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Duluth Fishing Report: Browns, Steelhead, and Smelt Runs on Lake Superior
Good morning from Duluth, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Superior fishing report for April 20, 2025.
Weather today is shaping up cool with daytime highs around 9 Celsius or 48 Fahrenheit, dipping to about minus 2 overnight. That means you will want to dress in layers, especially if you are getting out before dawn or staying out past sunset. Sunrise this morning was right around 6:13 AM and sunset will be at approximately 8:06 PM, giving you a good long fishing window out on the water[2].
The harbor and nearshore surface waters are just starting to warm, pushing into the low to mid-40s Fahrenheit. That temperature is keeping the bite active, particularly for brown trout. Browns in the 20 to 22 inch range are being caught steadily, with a handful of reports of fish over 28 inches showing up for lucky anglers. Splake are in the mix, though in fewer numbers this week[1].
Stream mouths and river flows into the big lake, like those at the Lester and Sucker Rivers, are opening up nicely. The steelhead are starting to show up, especially with the recent warm days helping to clear ice and boost flow. Smelt are beginning their annual run, which usually fires up mid-April and lasts just a couple weeks, so it is prime time for netting or targeting smelt-hungry trout at stream mouths[4][5].
Best baits this week include a mix of brightly colored spoons, minnow-imitation plugs, and spawn sacs for trout. Locals are having success with gold and orange Little Cleos, silver-blue Kastmasters, and smaller crankbaits around river mouths. For steelhead in the streams, try drifting spawn sacs under a float or working bead-head nymphs and streamers through the seams. Nightcrawlers can produce if you are fishing bottom rigs. For smelt, a simple dip net is the tool of choice during the evening runs[4][5].
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the mouth of the Lester River, where both steelhead and browns are active, and the Canal Park breakwall where schools of baitfish are drawing in bigger trout. The McQuade Small Craft Harbor shoreline is another solid bet for browns and an outside shot at an early season coho.
To sum up, if you are after browns, stick to the river mouths and rocky points with spoons and crankbaits. For steelhead, hit the lower stretches of the Lester, Sucker, and Knife Rivers with spawn or flies. And if you want fast action and a big pail of fish, the smelt run is peaking now—look for them after dark along the beaches and stream mouths.
That’s the report. Good luck, and tight lines out there on the big lake.
Weather today is shaping up cool with daytime highs around 9 Celsius or 48 Fahrenheit, dipping to about minus 2 overnight. That means you will want to dress in layers, especially if you are getting out before dawn or staying out past sunset. Sunrise this morning was right around 6:13 AM and sunset will be at approximately 8:06 PM, giving you a good long fishing window out on the water[2].
The harbor and nearshore surface waters are just starting to warm, pushing into the low to mid-40s Fahrenheit. That temperature is keeping the bite active, particularly for brown trout. Browns in the 20 to 22 inch range are being caught steadily, with a handful of reports of fish over 28 inches showing up for lucky anglers. Splake are in the mix, though in fewer numbers this week[1].
Stream mouths and river flows into the big lake, like those at the Lester and Sucker Rivers, are opening up nicely. The steelhead are starting to show up, especially with the recent warm days helping to clear ice and boost flow. Smelt are beginning their annual run, which usually fires up mid-April and lasts just a couple weeks, so it is prime time for netting or targeting smelt-hungry trout at stream mouths[4][5].
Best baits this week include a mix of brightly colored spoons, minnow-imitation plugs, and spawn sacs for trout. Locals are having success with gold and orange Little Cleos, silver-blue Kastmasters, and smaller crankbaits around river mouths. For steelhead in the streams, try drifting spawn sacs under a float or working bead-head nymphs and streamers through the seams. Nightcrawlers can produce if you are fishing bottom rigs. For smelt, a simple dip net is the tool of choice during the evening runs[4][5].
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the mouth of the Lester River, where both steelhead and browns are active, and the Canal Park breakwall where schools of baitfish are drawing in bigger trout. The McQuade Small Craft Harbor shoreline is another solid bet for browns and an outside shot at an early season coho.
To sum up, if you are after browns, stick to the river mouths and rocky points with spoons and crankbaits. For steelhead, hit the lower stretches of the Lester, Sucker, and Knife Rivers with spawn or flies. And if you want fast action and a big pail of fish, the smelt run is peaking now—look for them after dark along the beaches and stream mouths.
That’s the report. Good luck, and tight lines out there on the big lake.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning from Duluth, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Superior fishing report for April 20, 2025.
Weather today is shaping up cool with daytime highs around 9 Celsius or 48 Fahrenheit, dipping to about minus 2 overnight. That means you will want to dress in layers, especially if you are getting out before dawn or staying out past sunset. Sunrise this morning was right around 6:13 AM and sunset will be at approximately 8:06 PM, giving you a good long fishing window out on the water[2].
The harbor and nearshore surface waters are just starting to warm, pushing into the low to mid-40s Fahrenheit. That temperature is keeping the bite active, particularly for brown trout. Browns in the 20 to 22 inch range are being caught steadily, with a handful of reports of fish over 28 inches showing up for lucky anglers. Splake are in the mix, though in fewer numbers this week[1].
Stream mouths and river flows into the big lake, like those at the Lester and Sucker Rivers, are opening up nicely. The steelhead are starting to show up, especially with the recent warm days helping to clear ice and boost flow. Smelt are beginning their annual run, which usually fires up mid-April and lasts just a couple weeks, so it is prime time for netting or targeting smelt-hungry trout at stream mouths[4][5].
Best baits this week include a mix of brightly colored spoons, minnow-imitation plugs, and spawn sacs for trout. Locals are having success with gold and orange Little Cleos, silver-blue Kastmasters, and smaller crankbaits around river mouths. For steelhead in the streams, try drifting spawn sacs under a float or working bead-head nymphs and streamers through the seams. Nightcrawlers can produce if you are fishing bottom rigs. For smelt, a simple dip net is the tool of choice during the evening runs[4][5].
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the mouth of the Lester River, where both steelhead and browns are active, and the Canal Park breakwall where schools of baitfish are drawing in bigger trout. The McQuade Small Craft Harbor shoreline is another solid bet for browns and an outside shot at an early season coho.
To sum up, if you are after browns, stick to the river mouths and rocky points with spoons and crankbaits. For steelhead, hit the lower stretches of the Lester, Sucker, and Knife Rivers with spawn or flies. And if you want fast action and a big pail of fish, the smelt run is peaking now—look for them after dark along the beaches and stream mouths.
That’s the report. Good luck, and tight lines out there on the big lake.
Weather today is shaping up cool with daytime highs around 9 Celsius or 48 Fahrenheit, dipping to about minus 2 overnight. That means you will want to dress in layers, especially if you are getting out before dawn or staying out past sunset. Sunrise this morning was right around 6:13 AM and sunset will be at approximately 8:06 PM, giving you a good long fishing window out on the water[2].
The harbor and nearshore surface waters are just starting to warm, pushing into the low to mid-40s Fahrenheit. That temperature is keeping the bite active, particularly for brown trout. Browns in the 20 to 22 inch range are being caught steadily, with a handful of reports of fish over 28 inches showing up for lucky anglers. Splake are in the mix, though in fewer numbers this week[1].
Stream mouths and river flows into the big lake, like those at the Lester and Sucker Rivers, are opening up nicely. The steelhead are starting to show up, especially with the recent warm days helping to clear ice and boost flow. Smelt are beginning their annual run, which usually fires up mid-April and lasts just a couple weeks, so it is prime time for netting or targeting smelt-hungry trout at stream mouths[4][5].
Best baits this week include a mix of brightly colored spoons, minnow-imitation plugs, and spawn sacs for trout. Locals are having success with gold and orange Little Cleos, silver-blue Kastmasters, and smaller crankbaits around river mouths. For steelhead in the streams, try drifting spawn sacs under a float or working bead-head nymphs and streamers through the seams. Nightcrawlers can produce if you are fishing bottom rigs. For smelt, a simple dip net is the tool of choice during the evening runs[4][5].
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the mouth of the Lester River, where both steelhead and browns are active, and the Canal Park breakwall where schools of baitfish are drawing in bigger trout. The McQuade Small Craft Harbor shoreline is another solid bet for browns and an outside shot at an early season coho.
To sum up, if you are after browns, stick to the river mouths and rocky points with spoons and crankbaits. For steelhead, hit the lower stretches of the Lester, Sucker, and Knife Rivers with spawn or flies. And if you want fast action and a big pail of fish, the smelt run is peaking now—look for them after dark along the beaches and stream mouths.
That’s the report. Good luck, and tight lines out there on the big lake.