Artificial Lure here with your Sunday, October 26th, 2025 report for fishing in and around Lake Superior, Duluth.
Lake Superior greeted us with **calm winds out of the west, light chop, and crisp autumn air right around 39°F before sunrise**. Skies are partly cloudy, humidity hangs at a comfy 80%. It’s perfect fall sweater weather on the water. The **sun rose today at 7:42 AM** and will tuck behind the horizon at 6:02 PM, giving anglers plenty of daylight. According to NWS Duluth’s latest marine forecast, conditions should hold steady through the day, but keep an eye out for quick swings as Lake Superior can shift in a hurry.
No tide to report, given Superior’s fresh water, but water temps are now hovering near 48°F—prime for **lake trout** and the tail end of the **salmon run**. **Walleye** have been active especially at dusk, while reports from regulars near Lester River and Brighton Beach confirm several brown trout caught early yesterday morning, ranging 16” to 22”. Shore anglers at Canal Park have been seeing steelhead show up, most averaging around 4 pounds.
Boat crews venturing out from McQuade Small Craft Harbor picked up **lake trout up to 10 lbs** and a few last-chance cohos in the 6-7 lb class out near the 80-foot contour by Stoney Point. Several boats also reported smallmouth bass near the mouth of the St. Louis River—most under 15”, but feisty and fun on light tackle.
Locals are leaning on **finesse presentations**: jigging a ¼-ounce white or chartreuse tube jig for trout, swinging deep-diving stickbaits (like Rapalas and Bombers) for salmon, and working black/gold #7 Rapala Shad Raps for walleye near structure. North Shore salmon chasers are still drifting **spawn sacs** in the river mouths—shrimp scent is getting the nod over classic roe. Steelheaders made good use of 6 mm orange or pink beads paired with a tiny float setup, and drifting waxworms on #10 hooks got results in the deeper pools.
If you’re targeting walleye and trout, the best bait has been a lively fathead minnow on a jig or under a slip bobber, especially at sunrise and sunset when those big predatory fish are most active.
For hot spots, Brighton Beach produced several nice brown trout around first light, especially on the northern edge where the current picks up. The Lester River mouth is still holding a handful of cohos and steelhead. Up the St. Louis River, the bend just below Boy Scout Landing is active with walleye and the occasional northern pike. For deeper water, the reef edges near Two Harbors remain very productive for lake trout.
A couple reminders: round gobies remain a persistent nuisance here, so be sure to clean your gear thoroughly between sites to avoid spreading invasive species. Reports from Minnesota DNR echo continued efforts to keep those gobies out, as their egg-eating ways have been impacting spawn success, especially for our native trout.
Gear tip: late October means water clarity is high and ambient light is lower—go with more natural colors and smaller lures. If you’ve got a Garmin or similar fish finder, chart contours by the shoreline for transition zones, as trout move up to patrol shallows.
Big thanks for tuning in to today’s Lake Superior Duluth Fishing Report. Don’t forget to subscribe and share with your fellow anglers—whether you’re chasing trout, salmon, or walleye, tight lines and safe fishing out there!
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