Local Fish Report

Only a few anglers continue to fish with some limited walleye success reported, although no specific lakes have been noted. Lake Trout season resumes December 1.

Deer hunters have been busy checking stands and preparing for the upcoming firearms season and shooting a “fair” number of grouse while doing so.

The fish report will be sporadic while we wait for the inland lakes to freeze and we get back to jigging.

Walleyes are taking minnows in 15 feet at Poplar Lake and in 12 to 15 feet on Pike Lake and East Twin Lake.

Crawlers will produce splake in 12 to 18 feet on Mink Lake, rainbow trout in 12 to 15 feet on Leo Lake, and brook trout in 10 feet at Carrot Lake.

Grouse hunters are still finding a lot of foliage, but flushing birds.

On the big lake’s upper shore from Twin Points to Hovland, fishing pressure was mostly light to moderate this past weekin the lake and light in the tributaries.

Water surface temperatures were warm along the upper shore with consistent readings in open waters in the 52 to 55 degree range. Anglers caught good numbers of Lake Trout from all upper shore areas, particularly near shore in depths of 60 to 120 feet. The fish were generally 18 to 25 inches long and weighed 2 to 6 pounds.

Anglers caught larger Lake Trout, with several reports of fish in the mid- teens to twenty pound class, but overall, larger lake trout have been inconsistent and on the move, with larger fish present one day and seemingly gone the next.

Walleyes are hitting minnows in 10 to 15 feet on Poplar Lake, 6 to 12 feet on Pike Lake, and 15 feet on Crescent Lake. Crawlers are turning rainbow trout in 12 to 18 feet on Trout Lake and 10 to 15 feet on Leo Lake. Grouse hunting has been good for those willing to get off the main trails.

From Twin Points to Hovland Anglers reported good catches of Lake Trout from all stations. Most of the fish were smaller, about 17 to20 inches long. Anglers caught these smaller fish in shallower and near shore waters in the 30 to 70 foot depth range, or even from shore where anglers can cast from points and piers near deeper water.

Larger Lake Trout were tougher to find this past week than the week before. Water temperatures were warm again, averaging 52 to 58 degrees at the surface in open waters.

Anglers report that a few salmon can still be found along the upper shore, especially Chinook Salmon in the 24 to 28 inch class and weighing up to eight pounds, but overall anglers are catching fewer salmon.

Walleyes are hitting minnows in 10 to 14 feet on Cascade Lake, 10 feet at Pike Lake, or in 8 to 12 feet on Devil Track Lake and Poplar Lake.

A jig and minnow combination is producing lake trout on Greenwood Lake in 30 to 40 feet and Trout Lake in 40 feet, while spoons are working best for lakers at Loon Lake in 25 feet of water. Look to Leo Lake with crawlers for rainbow trout in 12 to 15 feet.

There’s been a few grouse shot, but most hunters are waiting for the cover to thin out.

On the big lake, Angler pressure was moderate at most accesses when weather conditions have allowed, but the weather was turbulent at times, which is normal. Anglers caught more Lake Trout this week than before, especially from Taconite Harbor, Grand Marais and Horseshoe Bay. The fish came from a range of distances from shore, from near shore to way offshore.

Larger lake trout congregate at the first deep water breaks and along the deep side of these breaks from 100 to 200 feet down and generally closer to bottom. Smaller lake trout were caught in shallow and near shore waters also. The fish averaged 5 to 10 pounds and weighed up to 20 pounds.

A jig and minnow is turning walleyes during the evening hours in 6 feet at Two Island Lake, East Twin Lake, and Crescent Lake.

Float crawlers for rainbow trout at Leo Lake in 10 feet and Trout Lake in 12 to 15 feet and for splake in 15 to 18 feet at Birch Lake.

On Lake Superior, angler pressure  was  moderate  to  heavy at Grand  Marais  and  lighter  at Silver  Bay  and  Twin  Points.  Weather, including  fog  and  some  wind,  kept  angler  pressure low at  times. Upper shore  anglers  experienced  variable  surface temperatures  with  slightly  warmer  water  in  the  Grand  Marais  area  where  surface  temps  averaged  46 to 51  degrees.  

A jig and minnow is turning walleyes during the evening hours in 6 feet at Two Island Lake, East Twin Lake, and Crescent Lake.

Float crawlers for rainbow trout at Leo Lake in 10 feet and Trout Lake in 12 to 15 feet and for splake in 15 to 18 feet at Birch Lake.

On Lake Superior, angler pressure  was  moderate  to  heavy at Grand  Marais  and  lighter  at Silver  Bay  and  Twin  Points. 
Weather, including  fog  and  some  wind,  kept  angler  pressure low at  times. Upper shore  anglers  experienced  variable  surface temperatures  with  slightly  warmer  water  in  the  Grand  Marais  area  where  surface  temps  averaged  46 to 51  degrees.  

Minnows and crawlers are producing walleyes at Seagull Lake in 14 to 16 feet, Two Island Lake in 10 to 14 feet, and Cascade in 9 to 12 feet.

Rainbow trout are hitting crawlers in 15 to 20 feet at Leo Lake and 12 to 18 feet on Trout Lake.

Sucker minnows are turning pike in 8 to 12 feet on Devil Track Lake and 4 to 6 feet on Northern Lights.

Bear reports have been strong: “Everyone’s baits are getting hit, even during the day.”

Here’s a Lake Superior fishing update from the Minnesota DNR.

On the Lower Shore from Duluth to Two Harbors Fishing pressure was moderate to high near Duluth and was lighter from McQuade to Two Harbors.

On the Upper Shore from Twin Points to Hovland, reports off the big lake show slow improvements with watermelon-colored spoons working best for lake trout and salmon over 180 to 200 feet.

That being said, angler pressure has been light to moderate as many anglers are waiting for water temperature conditions to warm up and fishing to improve.

Near shore water temperatures have been persistently cold at 39 to 46 degrees. Surface water temperatures are warmer off shore than near shore. At times and at varied locations along the upper shore, 50 to 60 degree surface temps can be found a mile off shore while at other locations water remains cold within several miles of shore. Anglers have reported travelling eight miles from shore before finding surface temps over fifty degrees.

Anglers along the entire upper shore have experienced a very tough time finding any fish and catch rates have been very light. Salmon have almost disappeared from the catch with only an occasional Chinook reported with even fewer coho. No steelhead were reported.

Leeches or minnows are turning walleyes in 8 to 14 feet on Cascade Lake and Crescent Lake, 12 to 16 feet at Hungry Jack Lake, or the 12- to 16-foot rock piles on Two Island Lake.

Lake trout are hitting bucktails or spoons over 40 to 50 feet on Saganaga, 20 feet on Greenwood Lake, and 35 to 45 feet on Loon Lake.

Crawlers continue to produce rainbow trout on Leo Lake and Trout Lake in 10 to 15 feet.

Leeches are turning walleyes at Cascade Lake in 14 to 20 feet, Homer Lake in 15 to 20 feet, Seagull Lake in 22 to 28 feet, and Hungry Jack Lake in 13 to 18 feet.

Spoons or jigs and ciscoes are producing lake trout over 25 feet on Greenwood Lake, 30 to 35 feet on Daniels Lake, and 20 feet at Loon Lake.

Reports off Lake Superior are slowly improving with watermelon-colored spoons working best for lake trout and salmon over 180 to 200 feet.