North Shore fishing

Lake Superior, its tributary streams and their headwaters offer a wide array of fishing opportunities for varieties of trout and salmon unique to Minnesota's rustically scenic North Shore. You can venture into the Superior National Forest to fish streams that flow to Lake Superior; hike upstream from the lake to find a spot streamside; cast from the mouths of rivers and the Lake Superior shoreline; venture out in small craft to troll; and even ice fish for that lunker of a laker.


Regional map & counties

Counties

Minnesota's North Shore trout regionThe North Shore trout fishing region includes only streams and their tributaries that flow into Lake Superior or the St. Louis River Estuary. Waterways depicted in blue and the yellow portion of the map represent the North Shore trout fishing region in the counties listed below.

  • Carlton
  • Cook
  • Lake
  • St. Louis

Many North Shore streams have barriers to fish movement such as falls. These barriers create two separate fish communities, one on the Lake Superior or lower side and one on the inland or upper side. These two areas have different fishing regulations.

Boundaries will be posted on each stream. Boundaries and regulations for upper and lower portions of streams can be found using the North Shore trout fishing map.

For detailed boundary information and location descriptions only, anglers can download a detailed list with GPS coordinates.

GeoPDF stream maps [Get the app]

Resources & information

Regional resources

Information

Places to fish
* = Accessible site

  • Details: Cast into Lake Superior near the mouth of the river. No fishing allowed in the pool and from the river mouth upstream to the four-lane expressway.
  • Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout (October through June).
  • View: Download map

  • Details: From bedrock waterfall near Lester Park Golf Course downstream to Lake Superior. No Fishing allowed immediately downstream from Superior Street Bridge to bottom of 1st falls.
  • Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Salmon (April-May, Sept.-Nov.). Shore casting into Lake Superior can be productive (Oct. to June).
  • View: Download map

  • Details: Fishing piers (accessible), boat launch; restroom facilities, parking - https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/water_access/harbors/mcquade.html.
  • Fish Species: Coho Salmon and Rainbow trout (October through June).
  • View: Information

  • Details: Boat launch, accessible crib dock and shore fishing; adjacent to Iona’s Beach Scientific and Natural Area and Gitchi-Gami State Trail. Located midway between Two Harbors and Silver Bay approximately 16 miles northeast of Two Harbors
  • Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Salmon, Lake Trout.
  • View: Information

  • Details: From Hwy 61, turn right on Wilson Street to First Avenue, turn left at First Avenue, turn right on next two streets to Agate Bay. Fish species: Lake Trout, Salmon, Cisco, Rainbow Trout Rice Lake Boat launch at Rice Lake Dam
  • Fish Species: Crappie, Northern Pike, Perch, Walleye.
  • View: Information
Trout & salmon identification

Images by Peter Thompson. Courtesy of New York Sea Grant.

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