UTERWalleye fishing in Lake Superior
In Lake Superior, walleye peak April–June and are around year-round, spawning in April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: St. Louis River spring run.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Walleye in Lake Superior, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilSpawningSt. Louis River spring run.
- 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
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish walleye 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 walleye hold on.
What to use for walleye
- 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.
- LeechesHooked once through the sucker end on a #8 to #4 hook under a slip bobber or on a live-bait rig — walleye and smallmouth can't leave them alone.
- NightcrawlersWhole on a #6 to #2 hook under a bobber or on a bottom rig; threaded on a spinner harness drifted for walleye. The bait that catches everything in fresh water.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 34–78°F water, best at 55–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch walleye in Lake Superior?
Peak season is April–June, with fish spawning in April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Walleye are here year-round. April: St. Louis River spring run.
Where do walleye hold in Lake Superior?
Look on lake, river, fishing pier — around Duluth, Grand Marais, Bayfield, Ashland, Marquette, Munising.
What is the best bait for walleye in Lake Superior?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners), leeches, nightcrawlers. 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 walleye · Lake Superior, the whole year