Two Harbors breakwater

[Steve Foss]

Hey all:

Since moving here last August, a good spot for shorefishing, I've found, is the breakwater off Two Harbors.

I don't suppose some of the few guys who fish there much will thank me for spreading the word, but you can catch every salmonoid in the lake there.

Cast spoons (Krocs are king) into the harbor or lake sides and let them sink to the bottom on slack line (to avoid snags) before reeling in. Lake trout, loopers, steelhead and salmon. Lakers are usually down in the water column, everything else usually up. For a second rod, a nightcrawler on a slip bobber about 8 feet deep entices the fish that follow in the spoon but don't hit it. Sinking minnow imitation baits like Yo Zuris work well too. So do small to medium-sized spinners, and there are herring in summer.

Not too many people fish serioulsy off the breakwater. Most I've ever seen is about six at a time during nice weather weekends, and the breakwater's gotta be a good quarter mile long. Best fishing is from the elbow on out, and on either side.

You get some of fair-weather plunkers fising there and a whole XXXXload of tourists who don't fish but ask lots of questions, so you've got to endure those repetitive questions about what you're fishing for and how deep the water is and how often the ore boats come in. It's not the place to go to be alone, because of that.

A good day is a few fish, but if you put in your time, they're there.

I was there this morning, with two other regulars. I brought home a 6.5 pound laker and a 2.5 pound king, and had on another decent king that got off. One of the other guys had a coho and a king, and the third got skunked. That was a morning's fishing.

It's not what I'd call a hot spot. I've gone home with nothing after a full day's fishing. Other days it's pretty good. Just one more spot to try when you don't have a boat.

Oh, bring a net. No place to ease a fish up on shore there.

[Guest]

Thanks for the tip, does any color seem to work better than others? I've lived in Two Harbors for seven years and have never seriously fished off the breakwall, thought about it, but never spent more than a couple casts. Thanks again!

[Steve Foss]

5/8 oz hammered gold/orange Krocodile spoon is the classic. However, just throw what you've got. I think it's mostly a matter of getting something in front of a fish when it passes by.

good luck

[Sarge]

I fished there a couple times last fall, and enjoyed it, except for all the tourist questions. Little Cleo's orange/gold did well for the kings, and caught a looper on a purple Cleo, had an absolute monster follow all the way to the wall on a large rap, It was so long I thought it was a northern.

No Lakers, but I will be coming up agian this fall and would love to meet a few of you guys! Last year there were not many posting here, but this forum has really taken off. Good job, lots of info I wish I would have had last year!

[Guest]

stfcatfish,

i know you have a lot of insight on the north shore, so let me pick your brain on this one. how come casting spoons is so popular off the breakwater? but spawn and looper bugs are almost exclusively used at the french. i know part of it must be the crowds make it difficult to cast and cover water at the french, but spawn/crawlers/looper bugs remain the main option at bluebird, where casting is much more possible. does anyone fish spawn off the bottom at the breakwater?