Steelhead spawning in April...please help with dates

[Schurmo]

Hey guys! I have visited here in the past and have fly fished the North Shore a couple times in the Lake Superior tribs. I am in LA now and am planning on flying back this spring to do the Steelhead spawn. Last year we fished around the 3rd weekend of April and the fish were just coming in. This year, I was hoping to setup dates for the 16-20th, but there may be some issues with where I am staying, so I was thinking of scheduling for the weekend before. My question is, on average, what is the spawning time like. I know there are so many things that affect when the fish come in, but in the past, has it been more of an all April thing, or has it always been like last year where it's late April, early May? If we went a week earlier, would there be no fish to catch? Thanks guys!!

Schurmo

[Quickstrike]

It's hard to say this early in the year. Middle to the end of April always seems like a safe bet. Sometimes it's earlier, and sometimes it's later (like last year) But another option is heading over to the brule in WI if your dates are set and the North Shore isn't going yet. Like always feel free to e-mail me and I can hopefully help you out again.

[Schurmo]

Hey Quickstrike! Thanks for the response. I sent you an email, but it might have been an old address (UMD address...fellow alumni myself ). Well, I am going to hopefully push for the 16th-20th, but may have to go earlier, so I guess I will just keep watch on the board and see how the spring is looking. It sucks having to book tickets, makes the flexibility very low. We definitely appreciate your help last year and this year hopefully we can get together and do some fishing, maybe we could buy you beer somewhere! Take it easy and thanks for the time. Oh, and I saw the Minnesota Bound episode. Very cool, recognized some favorite holes!

(and I really wish I could remember how to do that snell hook trick from last year, very cool!)

[traveler]

I'd have to shoot for later April...I wouldn't plan a trip before the 20th. Not that there won't be fish, but if you're too early and the fish haven't started, you're toast. If you're a little late, at least there will be fish in the system, and you can always go further up the shore as the run progresses.