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Hey guys, I'm new to posting but I've been lurking for awhile.

I'm visiting my girlfriend's family in Cloquet in a couple weeks, and I was hoping to fish for some cats while I was up there. My question is what I should expect as far as getting bait. There isn't much worse than showing up for a nice day of fishing, then spending it all trying (and failing) to catch bait. Are there any good bait shops in the Cloquet area in case I can't catch any bait myself?

My girlfriend and her family have never really fished for cats, so I don't really know any spots. After studying some maps for a long time I've decided to try right off highway 2 where the Cloquet River meets the St. Louis. It looks like as good of a spot as any. I'm hoping to catch some channels during the day and some flatheads at night.

I was mainly hoping to get some suggestions on bait, but I'm also open to ideas for fishing spots if you guys don't think the spot I mentioned will pan out.

Edit: I should mention that I'll only be shore fishing.

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First, Welcome to fishing Minnesota, glad to have you here. For the channels I would try to use some cut bait such as sucker. For the flatheads I would use bullheads, suckers or creek chubs or cut bait here also. I will let the locals in this area help you out more with this area of the state on places to fish on the river.

I do believe that the flathead there might be close to nothing but some channels should be lurking about.

I would look for deeper holes and also wood in the river.

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I've fished that spot lots,good place,fish the down stream side of Cloquet in st.louie theres a bar there cast out as far as poss or just short.live 3-4" suckers work well,if they die thats OK,I never caught a flat anywhere in the cloquet or st.louis. cool.gif Good Luck

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No flats around here but the channels are fun sized. for bait use frogs, they work the best. suckers also work but not as well. the channel cat bite around here is a night time deal, you mite pick one up in the day but not likely.they avg 2-5 pounds but there are some big fish around. let me know when your coming i might be out by there if it is the weekend.

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Outdoor adventures is a bait shop on 33 by Erberts and Gerberts. Should have suckers.

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It's not exactly by Erbert and Gerberts, but if you can see Wal-Mart, you can see Outdoor Advantage.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

jwebb18, welcome aboard.

I don't get there much but Outdoor Advantage is a very nice shop.

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Quote:

It's not exactly by Erbert and Gerberts, but if you can see Wal-Mart, you can see Outdoor Advantage.


Ahh, I knew I butchered the name some how. Same side of the street as Erb's and Gerb's ( which I love BTW)

It is a nice shop.... helpful people the couple times I have stopped in there.

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