Fishing
on Lake Superior
Submitted
February 2002 -
This year’s mild winter may not be conducive to some winter
sports, but it is just what the lake Superior angler is hoping
for. We started launching boats on the 6th of
February, about a month and a half earlier than normal.
Like
other years with mild winters the fishing has been fantastic.
Fisherman in the know has been taking advantage of the open
water, and are catching large quantities of blue fin herring
and coho salmon. In This undiscovered fishery we use small
boats and fish close to the harbor mouths weather permitting.
The Fisherman anchors out, and jigs rather than troll. Those
who wish to troll don’t need the elaborate gear normally
used on the great lakes, a couple of spinners dragged behind
the boat on light tackle will produce large quantities of coho
with the occasional herring, or trout. The fishing changes in
April when the herring go deep, and the trolling takes over.
This is the time when the lake sees the most pressure, with
the fish concentrated near shore. Planner boards are the way
to go for the next month, with temperature being the key to
how long the fish remain in shallow water. Floating rapala
style lures are the baits of choice. The fishing is also hot
off the breakwall at Black River Harbor, in March and April.
Large catches of salmon with a few trout are taken every year
during this time on worms, and casting spoons and spinners.
This is the best opportunity of the year for the shore bound
angler.
Regardless
of what time of year you fish Lake Superior, water temperature
is the key. Those fisherman who use temp to their advantage
consistently out fish those who don’t. last year the
importance of water temp became clear again on our very first
day of trolling. Boats were clustered that day in the
Saxon Harbor area, having poor luck in the 35 degree water in
that area. We motored about 5 miles down the shore line and
found 39 degrees in a small area, and filled our limit of
salmon in a couple of hours.
All
the fish on the lake have temperature preferences, we look for
warm water in the spring and cold water in the summer. I came
out of the harbor one morning during the annual tournament at
Black river Harbor there were 27 boats in front of the river
inside of 100 ft. The chatter on the radio was that the fish
were not biting. I dropped down a downrigger that gives me
temp at the cannon ball and discovered the water temp was 65
degrees all the way to the bottom! A northwest wind had belown
for 24 hours and filled the whole area up with warm water, and
the fish were gone. I could not believe that none of these
boats were taking temperatures. We didn’t hit the
temperature break that day until we got into a 130 ft of
water, with the best fishing that day 120ft down in a 160 ft
of water just below the warm water which acts like a wall to
the fish. We caught 45 fish that day and won the tournament,
that year.
In
the summer we set our spoons for lake trout in 47 to 51
degrees and have another set of baits for salmon in 55 to 60
degrees. The lake trout population is at a all time high in
our area with the salmon and brown trout holding there own.
The lure color on the lake seems to have a pattern every day,
once you catch a fish put more baits out with that color
pattern. The color pattern will change some times during the
day and always in the evening. In most cases the fish didn’t
quit biting they just want something different. I have sunny
day baits and cloudy day baits, the cloudy day baits will
generally work in the evening with lowered light.
Tight
lines. Picture is myself and
Ron Tanka from Ironwood, at Saxon Harbor with a large
catch of herring and coho at the end of February.
BART
DOMIN (906)932-5253