UTERChinook (king) salmon fishing in Lake Superior
In Lake Superior, Chinook (king) salmon peak September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Fall run up the St. Louis, the Brule and the UP rivers — a small fishery here.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Chinook (king) salmon in Lake Superior, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustArrivingSummer trolling and the first kings staging. Lakers on the reefs, salmon on the warm southwest-wind days off Duluth and the Wisconsin shore.
- SeptemberPeakFall run up the St. Louis, the Brule and the UP rivers — a small fishery here.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Chinook (king) salmon 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 spots in the Lake Superior map area — the kinds Chinook (king) salmon hold on.
What to use for Chinook (king) salmon
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 44–60°F water, best at 50–56°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Chinook (king) salmon in Lake Superior?
Peak season is September. Chinook (king) salmon are in Lake Superior May–October. September: Fall run up the St. Louis, the Brule and the UP rivers — a small fishery here.
Where do Chinook (king) salmon hold in Lake Superior?
Look on fishing pier, river, creek / stream, lake — around Duluth, Grand Marais, Bayfield, Ashland, Marquette, Munising.
What is the best bait for Chinook (king) salmon in Lake Superior?
Live bait: herring, anchovies (pacific), salmon eggs (roe). Herring: Cut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about Chinook (king) salmon · Lake Superior, the whole year