures
increase
best at dawn & dusk
a "walleye chop" (waves) on the water or overcast skies
mean more active fish |
Tips
try a spinner-bait,
slip-bobber rig or jighead with bait (minnow, leech or nightcrawler)
Season
check regulations (extended for some Canadian border
lakes)
Limit
6, with
not more than one over 24" and on Saganaga Lake (trophy
lake), not more than one over 19.5" |
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Smallmouth Bass
Description
average
1 pound; the best fighting fish
Location
shallow
waters (less than 15 feet) moving to deeper waters as temperatures
increase
Tips
try a spinner-bait combo or troll with a Rapala |
Season
check 2005 regulations (continuous on some Canadian border lakes)
Limit
6 |
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Lake
Trout
Description
average
2-3 pounds, but can exceed 40 pounds
Location
cold water;
shallower early in the season, moving to deeper water as tempersatures
rise
Tips
for shorecasting: yarn flies, tiny spinners or spoons
Lake Superior boat fishing: dodger fly with downriggers or planer boards |
Season
Inland Lakes
Mid-May to late-September
On lakes outside or partially outside the BWCAW except Snowbank,
Clearwater, Seagull, Ram, Magnetic, East Bearskin & Saganaga:
winter season = January to mid-March
On lakes entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
(BWCAW): winter season = January to late March
Lake Superior
check regulations
Limit
3 |
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout |
Stream
Trout:
Brook, Brown, Splake, Rainbow
Description
average
1/2-1 pound, elusive fish
Location
pools on
shaded, small streams and tributaries
and small lakes
Tips
small spinners,
nightcrawlers or flies
in designated trout lakes, no live minnows are allowed and only
one line per person
Season
Stream
April 15-Oct 1, 2000 (includes Lake Superior watershed above
posted boundaries)
Inland
mid-May through late October
for lakes outside or partially outside the BWCAW, Jan 15-Mar
15
for lakes entirely within the BWCAW, Jan 1-Mar 31
Lake Superior
April 15-Sep 4 (includes tributaries below the posted
boundaries)
April 15-Sep 30 (includes tributaries above the posted
boundaries)
Limit
Stream
5 combined;
with not more than one over 16"
above posted boundaries, the limit is 10 combined with special
rules for brown and rainbow trout
Inland
5 combined; with not more than three over 16"
Lake Superior
5 combined; check regulations for details; not more than three
over 16" and a minimum size of 10" - specific limitations
on steelhead |
Chinook Salmon
Coho Salmon
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Salmon
Chinook, Coho, Pink, Atlantic
Description
size varies
with type of salmon
Location
on Lake
Superior and its' tributaries
Tips
Pink Salmon
run in odd-numbered years and are caught on yarn flies, small
spoons or tiny spiners the first few weeks of September
Coho Salmon
prefer cooler water; try dodger-fly combos
in early July with a season that is continuous
Chinook
Salmon
the run peaks earl July for Lake Superior stream fishing; try
yarn flies and spawn bags
Atlantic
Salmon
fall run begins arounf the first of October; try yarn flies or
spawn bags
Season
Lake Superior
continuous (includes tributaries below the posted boundaries)
Limit
10 combined;
only one of which can be an Atlantic; minimum size on all is
10" |
Where to Fish from Shore
The Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) provides seven accessible fishing piers in
the North Shore area. These are great areas to fish if you don't have
a boat.
Dumbbell
Lake
From Hwy
61 near Tettegouche State Park, go north on MN Hwy 1, then east
on Forest Road 172 for about 4 miles
Fish for smallmouth bass, walleye and northerns off the
12 x 16-foot deck.
Hogback
Lake
From Hwy
61 near Tettegouche State Park, go north on MN Hwy 1, then east
on Forest Road 172 for about 12 miles
Rainbow trout are the main game fish in Hogback. Remember a long-handled
net!
Crescent
Lake
From Hwy
61 in Tofte, go north on the Sawbill Trail (County Road 2) about
20 miles, then 8 miles east on Forest Road 170
Fish for walleye and an occasional muskie from this pier. An
accessible campsite is adjacent to the pier.
Sawbill
Lake
From Hwy
61 in Tofte, go north on the Sawbill Trail (County Road 2) about
24 miles
Cast for walleye and enjoy the view of the lake.
Whitepine
Lake
From Hwy
61 in Lutsen, go north on the Caribou Trail (County Road 4) about
7 miles, then west on Forest Road 164 for about 3 miles
Most folks catch walleye or northern at dawn or dusk here.
Mink Lake
From Hwy
61 in Grand Marais, go north on the Gunflint Trail (County Road
12) about 9 miles, then west on Forest Road 140 about 2 miles
Fish for splake and rainbow trout - also a good ice fishing lake.
(Trestle)
Pine Lake
From Hwy
61 in Grand Marais, go north on the Gunflint Trail (County road
12) about 3 miles, then west on Co Rd. 8 to Co. Rd. 27, go northwest
on Co. Rd. 27 to Forest Road 1365 and then east 2 miles
Note the old railroad trestle crossing the lake - fish for rainbow
and splake. |
More
Activities to Choose From!
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All Text, Images and Content Copyright © 2009
NorthShoreVisitor.com / Nina Simonowicz
All Rights Reserved |
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