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Duluth Drifts - A North Shore Fishing Report for Late November 2025
Published 5 months ago
Description
Artificial Lure here, checking in with your Lake Superior Duluth fishing report for November 26, 2025.
Winter has arrived in a big way on the North Shore—woke up to wind gusts howling outta the northwest, snow blowing sideways and temps only making it up to the high 20s. According to the National Weather Service, we’re seeing patchy blowing snow into the afternoon, with a high near 28. Overnight lows are hovering around 23 degrees, and there’s been about 5-9 inches of fresh accumulation since yesterday. Winds are steady at 20, gusting 30 mph, so yeah, cold and blustery—it’s a typical late November in Duluth.
Sunrise was at 7:22 this morning, and sunset will come quick around 4:28 this afternoon. With these short days, best fishing windows line up with the solunar forecast’s minor activity times—which for today were 8 to 9 this morning and will return from 3 to 5 this afternoon.
With ice creeping in at the harbor mouths and protected bays, most open water is now limited to the lake proper and moving water near the St. Louis River entry. Shore fishing is tricky but doable if you pick your windows between snow bands and bring the right insulated gear.
Recent catches have consisted mostly of **Lake Superior lake trout**, a few lingering **coho salmon**, and in the upper St. Louis estuary, scattered reports of nice **walleye** and **eater-sized northern pike**. According to Minnesota Sea Grant, lake trout continue to show strong recovery numbers this fall, and folks casting from Park Point or the Brighton Beach rocks have been picking off a few fish on heavy spoons, especially before the ice sets in.
Walleye action remains spotty but worth a shot during the minor peak hours—locally, anglers have been jigging ¼-ounce bucktails or running rainbow chubs and fatheads under slip bobbers near the mouth of the Lester and French rivers. Ice is frail on the estuary—don’t risk it yet; keep to shore or boat when possible.
For trout and salmon, the MVPs this week have been:
- **Heavy silver spoons** and **casting jigs** in ½ to ¾ oz, something like a Krocodile or Little Cleo.
- **White or smelt-pattern swim baits.**
- For boaters hugging the last open water, longlining with deep-diving stickbaits in silvers and bright chartreuse has taken a few nice fish too.
Walleye: best on natural shiners or fathead minnows, fished slowly and as close to bottom as you can manage with the current snowmelt and runoff. If you’re casting, try firetiger or perch-pattern Rapalas, downsized for cold water.
If you want a shot at whitefish or cisco, jigging small spoons tipped with waxworms near Knife River or the mouths of tributaries has brought some success, especially when the waves let you get close enough to reach the holes in the ice-free current.
As far as hotspots, your best bets today:
- **Canal Park breakwalls:** Fish the lee side for trout with big spoons and patience.
- **French River mouth:** Seek out pockets of open water for walleye and the odd steelhead hit.
- **St. Louis River estuary:** When it isn’t locked up, work the deeper holes at Boy Scout Landing or Rice’s Point with a jig and minnow.
The weather may not be pretty, but cold snaps like this stack up fish in predictable spots if you bundle up and pick your timing—dress for the wind and keep an eye on the sky. Ice is building but not safe yet for foot traffic.
That’s the rundown from icy Duluth. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more angling updates and local know-how.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Winter has arrived in a big way on the North Shore—woke up to wind gusts howling outta the northwest, snow blowing sideways and temps only making it up to the high 20s. According to the National Weather Service, we’re seeing patchy blowing snow into the afternoon, with a high near 28. Overnight lows are hovering around 23 degrees, and there’s been about 5-9 inches of fresh accumulation since yesterday. Winds are steady at 20, gusting 30 mph, so yeah, cold and blustery—it’s a typical late November in Duluth.
Sunrise was at 7:22 this morning, and sunset will come quick around 4:28 this afternoon. With these short days, best fishing windows line up with the solunar forecast’s minor activity times—which for today were 8 to 9 this morning and will return from 3 to 5 this afternoon.
With ice creeping in at the harbor mouths and protected bays, most open water is now limited to the lake proper and moving water near the St. Louis River entry. Shore fishing is tricky but doable if you pick your windows between snow bands and bring the right insulated gear.
Recent catches have consisted mostly of **Lake Superior lake trout**, a few lingering **coho salmon**, and in the upper St. Louis estuary, scattered reports of nice **walleye** and **eater-sized northern pike**. According to Minnesota Sea Grant, lake trout continue to show strong recovery numbers this fall, and folks casting from Park Point or the Brighton Beach rocks have been picking off a few fish on heavy spoons, especially before the ice sets in.
Walleye action remains spotty but worth a shot during the minor peak hours—locally, anglers have been jigging ¼-ounce bucktails or running rainbow chubs and fatheads under slip bobbers near the mouth of the Lester and French rivers. Ice is frail on the estuary—don’t risk it yet; keep to shore or boat when possible.
For trout and salmon, the MVPs this week have been:
- **Heavy silver spoons** and **casting jigs** in ½ to ¾ oz, something like a Krocodile or Little Cleo.
- **White or smelt-pattern swim baits.**
- For boaters hugging the last open water, longlining with deep-diving stickbaits in silvers and bright chartreuse has taken a few nice fish too.
Walleye: best on natural shiners or fathead minnows, fished slowly and as close to bottom as you can manage with the current snowmelt and runoff. If you’re casting, try firetiger or perch-pattern Rapalas, downsized for cold water.
If you want a shot at whitefish or cisco, jigging small spoons tipped with waxworms near Knife River or the mouths of tributaries has brought some success, especially when the waves let you get close enough to reach the holes in the ice-free current.
As far as hotspots, your best bets today:
- **Canal Park breakwalls:** Fish the lee side for trout with big spoons and patience.
- **French River mouth:** Seek out pockets of open water for walleye and the odd steelhead hit.
- **St. Louis River estuary:** When it isn’t locked up, work the deeper holes at Boy Scout Landing or Rice’s Point with a jig and minnow.
The weather may not be pretty, but cold snaps like this stack up fish in predictable spots if you bundle up and pick your timing—dress for the wind and keep an eye on the sky. Ice is building but not safe yet for foot traffic.
That’s the rundown from icy Duluth. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more angling updates and local know-how.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI