“It’s fairly shallow and full of stumps and deadheads. Anglers launching farther downstream shouldn’t be tempted to take the shortcut across Spirit Lake, Christy warns. ![]() This section of the river can be easily accessed by boats launched from Boy Scout Landing in Gary New Duluth, MN, or from the boat ramp on the Wisconsin side near the Oliver Bridge. “Sometimes a little blade-action helps, so don’t hesitate to tie on a Whistler Jig®,” the angler adds. Try drifting with the current, using the trolling motor to maintain course, while you drag or cast-and-hop a Fire-Ball® Jig tipped with a minnow-and a Sting’r Hook if the fish are biting short. “Pretty soon you’ll be able to determine where most of the walleyes are located.” “Start out fishing along the channel ledge, then move up onto the flats,” Christy suggests. Walleyes on the move tend to be closer to the channel those that are feeding or resting relate to the flats. “It’s more traditional river-type fishing up there,” he says, “with a defined channel and feeding flats on top.” It’s actually when walleye fishing on the river is at its best.”Ī lot of early-season walleyes will be found roughly from Spirit Lake upstream to the Thompson Reservoir Dam, according to Christy. “Before the season opens, walleyes from Lake Superior and those that reside in the river year-round migrate upstream,” he explains, “for the first few weeks, anglers are catching fish that are on their way back downstream. Louis River begins with Minnesota’s general fishing opener in mid-May, and walleyes are the main attraction. “Late-season is a good time to fish these spots, but remember that these are current areas do your homework before walking or driving a snowmobile onto the ice.”Ģ. Here, too, use common sense and caution, he warns. ![]() Although it’s not always necessary to catch fish, you can tip the jig with a live maggot or waxworm to add scent to the presentation. Try a 1/16- or 1/32-ounce Gypsi Jig® or Fire-Fly Jig in the Pink White pattern, according to Christy. “They hang in the deeper holes,” says Christy, “but it’s a ‘search thing’ here, too, so you’ll have to use your electronics to look for them.” Winter’s most consistent crappie fishing occurs on Pokegama and Kimball’s bays on the Wisconsin side just downstream from Clough Island. The angler suggests jigging a Buck-Shot® Rattle Spoon, Puppet Minnow baited with a live minnow or tipped with a minnow head. You may have to stay on the move until you find them, and maybe hunker down as evening approaches.” “It’s the typical morning and evening bite,” he says, “and walleyes tend to cruise the flats while feeding. The flats run from about 6 to 10 feet deep, and except for subtle changes, the bottom is fairly uniform. “You still must be very careful, though.” A commercial shipping channel is maintained along the mainland shoreline until late winter, “so most anglers walk-on from the north side to fish the flats (away from the channel),” explains Christy. ![]() ![]() The majority of winter walleye fishing occurs on Superior Bay, a long, skinny stretch of water that’s separated from Lake Superior by Park Point on the Minnesota side and Wisconsin Point coming from the east. While his preference is chasing smallmouths, he knows the habits of the river’s walleyes, crappies, and other gamefish-and his breakdown of the system will help you with your search.ġ. Once absent from the scene, sturgeon are now present in enough numbers to allow a limited catch-and-release fishery.īass fanatic and long-time friend of Northland Fishing Tackle, Matt Christy of Superior, is very familiar with the lower St. The return of contaminant-sensitive lake sturgeon to the system, for example, is one sign of how far things have moved in the right direction. While still officially designated as an Area of Concern, with fish consumption advisories in place, conditions in this magnificent region have improved immensely. Forty-five years of intense pollution abatement and control efforts, however, have changed all that. It was, in fact, considered to be one of the most highly polluted rivers in Minnesota. The lower river, dominated by a 12,000-acre freshwater estuary, was once, sadly, the depository for many types of industrial waste. Louis River, winds southward 193 miles from its headwaters near Hoyt Lakes, MN, before turning northward again to run between the port cities of Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin, and out into the big lake. Lake Superior’s largest tributary, the St.
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