Lake Superior, its tributary streams and their headwaters offer a wide array of fishing opportunities for varieties of trout and salmon unique to Minnesota's rustically scenic North Shore. You can venture into
the Superior National Forest to fish streams that flow to Lake Superior; hike upstream from the lake to find a spot streamside; cast from the mouths of rivers and the Lake Superior shoreline; venture out in small craft to
troll; and even ice fish for that lunker of a laker.
Counties
The North Shore trout fishing region includes only streams and their tributaries that flow into Lake Superior or the St. Louis River Estuary. Waterways depicted in blue and the yellow portion of the map represent the North Shore trout fishing region in the counties listed below.
The North Shore trout fishing region includes only streams and their tributaries that flow into Lake Superior or the St. Louis River Estuary. Waterways depicted in blue and the yellow portion of the map represent the
North Shore trout fishing region in the counties listed below.
- Carlton
- Cook
- Lake
- St. Louis
Regional resources
- North Shore streams: What's in them and why.
- Stream boundaries: GPS locations (PDF) of posted stream boundaries and fish sanctuaries on Lake Superior tributaries.
- Techniques: Guides that explain some of the fishing opportunities and methods for Lake Superior and the lower portions of its tributary streams.
- Small craft: Launch your boat to troll near-shore for the trout and salmon the big lake offers.
- Ice fish Lake Superior: When ice allows, walk out for winter lake trout.
-
Weather
- Great Lakes weather opens in a new browser tab
- Buoyweather opens in a new browser tab
-
Web cams
- Duluth cams opens in a new browser tab (scroll down for list)
- Silver Bay marina opens in a new browser tab
Information
- Helpful trout fishing information
- Learn how to stalk a stream or lake for brook, brown and rainbow trout
* = Accessible site
French River
- Details: Cast into Lake Superior near the mouth of the river. No fishing allowed in the pool and from the river mouth upstream to the four-lane expressway.
- Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout (October through June).
- View: Download map
Lester River
- Details: From bedrock waterfall near Lester Park Golf Course downstream to Lake Superior. No Fishing allowed immediately downstream from Superior Street Bridge to bottom of 1st falls.
- Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Salmon (April-May, Sept.-Nov.). Shore casting into Lake Superior can be productive (Oct. to June).
- View: Download map
*McQuade Small Craft Harbor
- Details: Fishing piers (accessible), boat launch; restroom facilities, parking - https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/water_access/harbors/mcquade.html.
- Fish Species: Coho Salmon and Rainbow trout (October through June).
- View: Information
*Twin Points Protected access
- Details: Boat launch, accessible crib dock and shore fishing; adjacent to Iona’s Beach Scientific and Natural Area and Gitchi-Gami State Trail. Located midway between Two Harbors and Silver Bay approximately 16 miles northeast of Two Harbors
- Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Salmon, Lake Trout.
- View: Information
Two Harbors Break wall at Lighthouse Point
- Details: From Hwy 61, turn right on Wilson Street to First Avenue, turn left at First Avenue, turn right on next two streets to Agate Bay. Fish species: Lake Trout, Salmon, Cisco, Rainbow Trout Rice Lake Boat launch at Rice Lake Dam
- Fish Species: Crappie, Northern Pike, Perch, Walleye.
- View: Information
Images by Peter Thompson. Courtesy of New York Sea Grant opens in a new browser tab.
Atlantic salmon
Brook trout
Brown trout
Chinook salmon
Coho salmon
Lake trout
Pink salmon
North Shore steams are beautiful but challenging habitats for trout. Unlike trout streams in other parts of the state, North Shore streams receive only limited amounts of flow from groundwater.
As a result flows are unstable, surging after a rain and dwindling to a trickle during drought and the winter season. Because they lack spring water, the streams get very cold in winter. In fact, what's called anchor ice
sometimes forms on the bedrock of the streambed, harming aquatic life and habitat. In the summer, some stretches get warmer than is best for trout.
In their lower reaches, these streams cascade over falls and steep rapids. As pretty as these features may be, they are difficult for trout. Fish must find places of quiet water amid the turbulence to feed and rest.
The volcanic bedrock over which these streams flow also lacks some minerals that drive production of bugs in the stream. Insects are a trout's main food source, making food scarcer than in trout streams in
other parts of Minnesota.
Despite their challenges, North Shore streams have two things in their favor. First is their cool, northern, lake-moderated climate. Second is the deep-forest bank cover, which shades the streams and keeps them cool.
These influences keep these streams just cool enough to support trout.
Interestingly, trout are not native to the upper reaches of many North Shore streams. Historically, brook trout occupied Lake Superior and ascended the rivers only as far as the first barrier falls – usually less than a
mile from the lake.
During the last century, brook trout been stocked above these natural barriers. The DNR stocks brook trout in heavily fished creeks in and near Duluth, though brook trout are self-sustaining in most North Shore
streams.
The small size of the streams and their low productivity limit the number of trout exceeding 12 inches. In the deeper water of secluded beaver ponds, brook trout occasionally may reach up to two pounds. But numerous
beaver dams do more harm than good, warming the water and contributing to siltation. North Shore trout management sometimes includes breaching beaver dams.
In North Shore streams that provide marginal trout habitat, the DNR stocks brown trout, which can tolerate warmer water than brook trout.
Some larger streams are stocked with young steelhead, which migrate to the lake in two to three years before briefly returning to streams as adults in spring to spawn. Many North Shore streams have steelhead populations
that are partially or fully supported by natural reproduction.