Superior Ice (Duluth)

phishingruven01 wrote:

wasn’t superior 95% or so frozen a few years back when we had the polar vortex? I’ve watched youtubes of guys out 20 miles fishing lakers. Also, after the vortex winter, I remember reading and seeing pictures of ice washing up on shore in late june.
…edit to add graphic I found

Ice coverage and safe fishable ice are completely different things on Lake Superior.

On a cold calm night the entire lake can skim over.

The videos of guys 20 miles out are probably from the Apostles.

This is undoubtedly some of the best ice in a longgg time.

Harvester wrote:

Over 65 not needed. Under 18 not needed. Fishing with a 24-hour or 72-hour license, not needed. Fishing with a special angling license, not needed. But for most of us out here, those anglers with an annual license, ages 18 to 64, need a Minnesota trout stamp.

Dang really? I bought both a 24 and 72 hour license to fish up there but also purchased the trout stamp. Oh well, donated a little to the cause I guess.

If anyone wants to give it a try Thursday, I’ll be leaving the Forest Lake/Hugo area about 4am. I’ve got some spare laker setups and tackle options I can lend out if needed. I’ll fish all day, head home around 5pm, maybe stop at the Rustic for a sammy’s pizza.

______________ wrote:

If anyone wants to give it a try Thursday, I’ll be leaving the Forest Lake/Hugo area about 4am. I’ve got some spare laker setups and tackle options I can lend out if needed. I’ll fish all day, head home around 5pm, maybe stop at the Rustic for a sammy’s pizza.

Wish you were doing it Friday, I have the day off and was planning on giving it a go, i live just south of you in Centerville

If you want to try and catch bonus coho or herring while targeting lake trout here is my suggestion on what to do based off what I experienced. Drill 2 holes next to one another or 4 if you have two guys. Have one rod rigged up with a smaller spoon style bait about 20 to 30 feet down that is more or less a dead stick in case a school comes through while you are jigging deeper for lake trout with your larger presentation.

We had a number of times through out the day when we would have a school come through at around this depth no matter the depth of water we were fishing in. We tried to reel up with our larger trout baits but didn’t have much luck hooking these fish because I am guessing the bait was too big. They came and went so fast that you didn’t have time to drop another line down and try and catch them.

We never did catch a lake trout, but if we would have our plan was for the other guy to reel up the other lines quickly so that nothing hopefully got tangled.

My buddy also got a trout stamp for last weekend, but when he looked closer at his license when he got home it was for 2019…

Just got back from a week skiing in Colorado (got to chase arctic char one day as well) and had my fingers crossed that the ice would hold.

The near Duluth ice should be fine, SW and WSW winds will likely do some damage further up the shore. Going to head onto the ice around Duluth tonight after work if all looks good.

dhpricco wrote:

If you want to try and catch bonus coho or herring while targeting lake trout here is my suggestion on what to do based off what I experienced. Drill 2 holes next to one another or 4 if you have two guys. Have one rod rigged up with a smaller spoon style bait about 20 to 30 feet down that is more or less a dead stick in case a school comes through while you are jigging deeper for <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>lake trout with your larger presentation.

We had a number of times through out the day when we would have a school come through at around this depth no matter the depth of water we were fishing in. We tried to reel up with our larger trout baits but didn’t have much luck hooking these fish because I am guessing the bait was too big. They came and went so fast that you didn’t have time to drop another line down and try and catch them.

We never did catch a lake trout, but if we would have our plan was for the other guy to reel up the other lines quickly so that nothing hopefully got tangled.

My buddy also got a trout stamp for last weekend, but when he looked closer at his license when he got home it was for 2019…

We got on the coho pretty good when we were laker fishing. You definitely need a different set up ready to go because if you don’t get down to them in about 5 seconds they are GONE! We had great luck with gold tungsten jigs tipped with chartreuse plastics in any sort of bug or creature mold. Doesn’t take long to get a bite with that setup if you get down to them fast enough. That’s the hard part.

______________ wrote:

If anyone wants to give it a try Thursday, I’ll be leaving the Forest Lake/Hugo area about 4am. I’ve got some spare laker setups and tackle options I can lend out if needed. I’ll fish all day, head home around 5pm, maybe stop at the Rustic for a sammy’s pizza.

Of course, THIS Thursday would be my wife’s day off and the she has “plans” for us..

I’ll start planting the seed now to see if I can get a pass for the day and caravan up there with you. It would be nice to follow someone a little more experienced out up there.

Hey Ben, that’d be sweet if you can head up. Pretty sure I have your #; I’ll text you tomorrow either way (once I find my phone).

I picked up a bunch of smelt on my way home last week. I’ll get those chartreuse plastic bug bodies asap also!

Sounds good! I’m going to have to get a shopping list together ASAP.

I don’t own anything bigger than a #6 Rippin Rap at the moment.

______________ wrote:

If anyone wants to give it a try Thursday, I’ll be leaving the Forest Lake/Hugo area about 4am. I’ve got some spare laker setups and tackle options I can lend out if needed. I’ll fish all day, head home around 5pm, maybe stop at the Rustic for a sammy’s pizza.

The rustic. Now your speaking my language. I work Thursday if not I’d jump all over it. Maybe a sick day?

Bearcat89 wrote:

Maybe a sick day?

Maybe you need to experience the therapeutic value of fishing on a shard stool? The Rustic was my dad’s favorite bar. Great place to play cribbage.

Anyone know about currents along the north shore? I’m more familiar with fishing the Apostle Islands area and dealing with the shifting currents over there. I was searching for info on currents and found a 2017 MN conservation volunteer article on the trout population. And also an older article on the super abundant deep water fat trout. Crazy, 70% body fat?

A Superior Success Story
Decades ago the Lake Superior population of lake trout took a nosedive. Today the fishery is thriving.

Siscowet Trout: A Plague of Riches

______________ wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Maybe a sick day?

Maybe you need to experience the therapeutic value of fishing on a shard stool? The Rustic was my dad’s favorite bar. Great place to play cribbage.

Anyone know about currents along the north shore? I’m more familiar with fishing the Apostle Islands area and dealing with the shifting currents over there. I was searching for info on currents and found a 2017 MN conservation volunteer article on the trout population. And also an older article on the super abundant deep water fat trout. Crazy, 70% body fat?

A Superior Success Story
Decades ago the Lake Superior population of <em class=”ido-tag-em”>lake trout took a nosedive. Today the fishery is thriving.

Siscowet Trout: A Plague of Riches

I’m no expert on Superior but spend 2 days fishing it two weeks ago. There was some current. Not a lot but enough to move your lure to the edge of your cone. The second day we were out there the current was going the opposite direction. The guys I was fishing with spend a lot of time out there and say the eelpout and trout like to have a little current.

______________ wrote:

Hey Ben, that’d be sweet if you can head up. Pretty sure I have your #; I’ll text you tomorrow either way (once I find my phone).

I picked up a bunch of smelt on my way home last week. I’ll get those chartreuse plastic bug bodies asap also!

Shuffled some work and vet appts around and got a pass from the wife. I’m in!

PM sent with my # just in case.

Any body ever use tip ups for the Lakers? If so is there a certain depth/bait to use?

I am guessing not sense you have to reel up the bait faster and faster once they start to chase it, from the video anyways.

Keith maki wrote:

Any body ever use tip ups for the Lakers? If so is there a certain depth/bait to use?

I use them all the time on inland lakes, but havn’t tried it on Superior.
My last trip to Saganaga I caught 1 laker jigging, and 4 on a tipup.
I set it about 25′ away from where I’m jigging, and set the shiner/sucker minnow half way down the water column (but no deeper than about 30′).
Many times they will come in and chase the jig/spoon, then go hit the tipup.

On Superior, I think its better to have one rod jigging deep for lakers, and then I keep a second line with a small pimple up high ready to grab if a school of herring or coho come thru.

xplorer wrote:

but no deeper than about 30′).

This is key. I hear all the time that people on inland lakes get spooled before they ever get to the tip up. Plus, fighting a 20#+ laker hand over hand can’t be good.

Ifish pros work great though.

biggill wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>xplorer wrote:</div>
but no deeper than about 30′).

This is key. I hear all the time that people on inland lakes get spooled before they ever get to the tip up. Plus, fighting a 20#+ laker hand over hand can’t be good.

Ifish pros work great though.

My biggest is only 8# on the tipup and that was a handfull. Oh, and keep your gloves on, when they run they can slice/burn your fingers if your not careful.
I run heavy dacron line to a spro swivel, and a 6-8′ leader of 12# flouro. Been using a single 1/0 Gami hook to backhook the bait. Can’t imagine a 20#’er on one, that would be a riot!

I’ve gotten a few resting a dead smelt on the bottom, but this is on inland waters.

Thanks for the replies! I like having one out gives me more chances to catch fish!

I had one on the bottom Fri and Saturday last weekend…. No bites gonna hang one 20-30 ft up this weekend. Still haven’t hooked one of these sweet fish, but I’m not giving up!

Made it out today at Brighton, lost a nice one right off the bat in 85 ft. moved around for a few hours not finding any takers settled back in at 93 and finally got one through the hole , what a battle.

Attachments:

1. 

   D9B162A0-8A4A-486F-8872-D76C387448EB.jpeg
   

Awesome, congrats Gino!

I’ll be up there tomorrow giving it a go. Fingers crossed I get one topside.

Nice Gino! They are so fun to catch. Can only hope we get another shot at them next winter!

I just saw 4 portables at Two Harbors well outside of the breakwater off the end. One appears to be almost on the first hump. The 52 footer.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I just saw 4 portables at Two Harbors well outside of the breakwater off the end. One appears to be almost on the first hump. The 52 footer.

That was me

We tried two of the humps out there today and yesterday.

It sucked, iced four very small fish all day yesterday between five guys (like not much bigger than a cisco)

Went out this morning, had a few chases but no takers. I think they were small fish again by the way they looked on the graph.

It was a tough couple days, but better than being at work lol

Going to hit Brighton/Mcquade/Knife up next time and look for bigger fish.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_20190227_132855.jpg
   

What kinda line you guys use? Fire line with a long Fluorocarbon leader? what # test?

30# braid -> swivel -> 15# fluoro (6ft) -> lure

I use twenty lb suffix braid to a double unit knot to add four feet of fifteen lb fluorocarbon