Two Harbors Breakwall

[iced over]

Anyone been to the breakwall lately? How are the conditions any luck?

[Quickstrike]

I haven't heard anything about the breakwall but shorefishing has been going good at the french from what i've heard. We've had some snow and wind lately which equals ice on the breakwall which can be very dangerous. If I hear anything I will make sure to post.

[Northlander]

The breakwall is never what I call "Hot". Like quick says your better off at the French or other shore spots.

[Quickstrike]

What Northlander is saying is true, the breakwall is most likely never going to be fast and furious. However, it is pretty cool to be casting a spoon as a ship comes in. The breakwall also offers shore fishing when other spots become to warm to hold fish because of the surrounding deep water. However this time of year there are much better options.

[Steve Foss]

The breakwall is "hot" less often than some other shore fishing spots. But I have spent hundreds of hours on the wall. Some days yield no fish. Other days yield one or two. But between my French River and other shore fishing spots and the wall, it's the wall that's yielded my most productive days overall. Best day was six trout/salmon. Two other days it was five. Other shore spots, four was my best ever (mix of coho and loopers.)

And from the wall, you get king and coho salmon, loopers and steelhead and lakers. Not to mention the herring that come in now and then. Herring are considered by many to taste better than any salmonoid that swims the big lake.

Three years I fished the shore itself around rivers, and the vast majority was coho and loopers. Nothing wrong with that, but every cast from the wall lands in 30 to 80 FOW.

Besides, if the fishing's not hot on the wall, the scenery often is. Right Tom?

Absolutely correct is the contention that, in late winter, the wall is not the place to be. It's dangerous, and fish are looking for current discharges into the lake. And that's a river game.

[CrappieJohn]

Most of the nay sayers have never been seen by me at the wall. I don't judge the St. Louis river because I haven't fished it. Catfish and I, however, met there and I think what we have to say deserves merit as to the productivity of the wall.

I've seen Mr. Foss do pretty darned good out there. Mr. Foss has seen me do pretty darned good out there. We have had days where we both have done pretty darned good out there. Have we had days with no fish? Absolutely. It's on those days that you find something else to call it a success.

[Steve Foss]

Mr. Foss? Who's Mr. Foss??

[CrappieJohn]

How's it goin bud? April....if I can make it til April. Then maybe we can hook up for a morning or the day. We'll let the cheddar chewers bash our bricks then we can have relative peace out there, eh?

[Northlander]

I have fished the breakwater since I was a kid growing up in Two Harbors. Probably 1st tossed a line out there over 30 years ago.

I never saw you there either. Yes you can catch fish on the breakwater but I wouldnt drive hours to fish it. If I were looking for consistant action the breakwall wouldnt be my top pick.

I understand you and Steve have a connection as far as the breakwater is concerned and I respect that. I just dont want people thinking its a "Hot Spot" when its far from that most of the time. Yes it has its days but on average you can do better in other spots.

To each his own and if you love the breakwall than so be it.

[Steve Foss]

Hey Steve:

No contention from this end. Much as I have cherished my meeting with Tom (the ultimate curmudgeon) on the wall and our subsequent great time together, it doesn't color my assessment of the wall as a fishery.

When you're marooned on shore, I don't agree that you can do better in other places most of the time. When it's late winter/early spring, the wall is a great place to avoid. Slippery, big waves, fish concentrating on inflow rivers/creeks in other places, etc.

But because it's adjacent to deep water, it's the odds-on favorite many other times of the year. It's moments like this I wish I'dve kept detailed records so I could back that up, but in the three years I fished heavily from Duluth to Silver Bay (always from shore, never had a boat at my disposal), the wall did better for me than any other spot except for the months mentioned. That's again from shore. From a boat, things are different.

Partly, I think my success there was because I always fished a crawler under a slip bobber within 30 feet of the wall as well as chucking spoons. Fully half the fish I caught at the wall were loopers and steelhead and salmon that came in on spoons, didn't bite, but hit that sexy crawler dangling there. Sometimes, the crawler turned a no-fish day into a three-fish day. Of course, I never caught a laker under the slip bobber.

Would I drive for hours to try to catch trout/salmon at the wall in March? No darn way! Go to the French. But from late April through October, it's a real keeper. I'll argue that position with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

[Surface Tension]

I've fished the North Shore from shore for quite a while. All the well known spots and the not so well known. It can be long days without getting bit and sometimes it seems like thats the norm. Then theres the days your in the right place at the right time and fish come easy. A 2 or 3 hour drive to fish from shore is a very long way when your odds of hooking into fish are slim. Something I'm guilty of is taking that beautiful lake for granted at times. If you can appreciate that wonderful lake and her shoreline that drive isn't so much a burden anymore and if your blessed enough to leave with one if Her slivery gems, gosh could it get any better.

I've just about quit the shore fishing and Steelhead for that matter, just to many crowds for my liking plus I send enough time on Superior in the boat but I still get drawn to the river mouths in the Spring for stagging Loppers, Steelhead and cruising cohos.

The Breakwall, Stony along with all the no-name spots has its good times and its a there today, gone tomorrow thing.

[cloyd]

The wall...ahh yess how my heart pounds at the sounds of the waves lapping against her...the smell of the lake along with that fresh cup of camp coffee in the morning

the sun starting to rise in the east as ya sit there all alone...not a soul

it dont get any better than that regardless the fish biting or not

I have met Tom up there as well...it comes down to company like that an the great lake herself in all her glory an its a memory youll never forget

I have traveled up the streams an chased brooks with my fly-rod with some luck i might add...i have traveled to lutsen an caught bows an brooks there with rather ease..i have traveled an spent time fishing temperence an caught pinks..walleye an northern at the mouth below the last set of rapids...beautiful an breath taking

I have caught my first laker ( a real pig) at the lil brule an walked its ridges with my camera

The wall is something special all its own..i will be there this year an many moons to come god willing...an sooner or later she will smile upon me an bless my humble landing net with a dinner to remember

hopefully the likes of tom or one of you will be there..simply amazing place..

remember the last time I pulled up..there was tom..never forget after small conversation to my surprise that nice buck with a real nice rack wandering the parking lot just a few yards away from us

the wall..my short time there an i could go on an on..

its the experience..an to me thats what fishing is all about

[cybermuskie]

"The Wall" 2005

[Quickstrike]

Great pic!!!

[CrappieJohn]

Nice fish Cy.....not bad at all for being a dead zone. I've stood right where you are many, many times.

[cybermuskie]

Thanks Guys!

There is a closer one posted in the photo sharing...I think its titled Timing was right. It shows the fish closer, but you also get me closer

[Northlander]

Cybermuskie nice pic. That boat in the back adds a lot to it. Not every day we catch a fish with a oar boat on the background is it?