UTERCoho (silver) salmon fishing in Lake Superior
In Lake Superior, Coho (silver) salmon peak April–May and September–October and are around March–November, spawning in October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Nearshore coho off Duluth and the North Shore.
Fall coho in the North Shore tributaries.
Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Superior, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchArrivingLast ice; coho show off Duluth as the shore opens. Cast spoons from the Duluth piers and the harbor mouths; lakers still on the ice where it holds.
- AprilPeakNearshore coho off Duluth and the North Shore.
- 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.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakFall run: kings, coho and pinks up the rivers. The St. Louis, the Brule and the UP rivers; steelhead start following them in.
- OctoberSpawningFall coho in the North Shore tributaries.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Coho (silver) 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 Coho (silver) salmon hold on.
What to use for Coho (silver) 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 46–62°F water, best at 50–58°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Coho (silver) salmon in Lake Superior?
Peak season is April–May and September–October, with fish spawning in October (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Coho (silver) salmon are in Lake Superior March–November. April: Nearshore coho off Duluth and the North Shore.
Where do Coho (silver) 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 Coho (silver) 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 Coho (silver) salmon · Lake Superior, the whole year