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St. Louis River Fishing Reports


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I was out on the harbor Saturday just off Park Point. There was about 7" of ice and no snow over top of it. Fishing was slow. Me and a buddy were out for about 5 hours and got one perch. Talked to another group that was near us and they hadn't even marked a fish.

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Hit it this am and found 9" in areas but mostly 7ish. Bite was ok but they were not smacking baits you really had to slow down. Best baits were the glow red VMC Tingler spoon and the firetiger jigging rap. Also got a few on a Rainbow VMC Rattle spoon later in the morning. The bobber rod with a nice fathead on a glow chart teardrop did nothing.

I may walk out later this afternoon and try another area for a few hours.

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Might be a good q? For a CO? It states in the regulations on page 13 that "spring devices" are illegal. Its just how you interpret the law & what a spring device is. How much snows on top the ice down there?

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We finally hit the bay and went past the airport to 10 fow. We avoided the crowd last night and it didn't pay off. Had few come by and only two bites, very light! No fish for us after 3 hours. Hoping it gets better today. I hope others can put up favorable reports. Several cracks in the ice after the CG cutter went through, but we had a solid 10-12 inches of ice where we drilled. Someone actually had a truck out there. Good luck out there and be safe!

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I can't believe someone drove out there, that's nuts. Yesterday morning wasn't much better for me. Caught one 21 incher, a jumbo perch and lost another. The cracks opened up mid morning, stepped across two that were about 2-3 inches wide and a couple hundred yards long from what I could see, could have trolled a flicker shad.

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Sounds slow, but can't catch them from the couch. Has there been any action during late morning or mid-day lets say 8am-3pm, or have you guys just been marking them early mornings and evenings?

Also what are thoughts on using a ATV or Snowmobile to pull the frabill out?

Thanks guys

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Plenty of ice for a 4 wheeler, stay away from the channel with it tho. I'm hoping that with all the fishing pressure down here now that everyone is releasing the bigger fish.

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I'm sure it's no different then open water, a lot of people are going to keep the prime spawners. Sucks to see, but will always be the case until a slot limit is put into place. Doing my part to help the future fishery....

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I'd love to see a 15" to 19" slot and keep the two fish limit, the masses are out and are killing our fishery. ya know people shouldn't be eating them anyway

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Great morning on the bay. Fished 6 fow Duluth side of the rowing club. We had 10 fish from 14 to 27 with 3 over 23. Hot bait was gold and orange pimple. Found that the fish were a lot closer to shore than the normal crowd.

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I went out today to try my new portable. I fished over in billings park on the wisconsin side, up the river from arrowhead pier, near 28th street. Ice was consistently 10 inches in a couple spots. We caught a nice northern, and a couple perch. Few misses too. Nice to get out finally!

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less active fish tonight and very few of them. Huge difference from Friday. Let one small eye go. but working up a game plan for the morning.

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Fishing was mostly slow for me tonight but did manage 9 fish between 15 and 24". Had about 1.25 hour flurry and then a lot of sniffers. Best bait was a glow perch and gold custom castmaster with the VMC Tingler in Gold/glow orange taking second. The firetiger jigging rap only got 1 tonight. I had about 12" of ice where I was at. 7' of water. Im taking the sled out tomorrow. I almost blew a gasket pulling the Otter in and out. Im getting old and out of shape.

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Fished Sunday night in the cold-ended up catching 3 eyes 14"-19". Nice to finally get out, even in the cold.

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Wound up with 6 nice eyes tonight. Tried a spot known for big fish and that's all I caught. Nothing for the pan but Im not complaining. Lost a HAWG on a jigging rap but most came on the rainbow flyer spoon or the glow orange red tingle.

Back at it all day tomorrow searching out some more areas.

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Wound up with 6 nice eyes tonight. Tried a spot known for big fish and that's all I caught. Nothing for the pan but Im not complaining. Lost a HAWG on a jigging rap but most came on the rainbow flyer spoon or the glow orange red tingle.

Back at it all day tomorrow searching out some more areas.

Sure must be nice to hit it more than once or twice a week. Hard to put patterns together on my hours

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Gold and orange pimple was the ticket again tonight. Fished a small break from 6 to 7.5 fow out from the rowing club. Figured there would be some mid to upper 20's fish there and they were there. 7 fish all to big for the pan with the largest a 27.

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First timer looking for advice

I've fished the harbor in the summer. Did ok trolling crank baits on the flats.

You guys just fish the shallow flat areas by the seaplane port or do you fish in the shipping channel?

Is the port used by ships all winter?

How's the ice?

Any info would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance!

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You have to be careful where you go. There is usually open water year around closer to to the entries. The channel will be cut open till mid January. It is a river so ice conditions can very. Yes a good place to start is the airport. The best advice is to take a GPS with a map and look for humps or turns along depth changes. You can fish in 4ft of water on up. Last stay closer to where you are near community holes until you get more familiar with where you can go. And keep asking questions on here. I am hoping to get down there myself this afternoon for the first time.

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Community holes will be easy to find today that Poor river ....... I hope everybody uses good judgment with fish

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Hah! The whole thing was a community hole tonight. Got out later than I wanted and I only saw one fish on the graph.

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Found ummmm great fishing this after noon through the storm let a dandy 29 go white pimple was the trick for me. 7.5 feet water heading back out in 3 hours. stay safe and on top of the ice boyzzzzs

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How much snow is out on the bay now??? I have been in the cities the last 5days and I heard there was a storm up here...I plan on walking out in the morning and spending all day out there the next few days..Has the bite improved since last week??Thanks for any info

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Walking stinks since the new snow. Brutal, in fact. Fishing was slow yesterday afternoon. Few lookers and the no-good-brother-in-law lost one...that's it. Did I say walking is tough now?

Also, noticed what looked like a few new cracks down there yesterday. Wet snow that ran the length of the point from the looks of it. Be careful!

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The snow has made it a harder walk that's for sure. Im snowmobiling out from now on.

Bite has been steady to great. Usually get 5 or 6 and the best day this week was 13. White and golds seem to be working best and the Rapala Rippin Rap is putting the bigger fish on the ice. The pearl grey shiner, Chart shad and gold are all consistent fish catchers lately. The glow pink fire VMC Flash Champ 1/4 oz. is also getting bit.

Early and late = great and mid day can be ok on certain days but I usually fish 1st light to 9:30ish and 2:30 to 1/2 hr. after dark.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
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