North Shore Streams and Smelt Update

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April 24-27, 2023

North Shore Streams and Smelt Update

Stream Conditions Update
Fish Traps Update
Smelt Update

Picture of Gooseberry Falls in Spring 2023

Stream Conditions Update

Shore Zone	Station	Avg. Temp. (range; °F)	River Stage	Water Level	Water Clarity
Lower Shore	Lester River	38 (34 - 43)	S-R	A-H	ST
	McQuade/Talmadge	37 (34 - 40)	S-R	A-H	ST
	French River	36 (32 - 40)	S-R	A-H	ST
	Sucker River	37 (34 - 40)	S-R	A-H	ST
	Knife River	36 (34 - 40)	S-R	H	T
Middle Shore	Stewart River	37 (32 - 42)	S-R	A-H	ST
	Silver Creek	38 (37 - 40)	S-R	A	ST
	Gooseberry River	37 (32 - 40)	S-R	A	ST
	Split Rock River	35 (32 - 40)	S	A	ST
	Beaver River	35 (34 - 36)	S	A	ST
	Baptism River	37 (34 - 40)	S	A	ST
Upper Shore	Cross River	36 (33 - 38)	S	A	ST
	Temperance River	36 (33 - 39)	S	A	ST
	Poplar River	36 (32 - 38)	S	A	ST
	Cascade River	36 (32 - 37)	S	A	ST
	Devil Track River	36 (32 - 37)	S	A	ST
	Kadunce River	36 (32 - 38)	S	A	ST
	Brule River	36 (32 - 36)	S	A	ST

Stream conditions key:

River Stage: F=Falling, S=Stable, R=Rising

Water Level: L=Low, A=Average, H=High

Water Clarity: C=Clear, ST=Slightly Turbid, T=Turbid

More information on North Shore streams and stream conditions available at Minnesota Steelheader – Discover. Learn. Fish.

Fish Traps Update

Traps opened April 24, 2023	Knife River Trap			French River Trap
Week/Species	STT	CST	KAM	STT	CST	KAM
April 24-28	96	3	1	2	1	3
Total	96	3	1	2	1	3

Species Key:

STT = Unclipped (wild-produced) Steelhead Rainbow Trout (Superior Strain)

CST = Clipped (stocked) Steelhead Rainbow Trout (Superior Strain)

KAM = Clipped (stocked) Kamloops Rainbow Trout (Kamloops Strain)

Steelhead Rainbow Trout captured at the Knife River fish trap in Spring 2023

Smelt Update

No reports of smelting activity at Park Point or the Lester River over the last week. Rivers are approaching water temperatures that smelt prefer for spawning (42-44°F) and we expect a few avid smelters will "test the waters" this weekend. More information about smelt is provided on our smelt fact sheet. Please be aware of the high levels of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) discovered in rainbow smelt in Lake Superior and understand the potential risks associated with the new rainbow smelt consumption advisory.