Lake Superior Outdoor Fishing Report – May 9, 2025
Fishing Wisconsin
Apostle Islands
A generally cool month of April, with many nights below freezing, has kept water temperatures cold throughout most of the Apostle Islands region. Anglers are reporting surface temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s. Some warm days in the forecast should have water temperatures climbing in the near future. Nearshore trolling has been good for trout and salmon. Many limits of coho salmon (14-17 inches) are being caught around Houghton Point and Long Island by anglers trolling with stickbaits or dodgers and flies near the surface in 50-70 feet. Anglers trolling along the shoreline are having fair success, with most boats catching a handful of fish but only a few catching limits. Catches have mainly consisted of a combination of brown trout (16-24 inches), splake (15-20 inches) and coho salmon (14-17 inches), with the occasional lake trout, steelhead and Chinook (king) salmon being reported as well. Most anglers are targeting 10-40 feet of water near shore along the mainland and around the islands using a variety of crankbaits and spoons. Very few anglers are targeting lake trout yet, with limited success being reported. Lake trout fishing should gain more attention as water temperatures climb.
Chequamegon Bay
Current water temperatures vary throughout the bay. Along the Ashland shoreline, surface temperatures are reported to be in the low to mid-50s. Near the lighthouse and toward the Washburn side, temperatures have been reported in the mid-40s. A few anglers trolling along the Washburn side of the bay have reported mixed bags of coho salmon (14-17 inches), brown trout (15-22 inches) and splake (15-20 inches), along with the occasional steelhead and northern pike. A few anglers are beginning to target pre-spawn smallmouth bass in the sloughs and along the Ashland shoreline, with limited success being reported. Smallmouth anglers can use a variety of baits, including crankbaits, soft plastic tubes and swimbaits. Bass spawning activity will continue to increase as water temperatures climb. Post-spawn walleye should now be aggressively feeding after their spawning activities have ended. Anglers typically have success targeting walleye trolling along the Ashland shoreline and out from Second Landing with stickbaits and crawler harnesses or by casting in the shallows during low-light periods.
Cornucopia/Port Wing
Water temperatures vary, with anglers reporting temps in the mid-40s in the dirty water near shore and mid-to-upper 30s in the clearer water. Fishing has been fair for brown trout (16-24 inches) and coho salmon (14-17 inches), with some steelhead being reported. Most anglers are targeting 10-40 feet of water near shore, as well as warmer waters along mudlines near river mouths, using stickbaits and spoons. Few anglers have targeted lake trout, but action should pick up near the surface over deeper water as the water temperature continues to climb.
Saxon
Water temperatures nearshore are reported to be in the upper 30s to low 40s. Anglers have reported fair success, with catches mainly consisting of coho salmon (14-17 inches) and brown trout (16-24 inches). A few anglers have reported success targeting lake trout (22-28 inches) in 50-80 feet of water. When the weather allows it, a few anglers have had luck jigging for burbot (23-28 inches) in 30-50 feet using jigs or spoons with a smelt on the bottom.
Superior
Water temperatures in the dirty water near shore and the harbor are generally being reported in the mid-40s to low 50s, while the clearer water out in the lake is generally being reported in the upper 30s to low 40s. Trolling along mudlines has been producing some limits of coho salmon (16-17 inches), as well as a few brown trout (16-24 inches) and lake trout (22-28 inches). The St. Louis River opens on Saturday, May 10. Wisconsin and Minnesota DNR fisheries personnel have handled what is estimated to be a potentially record number of adult walleyes in this year’s St. Louis River spawning stock assessment, with many fish in the 15-20-inch range and good numbers of trophy-sized fish. Most anglers are targeting these hungry post-spawn walleyes in the river and harbor by jigging with minnows, crawlers or soft plastics.
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.