Lake Superior Fishing Reports

[Jim Almquist]

What a nice Steelhead!!!

[BigPikeGuy]

So ya, we made it out of Tofte on Sunday morning and started fishing about 6:30. Missed two on shallower planer boards earlier on, with one really screaming the drag before getting off. Must a been a salmon?! Then decided it was maybe worth it to spend a little time sharpenning the treble hooks! Then went 5 for 5 over the next 2 hours on 4 to 7.5 lb lake trout. I was actually crazy impressed with our success. Did we just get LUCKY?! Kept trolling around for the next 4 hours and had 2 on that pulled the planer board and 130 yards of leadcore under. By the time I got the planer boards back up though the fish was off, undoubtedly due to the slack line that I couldn't take up because of the planer board!!! Does anyone have any tips for rigging planer boards differently? I rig them by wrapping the braided line twice around each clip, so neather clip releases. Then release the clips when it comes to the boat while still fighting the fish.

Also snagged the bottom of the lake twice, but luckily didn't loose any gear. Water temps were 35.0 to 36.5. What a blast. Didn't see another boat the whole day. Whish I could make it up more but I'm sure my boat would be too small on a normal (windier) day and I'm betting downriggers would have made things a bit easier too. The fiancé doesn't much care for the leadcore set-up's beceasue she says her arms got too sore from realling in the fish.........

[Northlander]

I do my off shores with the standard black release on the front and the red (OR19?) release on the back. I set the front clip a bit less than half way, I use mono cuzz I hate braids in clips, and the back one I put the line all the way past the pin. This way a big fish will pop the front release off when it dunks the board or I can snap the rod tip away from the board and it releases the line from the front clip. This way your not fighting the board and its skipping to you straight up the back (chute) of the boat. It works slick with some practice.

[BigPikeGuy]

Thanks! That should make the planer board more like just a flopping board instead of a diving weight!!! Maybe I'll try double looping the braid on the front standard black release so it doesn't pop off too easily with the braid. And the red release on the back will still need the braid double looped behind the pin so it doesn't slip at all.

[Northlander]

Or just get rid of the braid on your board lines. I found I catch just as many fish and dont have the board problems like I did with superlines. I still love superlines for long lining but mono for boards. Either XT or Big Game. I like 12# but many use 10# because of the dive charts.

[JAR JAR]

Saw ya out there on sunday Steve and sorry if we cut you off.. we were headed east and you west but we were stuck between a rock and a hard place and could'nt move so we held our course.... ended the day with 5 coho and a brown../

Jar jar

[Northlander]

Jar Jar I doubt it was me because I wasnt around many boats. I understand about getting caught up in a mess out there thats why I try and stay away from a pile of boats when possible. I was down south more.

[fsnrod]

Try pointing your rod at the board it won't dive. If you hold your rod tip high it will dive.

[Northlander]

Once that board gets under it can be tuff to get it back up when the boats moving 2.4 mph.

[Xplorer]

Or get Church releases and there is no more double wrapping with braided line. I use both the small and large boards with powerpro with very minimal issues.

[Northlander]

Doesnt stop that board from dunkin when a big king or eye hammer your bait though Chris. When you gettin on the big pond? Call me maybe we can hook up?

[Xplorer]

I've been pretty lucky in getting the front release to "pop" off with a good jerk of the rod, especially with the small boards. Then they slide down to and stop at the swivel of my braid where the flouro leader is attached. I really prefer the small boards when i can get away with them for the minimal extra resistance.

I'll be out sunday Steve, not sure what time but most likely early for at least a half day. My days off have coincided with just about every small craft advisory this last month. When I have gotten out, there have been fish to be had.

Let me know if you'll be out and I'll give you a shout.

[LoonASea]

Made a good attempt to fish the big lake the last few days ,,,got kinda bumpy yesterday,,, and today seemd unfishable unless you had a large boat ,,,did manage a few lakers yesterday and fished the harbor area for some eyes with reasonable luck ,,,did see a quite a few guys that were fishing the JAWS derby that didnt venture too far from the entry before bailing back to calmer water

Good Luck to those fishing the derby and ALS tourney

LAS

[Jack Stasney]

Mud mud mud. Haven't seen chocolate milk out that far before. Clutter in the water everywhere. Didn't even get a release. Did manage a couple of perch and a northern on the airport flats.

[Da_Bearded_One]

Did good today by my standards ( I'm new to Lake Superior). Went 3 for 5. One coho and two lakers. They were caught on bright yellow and pink crankbaits. We only had releases out toward the edge of the mud. We finally gave it up around two thirty when the waves started to get worse. I think I am gonna head over again tomorrow morning for another round. Can't wait to hear how everyone else did.

[Steve Foss]

DBO, thanks for the report. If you are new to LS, you are doing really well indeed. Nice to be able to get into decent numbers of fish on a new lake. Keep those reports coming.

[tacklejunkie]

Did good today by my standards ( I'm new to Lake Superior). Went 3 for 5. One coho and two lakers. They were caught on bright yellow and pink crankbaits. We only had releases out toward the edge of the mud. We finally gave it up around two thirty when the waves started to get worse. I think I am gonna head over again tomorrow morning for another round. Can't wait to hear how everyone else did.

Two coho, a small king, no walleye or lakers. All on spoons yesterday

Those waves did get a little bouncy later in the day yesterday but at least they weren't east winds.

The ride back was a bit bumpy and now today is going to be spent giving my back a rest. Ouch

[Northlander]

Fishing was real good today out the cheesey side. 3 coho, 1 laker, a few eyes. Went into the bay and got a few more eyes, northerns and perch. Im fished out for the weekend. Time for a nap.

[live4chrome]

water on the N shore is COLD! warmest i found was 38 from mcquade to stony point. a motor issue cut the day short and we ended up put putting in at 1 mph to bluebird where a friend me me with my trailer and his truck. thankfully it wasn't windy or we would have been firing of the flares. I need a marine radio. what a pain in the [PoorWordUsage].

[Da_Bearded_One]

Fished again today. Went out of the superior entry. Fished yhe minnesota sideHad to go sways offshore to find the mud line. Went two for four both were steelhead. Three fish hit on a smaller chrome crainkbait. And one hit a glow green spoon. 46 degree water temp seemed to be where they were. I won't be up it sounds like until the 4 th weekend. Gonna go fish superior near Ashland.

Good luck

[Xplorer]

Got a late start to yesterday but fished from 11-2. Couldnt get anything to go in the mud out of the Cheesy entry, so headed out the line aways. Found some better water just on the MN side that was 50, and even the first bugline of the season. Only one fish caught tho, but it was a battle. 10.7# laker off a dipsey set at 3 on a Harley spoon. Back to the lake it went as it was a greaser. Left Garfield at 55 degrees and got home to Cloquet and it was 78, gotta love it!

[tacklejunkie]

water on the N shore is COLD! warmest i found was 38 from mcquade to stony point. a motor issue cut the day short and we ended up put putting in at 1 mph to bluebird where a friend me me with my trailer and his truck. thankfully it wasn't windy or we would have been firing of the flares. I need a marine radio. what a pain in the [PoorWordUsage].

About three years ago, I launched out of the Knife River Marina. It was over 80 degrees outside and it was late July. I had sandals on and stepped in the water to launch my boat. That cold water reached up and grabbed my foot. Biting cold

[lovethegitch]

Went to corny got 2 cohos, 2 lakers, 3 rainbows lost a few cohos water temp was great so was color mabey it was too nice / very nice day (saturday the 4th)

[lovethegitch]

Went off the brule and got 10 cohos, and 1 laker water temp was 49 to 50 most on top some down 2 guys

[spivak]

I want to hear reports from today. It looked so beautiful out there as I was looking down on the Lake as I took my daughter to church--so many boats it looked like the Bristol Bay salmon fleet and the run was on. I heard a man talking to an older man/father? as they left Mass and he was trying to convince him to go out with him: "It's beautiful, calm, the boats right down there." We drove by them as they were walking to their car and I wanted to roll down the window and plead "take me!"

[lovethegitch]

Went out in front of mquade this morn got 5 lakers and 1 coho lost several more salmon done by noon very nice on the gitch today

[Missin'Fishin']

Went out the Duluth entrance for the second time (ever) and tried to catch salmon or lakers. Found bait fish between 30 and 50 feet (75 to 85 fow) and had a strike on the 57 chevy (spoon) on the down rigger set at 25 ft. finally caught a 3 lb laker on the 57 at set at 15 ft. Nothing on the stick baits and changed colors a few times. Not much action but a beautiful day out there. Did not see many other boats hauling in fish and mostly planner boards going by. Could not think of a better place to be, barely a ripple, a cpld beverage, plenty of sunshine and a light breeze. Might try a few more times on the big pond before I go back to walleye and muskie fishing.

[reinhard1]

well not many fish but a great day to be out like you said. i was watching some fishin boats go through the lift bridge on the canal cam. sure was a nice day out there. thanks for the report. good luck.

[JAR JAR]

kind of a slow day yesterday went 3 for 5 two lakers and a coho all were on a pink and yellow thunderstick jr. 50 f.o.w.

too nice and flat kinda tough to say that

Jar Jar

[Jarrid Houston]

Maybe the most boat I have ever seen at Loons Sunday morning..