Late Spring Mixed Bag on Lake Superior

Artificial Lure here with your May 30, 2025, fishing report for Lake Superior and the Duluth area.The sun rose this morning at 5:22 a.m. and will set tonight at 8:54 p.m. Weather’s been cooperative this week—expect mild temps in the low 60s, calm to light winds, and partly cloudy skies rolling through. No tidal swings in Lake Superior, just the usual wind and wave action shaping shoreline conditions, as noted by the local Spreaker daily report. Water temps in nearshore areas are in the upper 30s to low 40s, but recent warm days are helping nudge them higher.The bite’s been steady in the Twin Ports region all week. This late spring period is right in the sweet spot for targeting a mixed bag. There’s been a run of solid coho salmon catches, with fish averaging 14-17 inches, and some impressive reports of 12-pounders landed thanks to the recent surge in smelt and forage, according to the Minnesota DNR and Wisconsin DNR outdoor reports. Anglers are also pulling in brown trout up to 24 inches, splake in the 15-20 inch range, and the occasional king (Chinook) salmon—one was pushing 35 pounds earlier this spring, a rare treat. Lake trout are starting to show up, especially as water temps climb. DNR surveys show a record-high abundance of lake trout this year, so the action should pick up further into June.Most boats are trolling nearshore in 10-40 feet, running stickbaits and crankbaits, especially in silver, blue, or chartreuse, to match the baitfish. Dodgers with flies are hot for coho and kings. Spoons are pulling their weight for trout, especially when the sun’s a bit higher. Shore anglers have found success casting from Canal Park or along the Lakewalk, mostly early and late in the day.If you’re after steelhead, the spring run is winding down, but a few are still lingering in the tributaries like the Knife and French rivers. Drifting spawn sacs or small jigs tipped with waxies near river mouths can tempt these late-season stragglers.A couple of hot spots worth checking:- Canal Park: Especially productive for shore-casters chasing trout and salmon, and a local favorite for good reason.- St. Louis Bay: Near the mouth, you’ll find coho and brown trout moving between lake and river. Troll or cast, you’re likely to hook into something decent.Live bait like shiners and spawn sacs are working, but artificial lures—especially slim-profile stickbaits and flashy spoons—have been the ticket for covering water and finding active fish.Thanks for tuning in to today’s report. Don’t forget to subscribe for your daily bite updates—this has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease.ai.This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI