Fishing_Content Page_Lake Superior Outdoor Fishing Report

Lake Superior Outdoor Fishing Report – March 19, 2026

Fishing Wisconsin

Apostle Islands/Chequamegon Bay

Total fishing pressure around Chequamegon Bay and the Apostle Island region has decreased considerably since the first weekend of March. Mild temperatures, strong winds and heavy snowfall have all contributed to increased reports of declining ice conditions.

In Chequamegon Bay, anglers continue to use snowmobiles to access the lake. Reports of snowdrifts, slush pockets and crack/heaves are becoming more prevalent. Fishing success has increased slightly over the last couple weeks. Anglers are catching coho salmon between 13.5-16 inches (with some bag limits reported), yellow perch between 8.5-13.5 inches (with some 15-20 fish trips reported), smelt, brown trout (21-25 inches), splake (18-20 inches) and perhaps the best catches this ice season (inside the bay) of whitefish (18-22 inches).

Very few anglers are accessing the ice outside of Chequamegon Bay. Anglers report many new heaves/cracks, slush pockets and areas of thin ice.

Ice Safety

There is no such thing as safe ice. You cannot judge the strength of ice by one factor such as its appearance, age, thickness, temperature or whether the ice is covered with snow. Ice seldom freezes uniformly and can vary greatly in different areas of the same water body. It is important to know before you go. The DNR does not monitor local ice conditions or the thickness of the ice. Local bait shops, fishing clubs and resorts serve winter anglers every day and often have the most up-to-date information. If you’re heading out onto a frozen lake for the first time, check the ice yourself and check it often.

Ice Safety Tips:

  • Carry some basic safety gear: ice claws or picks, a cellphone in a waterproof case, a life jacket and a length of rope.
  • Dress warm in layers.
  • Don’t go alone. Head out with friends or family. Carry a cell phone with you and make sure someone knows where you are and when you are expected to return.
  • Know before you go. Don’t travel in areas you are not familiar with, and don’t travel at night during reduced visibility.
  • Avoid inlets, outlets or narrows that may have current that can cause thin ice.

 

REMINDER – Anglers must carry a paper copy of their license/stamps while fishing on Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Wisconsin/Michigan, Wisconsin/Minnesota and Wisconsin/Iowa boundary waters.