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Lake Superior Outdoor Fishing Report – Aug. 27, 2025

Fishing Wisconsin

Apostle Islands

Lake trout fishing has been excellent recently. Anglers have reported great numbers of fish in the 25-30 inch range, along with a fair number of larger trophy-sized fish, although some anglers are struggling to catch their “unders” (lake trout under 25 inches). Many successful anglers are trolling or jigging near the bottom in 100-150 feet of water, and some anglers are having success fishing for fish suspended around the thermocline 30-50 feet down over deep water. Few anglers have been targeting nearshore trout and salmon, but a few brown trout (18-25 inches) and coho salmon (19-23 inches) have been caught trolling shorelines in 20-60 feet of water.

Chequamegon Bay

Walleye fishing has slowed recently, but some anglers are reporting moderate success for eater-sized fish (15-20 inches), targeting weeds or structure in 12-20 feet of water between the Kakagon Slough area and Long Island, jigging or trolling with live bait. Smallmouth bass anglers have been doing well targeting typical summer areas such as deep rock and structure, as well as along the Ashland and Washburn shorelines. Whitefish anglers have reported some good days recently, with most whitefish (17-23 inches) being caught in 30-60 feet between Washburn and Houghton Point or near the Ashland lighthouse using rattling or vibrating jigs or jigging spoons.

Cornucopia/Port Wing

When cold water can be found, anglers have reported some nice catches of coho salmon (19-23 inches) and eater-sized lake trout (18-24 inches), with the occasional brown trout or steelhead (rainbow trout) mixed in. Most successful anglers are targeting suspended fish near the surface over 80-120 feet of water, but also shallower when cold water is present nearer to shore. Walleye fishing along the South Shore seems to have slowed a bit, but a few anglers have reported decent bags of walleye (15-25 inches) along the shoreline in 20-50 feet of water, trolling stickbaits or crawler harnesses.

Saxon

Anglers have reported mostly fair success. Some anglers have brought in a few decent catches of lake trout (24-30 inches) and coho salmon (19-23 inches) while fishing near bottom or midwater near the thermocline (30-60 feet down) in 100-180 feet.

Superior 

Cold water has come in near shore recently, which has produced some nice catches of eater-sized lake trout (22-28 inches) and coho salmon (19-23 inches), with the occasional brown trout and steelhead (rainbow trout). Anglers have reported success fishing both near the surface over deeper water as well as closer to shore in shallow water, wherever cooler water is present. Walleye fishing has slowed a bit, but anglers are still reporting decent bags of 15-20 inch fish.

 

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.