This is Artificial Lure and here’s your October 23rd Duluth and Lake Superior fishing report.

Sunrise hit at 7:36 AM today, and you can expect sunset at 6:10 PM. There’s a chilly, brisk breeze off the lake this morning, right around 37 degrees at dawn, with patches of clouds and an east wind building throughout the morning. The National Weather Service warns that we’ve got waves picking up, especially after noon—expect two to four footers if you’re heading offshore, so double-check your plans. Rain looks possible late in the day and tomorrow, so keep your rain gear handy.

For those asking about tides, remember Lake Superior doesn’t have a noticeable tidal swing, but barometric pressure drops today could help trigger a bite, especially in the hours leading up to tonight’s weather change.

Fishing pressure is lighter this week—most casual anglers are calling it a season, but real diehards know this is THE time for big bites. Lake trout remain active, especially in deeper water averaging 80-120 feet off the North Shore. Trollers running spoons in silver-blue or white have reported good catches, with some boaters pulling a half-dozen solid keepers between McQuade and Two Harbors. There are rumors of a few 10-plus pounders boated since Monday. Stick with heavy flutter spoons and downrigged stickbaits for lake trout; try blues and chartreuse for best results.

Salmon—including cohos and the tail end of the pinks—are stacking at creek mouths and in the Lester and French Rivers. Early morning and late afternoon have been best, especially during low-light. Shore anglers using spawn sacs or nickel-finish Little Cleos are still hooking into decent chrome, but action falls off midday. Salmon are moving upriver to spawn, but a few fat silvers are just starting to color up.

Walleye anglers have been sneaking out, mostly focusing on St. Louis Bay and the Park Point area. Best numbers are coming after dark, with vertical jigging a stand-out—the hot bait is a basic jig tipped with a live emerald shiner or fathead minnow. Stick to 8–16 feet near current seams or river mouths, and experiment with glow plastics if live bait isn’t drawing hits. A handful of locals have reported slot-sized eyes caught north of Spirit Lake, with plenty of sauger mixed in.

If you’re a smallmouth fan, Rocky Point and Brighton Beach continue to produce the occasional thick bronzeback on dropshot rigs and tube jigs in brown or green pumpkin. Fish 12–20 feet, focusing on transition areas near boulders.

Best baits right now:
- For lake trout, run silver-blue flutter spoons or white tube jigs.
- For salmon, spawn sacs, skein, or small gold or nickel spoons.
- Walleye are taking classic jigs and minnows, with some switching to soft plastic minnows or swimbaits after dark.
- For smallies, finesse plastics and tubes.

Hotspots to try:
- McQuade Safe Harbor north to Two Harbors for trout.
- Lester River mouth for salmon, especially dawn and dusk.
- St. Louis Bay weedlines and Park Point drop-offs for walleye, especially after dark.
- Rocky Point for smallmouth on the deeper ledges.

"Lake Superior Duluth Daily Fishing Report" notes that trout are biting well, with salmon staging for river runs and the walleye bite strengthening as water temps dip into the low 50s. Outdoor News confirms walleye action is firing up throughout the northern lakes, with jigs and minnows the best presentation.

Watch for strong winds and shifting weather into the weekend; if you’re launching a boat, keep a close eye on conditions and be safe. That fall color is about gone on the shorelines, but the crowd is thinned out and the best fishing’s still happening for those willing to brave the chop.

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