UTERLake whitefish fishing in Lake Superior
In Lake Superior, lake whitefish peak November–March and are around year-round, spawning in November–December, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Chequamegon Bay whitefish through the ice.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Lake whitefish in Lake Superior, month by month
- JanuaryPeakChequamegon Bay whitefish through the ice.
- FebruaryPeakDeep winter — the bays' ice is the fishery. Lakers through the ice off Madeline Island and Keweenaw Bay when it's safe; check the ice reports.
- MarchPeakLast 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.
- AprilAround
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberSpawningLate steelhead before the rivers freeze. The UP and Wisconsin tribs on mild days; the North Shore streams lock up first.
- DecemberSpawningFreeze-up — wait for safe ice on the bays. Nothing safe yet on the open lake; the warm bays freeze first.
Where to fish lake whitefish 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 lake whitefish hold on.
What to use for lake whitefish
- Wax wormsOne or two on a tiny ice jig or a #10 hook for bluegill, perch and crappie, under the ice or a float.
- 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 34–60°F water, best at 40–52°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch lake whitefish in Lake Superior?
Peak season is November–March, with fish spawning in November–December (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Lake whitefish are here year-round. January: Chequamegon Bay whitefish through the ice.
Where do lake whitefish hold in Lake Superior?
Look on lake, fishing pier — around Duluth, Grand Marais, Bayfield, Ashland, Marquette, Munising.
What is the best bait for lake whitefish in Lake Superior?
Live bait: wax worms, minnows (fatheads, shiners). Wax worms: One or two on a tiny ice jig or a #10 hook for bluegill, perch and crappie, under the ice or a float. 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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