Lake Superior Outdoor Fishing Report – Jan. 15, 2026

Chequamegon Bay

Pressure cracks are forming throughout the Bay, so please use extreme caution when traveling around and crossing over.  Anglers fishing at the eastern end of the bay have been catching mostly yellow perch. Although the average catch per trip is low, the average size is very nice (10 inches). Anglers fishing near the Ashland lighthouse have been catching a mixed bag of fish, including herring, coho, yellow perch, walleye, brown trout and splake. Anglers fishing late afternoon into evening are still catching walleyes in the 20-24-inch range.  On the Washburn side, fishable ice is still present up to Houghton Point. Ice in front of Bodin’s Resort is present but has been broken up and compromised severely with the recent above average temperatures. The ice has broken up and pushed offshore and is now open water from the Sioux River north through Bayfield. Anglers who have been accessing the lake from the Washburn Coal Dock have been reporting good catches (with some 5-fish bag limits) of coho salmon. Herring are also being caught. Anglers are also catching brown trout, with several fish over 30 inches being reported to our creel clerks so far this season. 

Superior Harbor/St. Louis River

The mid-winter walleye bite has been consistently fair the past few weeks, with harvested fish still ranging from 16 to 20 inches. Persisting warm temperatures into early January have also led to glare ice and low snow accumulation, making it easier for on-ice travel. This has provided anglers with ideal conditions to explore less-pressured areas across the St. Louis River/Estuary. This is particularly evident in the embayments on Wisconsin's side of the border, where the majority of panfish are pressured during the ice season. Panfish harvest has increased, with harvested Black Crappie averaging 10.5 inches. Yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass and burbot are occasionally caught in Spirit and Mud lakes, including remote locations upstream of Munger Landing. Maintain caution around open shipping channels, which may continue to open up with strong future wind forecasts.

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.

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