duluth BWCA to Duluth Area Fishing Reports

[tacklejunkie]

  PakAttack86 said:

Even with my 25 pound line I had to let it take drag, and regrettably allowed it to snag me under some rocks. No idea what it was, the guy next to me was watching and suggested it was probably either a sturgeon or a very large laker.

Possible Chinook?

Went out over the weekend for the last time this year. Caught one tiny laker...nothing else.

Now it's fishing the St Louis and then my Rainy River trip then the boat goes into storage

[tacklejunkie]

Nice day out on the river.

Launched out of Boyscout and headed for the bridge and Spirit Lake.

Walleyes caught in 20 feet with jigs and suckers and chubs. From th bridge to Spirit Lake.

I saw a few guys trolling these big balls out the back of there boat. I thought they were planer boards but they looked liked big bobbers. What would they be fishing for?

[fishaholic123]

Prolly muskies. Yeah it was beautiful out on the river I also did good 12 walleyes 22 inches was the smallest and 26.5 was the biggest.

[Jarrid Houston]

Yep they were dragging suckers, we saw a couple guys catch a nice ski on a sucker and then miss a big walleye that took a sucker, they were saying pig trophy 30"er. At least they got to see it"

[tacklejunkie]

  fishaholic123 said:

Prolly muskies. Yeah it was beautiful out on the river I also did good 12 walleyes 22 inches was the smallest and 26.5 was the biggest.

Were you up river or lower? Live bait or artificials? I saw a few boats head up river towards the bridge. We stayed by the Oliver bridge to Spirit Lake

[Jarrid Houston]

12 fish 22-26.5" wow Id say that's a good day. Pics? We C&Red caught fish pretty much all afternoon but mostly small with one being 21" did find a pod of rock bass mixed in with crappies that was fun to catch on our ice rods using vexilars..

[fishaholic123]

Yeah i would say its a great day fishing never done that good on big fish all in 1 day on the river tried again this morning only caught 3 a 23 inch a 21.5 and a 18 inch it prolly would have been better if you could keep your bait in the water there's a lot of floating weeds right now you go 20 feet and your lures are already hung up with weeds I catch and release all my fish also unless my dad wants some for dinner then I just fill the live well with some little 15 inchers

[tacklejunkie]

How's the river been lately? I haven't been out since I last posted as I'm heading up to the Rainy River today and wanted my boat to be invasive species free before heading up there?

Has anybody pulled spinners in the river this late? Minnows or crawlers?

[osok]

Fished from Boyscout to Spirit Lake on Monday. Definitely didn't have the luck as the previous posts mentioned. Very few small Walleyes w/ only one being a legal keeper and 2 Croppies. Bonus was a 30" Northern caught by my wife (her personal best). Tried jigging fatheads and Suckers. All caught preferred Fatties over Suckers.

[tacklejunkie]

Any been out recently? I'm heading out here today and curious to hear how it's been

[Northlander]

Crappies are going good on the St.Louis River as well as Island Lake. Jig n minnow. Nice size too. On the river fish that 17-25' of water and on Island the 22' to 30'. Dont use crappie minnows get fatheads and you have a shot at some eyes as well.

[osok]

Fished a local lake yesterday (Sunday) with 4-5" of good clear ice. I was surprised when I arrived to see so few portables and fishermen. The day before I did recon drive up there to find 17 portables on the ice and a few bucket fishers. Anywho, I began to realize WHY there might have been so little traffic. After hole hopping all day marking very few tight lipped somethings, decided to set up shop in an area that in seasons past was good for early season action and wait it out. Took some time, but when they decided it was time to eat, it was time to eat. 1st came a few Perch with a few slimers mixed in, then the 'eyes came. Jigging produced the numbers but the dead stick caught the larger sizes. I was amazed how light all the fish were biting. No hawgs were caught but all the fish caught were "plump".

Over all it was a good day for fishing.

[northernfishin]

Can anyone give me reports on ice conditions and vehicle traffic on boulder, pike, or fish lake?

[fishin4sum]

Lots of traffic! But be smart and stay away from any area's with potential for flowing water. With these warm temps it does not take but a few hours for flowing water to eat away at the ice from underneath.

[osok]

Was out on Fish Lake yesterday for the 1st time on ice ever. Was pretty slow for me, marked very few and caught even less.

[nlayne882]

Went up north this past weekend and did extremely well on "secret lake x" with a buddy of mine. Caught some beautiful splake, and some great eater rainbows. Figured I'd share some pictures!

Also caught some very nice lake trout on snowbank lake in about fifty five feet of water. No pictures of those unfortunately, but there was lots of fish caught on that lake. Plenty of people fishing it right now with a fantastic plowed ice road straight out from smittys. Fishing was hot and heavy most of the time, and the trip up to snowbank is well worth it for anyone who wants to catch lake trout!

[Big Country]

Now THAT'S how ya get it done. Nice job Nate. Those are some gorgeous fish Great report.BC

[chaffmj]

Nate nice fish and thanks for the report.

BC is he your kid?

[Big Country]

Yep, that's my boy Mike. Hopefully you will meet him this summer on my boat or Frank's trolling the big pond. He will teach you the secret handshake of loyalty then tell ya all his secret spot's BC

[chaffmj]

Quote:

Yep, that's my boy Mike. Hopefully you will meet him this summer on my boat or Frank's trolling the big pond. He will teach you the secret handshake of loyalty then tell ya all his secret spot's wink BC

Sounds good. I like secret handshakes.

[monstermoose78]

My uncle has been catching some cohos trolling near Grand Marais. He has been getting most of his fish between 25-35 feet down. For Lake Trout he has been jigging them around the rocks out from Cut Face Creek. 

 

For rainbow trout they have been catching a good number at Mink lake. For bigger sized Rainbows look to Trout lake and Talus Lake.  

Walleyes have been biting on Tom Lake in the 10-14 foot depths on leeches.

Berries are going good if you can find a patch that has not been picked over. I know my uncle took a drive over by Greenwood Lake and found a gallon and half of blueberries and 2 gallons of raspberries. When picking berries watch for bears and bring bug spray. 

[fsnrod]

Where is everybody? You come on this site the last post you see is from two or three weeks ago this is depressing. I guess thats why theres nobody on here anymore, Might as well close FM down.

[Jim Almquist]

I have a feeling it is due to most all busy with family things and the fact that Lake Superior is so cold at our end that the fishing is not worth reporting. Like this morning the lake is fogged in and the fishing stinks in the fog for what ever reason. that and you get to dodge boats you can't see and only hear. It will pick up once the fall season starts ramping up.

[tacklejunkie]

There are fish near the Duluth/Superior entries but they're on the small sized. The water temp went from the upper 60's to mid 40's and yesterday back in the low 50's. Did pick up a nice king between the two entries last week trolling over 70 some feet of water.  I drove down Sat am and that fog over the lake was thick so I didn't get a chance to fish Sat.

Spoons behind dipseys and boards. Still nothing on the downriggers. 

 

Anybody been fishing Island or Fish?

[buzz1ng]

So you come on to complain FSNROD & you don't post a report? Good Stuff. 

[reinhard1]

Fish lake has been doing good but has slowed down a bit.  Weeds are showing up more now also but the weed edges have been good as of last week.  Island Lake has slowed down and the eye'e are deeper but smallmouth are hungry all over the place.  Rice Lake is getting the weeds back as usual this time of the year. My brother has caught a few in the open pockets and edges trolling with a single blade and leech or minnow.  Few pike and crappies as well.  Boulder Lake is still a couple of feet lower than normal but you can get your boat out now.  Fishing in general is slow, but it's August.  Things should pick up in September and October. good luck.

[RiverDewey]

Thanks for the reports guys.

 

[tacklejunkie]

Lake Superior just outside Duluth has been picking up nicely. Downriggers are the ticket but deep diving dipseys have also been producing for us. Spoons. Green in particular. Around 80 feet close to the bottom. I don't know what effect this rain today will have but in the last few days that was the pattern

[reinhard1]

Thanks for the report TJ.   My brother was out of McQuades and they got some lakers around the 70 80 foot depth as well on downriggers.  Nothing huge but some decent meals on the way.  Won't be long and the salmon will be closer to shore and the lakers will be closer into Duluth.  We did well last September early in the mornings trolling the reef right outside the Duluth entry on the left.  Just used deep diving cranks trolling around that reef.  good luck.

[Tom Sawyer]

Anyone shore fishing........