UTERNorthern pike fishing in Lake Superior
In Lake Superior, northern pike peak April–June and October–November and are around year-round, spawning in April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Spawn sacs and yarn in the river mouths; follow them up once the rivers open. Shore-cast coho and lakers.
Fall steelhead and coho in the tributaries; lakers spawn on the reefs. Leave the spawning reefs alone; swing flies and drift spawn in the river pools.
Northern pike in Lake Superior, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilSpawningSteelhead wait for 40°F water, then run the North Shore. Spawn sacs and yarn in the river mouths; follow them up once the rivers open. Shore-cast coho and lakers.
- MayPeakPeak spring steelhead; St. Louis River walleye. Wild steelhead are catch-and-release in Minnesota. Jig the St. Louis River for walleye after the opener.
- JunePeakLake trout shallow; Chequamegon smallmouth on the beds. Troll the near-shore reefs for lakers; sight-fish Chequamegon Bay's giant smallies — release them.
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeakFall steelhead and coho in the tributaries; lakers spawn on the reefs. Leave the spawning reefs alone; swing flies and drift spawn in the river pools.
- NovemberPeakLate steelhead before the rivers freeze. The UP and Wisconsin tribs on mild days; the North Shore streams lock up first.
- DecemberAround
Where to fish northern pike near Duluth, Grand Marais, Bayfield
The biggest, coldest, clearest of the lakes: rocky shores dropping straight to 600 feet, lake trout on the offshore reefs, steelhead and salmon in the short, steep North Shore and UP tributaries, and the sheltered warm-water bays — Chequamegon, the St. Louis River estuary, Keweenaw Bay — where the smallmouth, walleye, pike and the ice fishing live.
Fish Scouter charts 901 lake, 29 reservoir spots in the Lake Superior map area — the kinds northern pike hold on.
What to use for northern pike
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 33–76°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch northern pike in Lake Superior?
Peak season is April–June and October–November, with fish spawning in April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Northern pike are here year-round.
Where do northern pike hold in Lake Superior?
Look on lake, river — around Duluth, Grand Marais, Bayfield, Ashland, Marquette, Munising.
What is the best bait for northern pike in Lake Superior?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners). Minnows (fatheads, shiners): Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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All about northern pike · Lake Superior, the whole year