Good morning from Duluth, this is Artificial Lure bringing you your November 19th, 2025 Lake Superior fishing report. The lakeshore is starting to freeze, but the big lake remains open—a rare late treat for local anglers.

Sunrise hit at 7:17 AM and sunset’s slated for 4:35 PM. Duluth’s weather this morning is a brisk 28°F, with high clouds and a northeasterly breeze keeping things crisp. No tide on the lake—Superior’s so big, she’s got her own rhythm—but the wind and pressure drops can spur fish to bite.

Fishing pressure has been light these last few days, with winter on the mind and many ice anglers gearing up. Reports from Outdoor News say the best action regionally has been in 15 to 25 feet of water, thanks to cooling surface temps around 42°F. That means fish are starting their slow move deeper, but stubborn feeders—like lake trout and walleye—are still in reach near the breaks and ship channels.

This week, local catches have included:
- Lake trout up to five pounds, mostly in the morning.
- Walleye, especially near shore structure; more active at dawn and dusk.
- A few bonus steelhead and coho salmon moving through the rivers, still chasing last leaves and late fall spawn.

Jigs tipped with salted shiners or fathead minnows have worked best for walleye. For lake trout, vertical jigging with white or glow-colored tubes in the deeper holes offshore is doing damage. Captain Mike Schoonveld of Great Lakes Angler notes that garlic-scented lures, surprisingly, are turning lazy trout into biters. For salmon and steelhead nosing near river mouths, bright spawn bags or chartreuse crankbaits have triggered hits.

With ice season on the doorstep, innovation is peaking: VMC Tungsten BugBite jigs and Torpedo Spoons—from the latest Outdoor News review—get your bait fast down the water column and light up on sonar, which is key for winter. Rapala’s new Nano Rap is the tiniest jigging lure they’ve ever made, excels with finesse rocking and subtle vibration that triggers strikes from trout holed up in deep pockets.

Deadstick techniques are thriving on Superior’s shelf edges—especially with the new BaitStriker reel and rod combos that let fish take bait with almost no resistance, then switch to fight mode with a crank—perfect for finicky walleye.

Top baits this week:
- Fresh or salted shiners for walleye, either live, deadsticked, or jigged.
- White or glow soft tubes for trout, 1/2 to 1 oz., fished tight to bottom.
- Fresh spawn sacs or bright beads for steelhead and coho salmon near river mouths.

Local tackle shops are reporting strong sales of Snyder’s Red Lake Bandit spoons in flashy colors (think gold, firetiger, or perch), primed for deep jigging and for anglers switching to first ice later in the month.

Hot spots right now:
- The mouth of the Lester River for steelhead and coho, especially right at sunrise.
- Brighton Beach rock piles for lake trout jigging.
- The breakwalls at Canal Park for early morning walleye—just before sun-up and just after sunset.
- Barker’s Island and Wisconsin Point are double-duty spots—great for pike and the occasional northern lights show as described by Deb Carroll in her recent chat with WPR.

Expect fish to be finicky on bright, high-pressure afternoons—stick with finesse, downsize your jigs, and favor subtle flash over big noise. Late November is all about timing. Fish the low light windows, use electronics to find those drop-offs, and tip your presentations with real scent or bait when possible.

That wraps it for today—tight lines and stay safe out there! Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Lake Superior fishing report. Remember to subscribe for more daily updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI