Lower Shore: Duluth to Two Harbors
Surface water temps were 60-65 °F near Duluth, 50-55 °F near Knife River Marina, and 45-50 °F near Two Harbors. Construction continues on Highway 61 at the McQuade intersection, and on Lighthouse Point Road in Two Harbors. Anglers from all stations reported slow fishing for 18-29 inch Lake Trout. Salmon were not reported from any sample stations this week. Anglers near Duluth found success trolling spoons, flasher flies, and stick baits in 70-160 feet of water. Further north, anglers found success jigging on structure at depths of 100-200 feet and trolling bright spoons, stick baits, and flasher flies in 120-250 feet of water with fish favoring the bottom 50 feet. There was no fishing effort to report on the St. Louis River Estuary this week.
Upper Shore: Twin Points to Hovland
Strong west winds reduced water temps from the mid 50’s into the mid 40’s. Anglers from all stations reported that fishing fell flat this past week and very few fish were reported from any station. Anglers with electronics reported seeing very few fish at any depth and those that were marked were tight lipped. Trolling spoons green and orange spoons at a variety of depths produced a few Lake Trout for anglers that were able to get out fishing in between the bad conditions. With some rain over the last week a few Pink Salmon were observed in the Brule and Temperance rivers, though numbers were very light. Angler pressure was light from all stations this week primarily due to small craft advisories keeping boaters ashore.
Management Update: Pink Salmon in Lake Superior
Pink salmon first appeared in Lake Superior by accident in 1956, but they have proven far more adaptable than originally expected. After decades of low or fluctuating numbers, recent reports across the Great Lakes — including Lake Superior — indicate notable increases in pink salmon abundance, with strong year classes showing up in creel surveys and river traps. These regional trends mirror what is happening globally: in the Pacific Ocean, pink salmon are reaching record‑high abundance, especially during warm periods, and similar warming conditions in the Great Lakes may be supporting renewed growth in local populations.
One reason pink salmon can rebound quickly is their remarkable life‑history flexibility. Unlike Pacific populations that strictly mature at two years, Great Lakes pink salmon have adapted to mature at ages 1 through 4, allowing them to take advantage of favorable conditions. They also require very little spawning habitat compared to other salmonids. Pink salmon can successfully spawn in short tributaries, small streams, and occasionally even along exposed lake shorelines. This ability to use minimal habitat — combined with their willingness to stray into new tributaries — makes them capable of expanding or re‑establishing runs across many Lake Superior streams.
Pink salmon are also generalist feeders, consuming whatever forage is available. In Lake Superior, they feed on smelt, insects, zooplankton, and native amphipods such as Diporeia. Their flexible diet helps them persist through changing food‑web conditions and gives them an advantage during years when prey availability is low or shifting — conditions that are increasingly common with ongoing ecological change in the lake. This adaptability has helped support rebound years, even during periods when other salmonid species struggle for consistent growth.
Given warming lake temperatures, increasing observations across multiple tributaries, and the species’ proven adaptability, anglers should expect to continue seeing pink salmon during fall runs, primarily from September through mid‑October. While still a relatively minor component of the Lake Superior fishery, pink salmon represent an expanding and highly resilient species that may become more common during warm years and favorable environmental periods. Fisheries managers will continue tracking abundance trends and assessing interactions with other salmonids as climate‑related changes influence Lake Superior’s ecosystem.
See the recent news release highlighting Dr. Joe Langan’s work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that looks at trends in the oceans and the Great Lakes https://www.noaa.gov/stories/pink-salmon-invasion-in-great-lakes-has-lessons-for-north-atlantic-arctic-communities or read the full publication https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/faf.70084.
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