Lower Shore: Duluth to Two Harbors
Surface water temps were in the high 50’s and strong winds kept angling pressure light from all stations. Construction continues on Highway 61 at the McQuade intersection, and on Lighthouse Point Road in Two Harbors. Anglers reported fairly slow fishing for 18-29 inch Lake Trout. Some anglers found success trolling spoons, flasher flies, and stick baits 20-60 feet down, in 70-150 feet of water. Further north, anglers found success jigging on structure in 80-150 feet and trolling bright spoons, stick baits, and flasher flies in 150-300 feet of water with fish being fairly spread out throughout the water column. No Salmon were reported from any station this week. There was no fishing effort reported on the St. Louis River this week.
Upper Shore: Twin Points to Hovland
Surface water temps warmed into the low 50’s at all stations, but east winds created rough conditions, limiting angling pressure. Anglers reported improved fishing for 17-29 inch Lake Trout, trolling green and orange spoons. Lake Trout were scattered throughout the water column, and moved closer to shore likely due to increased water temps. A few 20-22 inch Coho and Chinook Salmon were reported from Taconite Harbor and Grand Marais, but numbers were low. Anglers reported catching some 25-28 inch Steelhead in recent days from all stations. Water levels in tributaries along the Upper Shore remained low and no Pink Salmon were observed.
Management Updates
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.
Helpful Links
 Questions?
Email us at Lake Superior fishing report
Give us a call at 218-302-3277
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