Lake Superior greeted us in Duluth this November morning with a classic Gales of November chill—temps right at freezing, a northwest breeze kicking up 10–20 knots, and a sky as steely as the ore boats hugging the horizon. Sunrise broke at 7:58 AM and we’re looking at a quick sunset tonight, 5:49 PM, so make those casts count before the light fades.

The big lake itself is rolling with that signature late-fall energy: wind, chop, and a moody feel that means fish are slipping shallow to stock up before winter’s deep freeze. The weather is mostly cloudy, with afternoon highs barely scraping above 39°F, and gusts expected to stay strong through midday. A wintry mix might sweep in late, so layer up and stay dry: November can turn fast on Superior, as anyone who’s heard the story of the Fitzgerald knows.

No tides to report—this freshwater sea doesn’t move like the big salt—but the wind pushes water and bait into the rocky points and harbor mouths, making for lively fish activity. Live sonar and recent dockside talk peg perch and steelhead as the hot targets right now. Steelhead are running the rivers and creek mouths, streaking silver against the brown stones. The harbor and canal are still holding good numbers of perch, especially on the drop-offs near Park Point and just inside the Duluth Ship Canal.

Minnesota’s statewide fishing roundup from last week says the walleye bite is getting sharper, too, especially in the near-shore shallows after dark, when the lake lays down[Outdoor News]. Some local anglers picked up two nice limits of walleye and a handful of chunky smallmouth in the past few days—classic five- to seven-pound fish—not giants, but strong for this late in the season.

Best baits right now: try a brightly-colored minnow-style lure with a slow retrieve. Orange/chartreuse, gold/orange, and solid gold jig combos are accounting for most of the steelhead and walleye hookups near the mouth of Lester River and at the Aerial Lift Bridge, especially at dawn and dusk. For perch, it's tough to beat a small jig tipped with fathead minnow—fish close to bottom and let that wind help drift you along the mid-lake edges.

Local favorites remain reliable: suspending minnow jerkbaits around 70-90mm are working wonders these past few days, especially when the water’s choppy. If you’ve got glow-white or pink, definitely try those before the light fades[Accio]. For a bit of North Shore flavor, some folks are fresh-filleting whitefish and eating right on the rocks before sundown, just as The Fisherman’s Daughter market up in Grand Marais would recommend[Ever After in the Woods].

Hot spots for today:
- Canal Park breakwall: sheltered from the wind, close access, and solid steelhead action at first light.
- Park Point sandbar: Perch and walleye running the mouths and drop-offs, especially if you can find some structure or weed beds.

Stay safe along those rocky points—the November winds are not forgiving, and the lake takes on a life of its own right now.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more real-time local fishing truth.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI