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Duluth Fishing Report: Smelt, Steelhead, and Big Trout Heating Up on Lake Superior
Artificial Lure here, bringing you your Lake Superior Duluth fishing report for Sunday, May 11th, 2025.
We are sitting pretty in mid-spring, and the fishing action is firing up across the region. Sunrise this morning was at 5:50 AM and sunset will be at 8:24 PM, giving anglers a long window of good light. Today’s weather is mild with light winds and comfortable temperatures—great conditions for both boaters and shore casters. No tidal fluctuations to worry about on Lake Superior, so water level is steady.
The talk of the shoreline remains the smelt. The run is still going along the North Shore as water temps nudge toward that critical 40-degree mark. Park Point is your hot spot for seine netting at night and there’s solid opportunity for dipnetting in the local tributaries. Remember, the days of bucket loads are behind us, but there’s enough action to keep things interesting for those putting in the effort[5].
Steelhead anglers are getting fair results in the lower shore streams like the Knife and Lester Rivers. Egg patterns and spawn sacs are the best bet, especially near stream mouths and in slightly warmer pocket water. Some of the runs are starting to wind down, but there are still fish around and targeting Lake Superior just outside those tributaries is a good move[3][5].
Lake trout and coho salmon are also coming on strong. Early season boaters have had luck trolling stickbaits just under the surface near Duluth. The big news this year is the surge in non-native salmon—recent catches have included coho up to 12 pounds and chinook topping 35 pounds, thanks to a couple years of heavy cisco (lake herring) and smelt classes. The lake trout bite is expected to stay red hot, with record numbers shown in the latest DNR surveys[2][3].
Best lures right now are bright stickbaits for trout and salmon, especially trolling shallow in the morning. Classic blue and silver or chartreuse patterns are producing. For stream steelhead, don’t leave home without egg flies, spawn, or pink worms.
This week’s hot spots include:
Park Point for smelt runs during the evening and early night.
The mouth of the Lester River and lower shore streams for steelhead—early morning bite has been best.
Nearshore trolling out of the Duluth entry and up toward Two Harbors for coho, chinook, and lake trout.
In summary: Smelt are running, steelhead are still biting, and big trout and salmon are waking up. Get out there with the right bait and keep those lines wet.
Tight lines from Artificial Lure.
We are sitting pretty in mid-spring, and the fishing action is firing up across the region. Sunrise this morning was at 5:50 AM and sunset will be at 8:24 PM, giving anglers a long window of good light. Today’s weather is mild with light winds and comfortable temperatures—great conditions for both boaters and shore casters. No tidal fluctuations to worry about on Lake Superior, so water level is steady.
The talk of the shoreline remains the smelt. The run is still going along the North Shore as water temps nudge toward that critical 40-degree mark. Park Point is your hot spot for seine netting at night and there’s solid opportunity for dipnetting in the local tributaries. Remember, the days of bucket loads are behind us, but there’s enough action to keep things interesting for those putting in the effort[5].
Steelhead anglers are getting fair results in the lower shore streams like the Knife and Lester Rivers. Egg patterns and spawn sacs are the best bet, especially near stream mouths and in slightly warmer pocket water. Some of the runs are starting to wind down, but there are still fish around and targeting Lake Superior just outside those tributaries is a good move[3][5].
Lake trout and coho salmon are also coming on strong. Early season boaters have had luck trolling stickbaits just under the surface near Duluth. The big news this year is the surge in non-native salmon—recent catches have included coho up to 12 pounds and chinook topping 35 pounds, thanks to a couple years of heavy cisco (lake herring) and smelt classes. The lake trout bite is expected to stay red hot, with record numbers shown in the latest DNR surveys[2][3].
Best lures right now are bright stickbaits for trout and salmon, especially trolling shallow in the morning. Classic blue and silver or chartreuse patterns are producing. For stream steelhead, don’t leave home without egg flies, spawn, or pink worms.
This week’s hot spots include:
Park Point for smelt runs during the evening and early night.
The mouth of the Lester River and lower shore streams for steelhead—early morning bite has been best.
Nearshore trolling out of the Duluth entry and up toward Two Harbors for coho, chinook, and lake trout.
In summary: Smelt are running, steelhead are still biting, and big trout and salmon are waking up. Get out there with the right bait and keep those lines wet.
Tight lines from Artificial Lure.
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By Quiet. PleaseArtificial Lure here, bringing you your Lake Superior Duluth fishing report for Sunday, May 11th, 2025.
We are sitting pretty in mid-spring, and the fishing action is firing up across the region. Sunrise this morning was at 5:50 AM and sunset will be at 8:24 PM, giving anglers a long window of good light. Today’s weather is mild with light winds and comfortable temperatures—great conditions for both boaters and shore casters. No tidal fluctuations to worry about on Lake Superior, so water level is steady.
The talk of the shoreline remains the smelt. The run is still going along the North Shore as water temps nudge toward that critical 40-degree mark. Park Point is your hot spot for seine netting at night and there’s solid opportunity for dipnetting in the local tributaries. Remember, the days of bucket loads are behind us, but there’s enough action to keep things interesting for those putting in the effort[5].
Steelhead anglers are getting fair results in the lower shore streams like the Knife and Lester Rivers. Egg patterns and spawn sacs are the best bet, especially near stream mouths and in slightly warmer pocket water. Some of the runs are starting to wind down, but there are still fish around and targeting Lake Superior just outside those tributaries is a good move[3][5].
Lake trout and coho salmon are also coming on strong. Early season boaters have had luck trolling stickbaits just under the surface near Duluth. The big news this year is the surge in non-native salmon—recent catches have included coho up to 12 pounds and chinook topping 35 pounds, thanks to a couple years of heavy cisco (lake herring) and smelt classes. The lake trout bite is expected to stay red hot, with record numbers shown in the latest DNR surveys[2][3].
Best lures right now are bright stickbaits for trout and salmon, especially trolling shallow in the morning. Classic blue and silver or chartreuse patterns are producing. For stream steelhead, don’t leave home without egg flies, spawn, or pink worms.
This week’s hot spots include:
Park Point for smelt runs during the evening and early night.
The mouth of the Lester River and lower shore streams for steelhead—early morning bite has been best.
Nearshore trolling out of the Duluth entry and up toward Two Harbors for coho, chinook, and lake trout.
In summary: Smelt are running, steelhead are still biting, and big trout and salmon are waking up. Get out there with the right bait and keep those lines wet.
Tight lines from Artificial Lure.
We are sitting pretty in mid-spring, and the fishing action is firing up across the region. Sunrise this morning was at 5:50 AM and sunset will be at 8:24 PM, giving anglers a long window of good light. Today’s weather is mild with light winds and comfortable temperatures—great conditions for both boaters and shore casters. No tidal fluctuations to worry about on Lake Superior, so water level is steady.
The talk of the shoreline remains the smelt. The run is still going along the North Shore as water temps nudge toward that critical 40-degree mark. Park Point is your hot spot for seine netting at night and there’s solid opportunity for dipnetting in the local tributaries. Remember, the days of bucket loads are behind us, but there’s enough action to keep things interesting for those putting in the effort[5].
Steelhead anglers are getting fair results in the lower shore streams like the Knife and Lester Rivers. Egg patterns and spawn sacs are the best bet, especially near stream mouths and in slightly warmer pocket water. Some of the runs are starting to wind down, but there are still fish around and targeting Lake Superior just outside those tributaries is a good move[3][5].
Lake trout and coho salmon are also coming on strong. Early season boaters have had luck trolling stickbaits just under the surface near Duluth. The big news this year is the surge in non-native salmon—recent catches have included coho up to 12 pounds and chinook topping 35 pounds, thanks to a couple years of heavy cisco (lake herring) and smelt classes. The lake trout bite is expected to stay red hot, with record numbers shown in the latest DNR surveys[2][3].
Best lures right now are bright stickbaits for trout and salmon, especially trolling shallow in the morning. Classic blue and silver or chartreuse patterns are producing. For stream steelhead, don’t leave home without egg flies, spawn, or pink worms.
This week’s hot spots include:
Park Point for smelt runs during the evening and early night.
The mouth of the Lester River and lower shore streams for steelhead—early morning bite has been best.
Nearshore trolling out of the Duluth entry and up toward Two Harbors for coho, chinook, and lake trout.
In summary: Smelt are running, steelhead are still biting, and big trout and salmon are waking up. Get out there with the right bait and keep those lines wet.
Tight lines from Artificial Lure.