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Hi all. I just took a job in Duluth, and thought I'd introduce myself as I'll be frequenting this forum in the near future. I lived in the St. Cloud area for the last 6 years, and that forum was always quite helpful.

The past couple of years I've been in grad school and haven't had much time to get out, so I'm a bit rusty. I am primarily a walleye fisherman, but I picked up a trout stamp today so we'll see how that goes! I don't have a fly-rod, so I'll probably "need" one of those soon. 

Any advice/suggestions on what to fish for and new equipment I'll need would be much appreciated. I'm very excited to be in this beautiful area, and frankly a bit overwhelmed by all the things to do outdoors!

Cheers.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Congrats on finishing up Grad School and finding a job!! The Duluth area offers some great fishing. There are some really knowledgeable people on here from there. Northlander, Surface Tension. osok, nlayne882, and JB knows the ares as well. I am sure you will get some great information just as you received in the St. Cloud area. Soon the Pink Salmon will start running in the River on the north shore and they are fun to catch, but not so great to eat. 

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Thanks for the feedback guys. I've never caught a salmon. Reading through the game laws now to see what I can fish for today!

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A fly rod isn't necessary, but if that's something you want to learn to do, that's fine as well. I actually use an ultra light panfish rod when I go trout fishing, as it's easier to cast in tight/brushy situations. October is my favorite month to chase stream trout in lakes...they're very active, and most others have switched to hunting, so I almost always have the lakes to myself :) Check out the DNR lake finder for trout stocking info. Otherwise, just spend lot's of time exploring the shore. Check out every stream crossing, hike the trails, stop at all the waysides. There are oodles of good places to wet a line along the shore, the scenery is top notch as well. 

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

 Welcome to the area.  For now and something new to you is shore fishing Superior.

Now would be a good time to cast spoons for Lake Trout before the season closes.

Any heavy spoon with a small profile to burn out there.   The lake bottom is unforgiving and don't worry about your lure hugging the bottom as you want to be above the fish on your retrieve.

Low light times are best. Where? Any place you can access the shore.

Rivers mouths, Brighton Beach,  and Stony Point should keep you busy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Took JB's advice and hit the French with my ultralight. Just a few small ones, but the scenery was top notch. Stopped at McQuades in the evening and caught a decent Northern.

Still no luck shore fishing Superior for Salmonids… I've been casting spoons into the mouth of the Lester, Lakeshore near the French, and stopped up at the mouth of the Split Rock yesterday. Perhaps it's too early.

Does anyone know where I can get a good map of the area? I've got a few cheap ones, but looking for something with a lot of detail to scope out spots.

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Edited by Vitreus
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Vitreus- Welcome to da Nortland, I remember seeing your name on the STC area forums. For maps, you can try Marine General, Fisherman's Corner..but between Navionics, Google and Lakefinder those 3 usually have me covered. Shore  fishing possibilities are numerous (as you are finding out),  Hardwater season is just around the corner, and when it hits these pages will become more active. I have a new job which unfortunately has reduced my fishing time, but I'll be happy to head or help out a brother out as much as I can.  Another lovely place to take a rod for a walk  is  out to the very end of Park Point. Park close to the Sky Harbor airport and head out from there. 

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Picked up a Delorme atlas today, but will check on some of the others. I bet the DNR station has those PRIM maps. I do have navionics as well, which I've been referring to, however Lake Superior's shoreline seems disappointingly gradual throughout.

Also picked up my first fly rod today, a 6 wt Echo Carbon 690-4. I'd planned on holding out, but found a good deal at the local fly shop down in lakeside. They were super friendly and helpful so I decided why not buy it there and support a local business.

Afterward, I headed down to Brighton Beach with my girlfriend to cast into Superior until sunset... Nothing whatsoever. We walked along the shore for about a half mile casting spoons every 10 ft. Perhaps I need a longer rod to get the lure out further (currently using my 6'9" ML Limit Creek)... How far out are those mythical beasts?

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Most of the fish I've caught hit my lure just a few feet from shore...but, in theory, the farther out you can cast, the more your chances of catching something increases. I do all my casting with a 6' spinning rod. If money wasn't an issue, I'd probably get a 7' to 7.5' spinning rod for shore fishing purposes though. Success from shore is as simple as the right place at the right time. I've gone years without catching anything (I'm only up there a couple times a year), but last year I caught 7 steelhead from shore in the span of just a few days. One thing you might want to consider, using a canoe. When I'm up there in June, we always leave our canoe down on the shore, and if it's calm out, we'll throw on the electric motor and get out there several hundred yards from shore. Have caught many lake trout over the years doing that. Being out there in a canoe is quite the experience too! Even though it looks flat calm from shore, once your out there, you still gently roll up and down, kinda' like a water bed. 

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The brighton and lester area can be tough with out some wind blowing in. It seems to get the fish moving shallow especially lake trout. I hit the lester river mouth the other morning and saw a couple good fish roll but no bites. It was calm and I'm guessing the lakers werent up shallow. The wind is blowing now and with the lake trout season closing at the end of this weekend hopefully they will move in and its not so rough you cant fish.

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I hit up Stoney Point and worked my way up both the Knife and Stewart Rivers on Wednesday and Thursday (now below the posted barriers), stopping at every river crossing with corridors. Was followed by a couple guys in their truck who gave me a hard time about driving slowly past their property to scope out the river corridor on the Knife. I think they were looking to start something and seemed disappointed when I didn't get angry. Speak softly and carry a big stick...

Still nothing from the big lake, although I saw some schools passing through (either that or I was hallucinating from being out there so long). A few small ones again in the rivers, but nothing to brag about. I've been releasing everything I catch, but may keep a few one of these times just to see how they taste - I've never had trout. There was a crazy amount of traffic going up 61 yesterday - presumably to see fall colors. Officially start the new job on Monday, so I plan to do a good bit of scouting this weekend if the crowds aren't bad.

 

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Vit, the pictures don't quite show your hooks, but be sure not to use any treble hooks when in the rivers below the posted boundaries or you'll get pinched. You can use them in the big lake, but not the rivers. A lot of folks, especially those from out of town aren't aware of this regulation.

 Also, DON'T keep those small fish! The minimum length for kamloops rainbow is 16", and NO native steelhead can be harvested. Check the regs under "Lake Superior and its Tributaries" in the DNR's fishing reg booklet.

Edited by I fish, therefore I lie
Incomplete info
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Don't keep any brook trout either, as the season is closed, and the minimum size limit is 20 inches.

 

Also, if you can get out at sunrise, that's the best time to catch fish. Obviously, there is less people out, but my theory is the trout are more active because the mergansers, cormorants, sea gulls, etc aren't out in full force yet.

 

After MEA weekend, most of the north shore will be a ghost town. I'll be up there the weekend after. It will be a lot colder, but nicer to scout areas with no people around.

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Thanks for the advice I Fish and JB. The lure in the photo is indeed a single hook Panther Martin - I was aware of that regulation. I actually obtained the single hook PMs last summer in Banff, and was surprised to see that the big sporting goods stores in Duluth only carry treble inlines given that regulation.

The fact that I am still learning to identify the different trout species (which is compounded by my color blindness) has discouraged me from keeping anything - but I am always sure to consult the regs carefully before harvesting anything. 

I may try to venture out in early morning this weekend. You may be on to something with the bird theory.

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There's a couple designated trout lakes just NE of duluth that are stocked with rainbows. I've never fished them, but on paper they look pretty good. If your looking for a trout dinner, that might be your best bet. I don't know what exists as far as shore fishing goes, but you should at least be able to wet a line at the accesses. Briar and Loaine (also known as sand lake) Lakes. There's another little lake just west of Cloquet, off of hwy 210, Corona Lake, also stocked with rainbows.

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If your into walleye and crappie there are a lot of shore spots on the St. Louis, Fish Lake and Island Lake that will put out fish now that water temps are FINALLY starting to drop. Slip bobbers, jigs and slowly reeled in cranks can catch a variety of fish. Under the island lake dam can be really good this time of year and the bridge as well. Even the landings can be fished from the dock early and late. Just make sure your not in peoples way when landing boats etc.

I was at Loonsfoot the other night and got some rockies, crappie and pike. All released. It was just something to do for a hour on a nice night.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I haven't been on in awhile and just saw this post, but welcome to the area and keep everyone updated on your adventures! Like everyone has previously said, Duluth has endless opportunities for hunting and fishing.. Just have to be in the right spot at the right time! 

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  • 2 years later...

This looks like a great section of the forum Vit, so I thought I would follow-up years later!

 

i just got out fly fishing for my very first time in MN on the Knife River yesterday!! It was more of a trip to trial all my new gear and practice more casting techniques. Saw 3 small trout surface and spooked something big, but no hits.

 

Hopefully I can lean on this forum to get more success! I’m planning on getting out multiple times before the the winter sets in. Any location or fly recommendation would be great? Thanks!  

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

 For trout you'll have to stay below the posted boundaries .   You have until the 7th to cast for Lake Trout off the North Shore.

Stream Trout lakes might be your best bet right now if your tossing flies. 

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