Saint Louis River Fishing Guides
Lake Superior's largest United States tributary, running through the Jay Cooke gorge to Duluth, with a nationally regarded smallmouth fishery and a recovering lake sturgeon population.
Guides on the Saint Louis River
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About the Saint Louis River
The Saint Louis is the largest United States tributary to Lake Superior, and it covers a remarkable amount of ground on its way there. From its headwaters north of the Iron Range it runs south and then east through Carlton County, dropping through the dark slate gorge at Jay Cooke State Park before widening into the estuary at Duluth and Superior. The gauge at Scanlon sits just above that gorge, below Cloquet, and it reports water temperature as well as discharge, which matters on a river where both the warmwater and the migratory fishing are temperature-driven.
The smallmouth bass fishery in the lower river and the estuary is the one anglers travel for, with rocky structure, current seams and a reputation for both numbers and size. Walleye are abundant and heavily fished, muskellunge use the estuary and the slower flats, and northern pike are everywhere. Lake sturgeon, once nearly lost here, have recovered substantially through sustained restoration work and are now a genuine presence in the lower river. Steelhead, chinook and coho run from Lake Superior into the lower reaches, giving the river a cold-water season alongside its warmwater one.
The river’s industrial history is part of the story. Decades of paper mill and harbour pollution left serious contamination in the lower estuary, and the long remediation of that stretch is among the largest freshwater cleanups in the country. Fish consumption advisories apply in places and are worth reading before keeping anything. The gorge below Scanlon is spectacular but hazardous, with slick rock and powerful water, and is for looking at rather than wading. Guides working the estuary out of Duluth and Superior fish it year round and are the fastest way onto the smallmouth, which move considerably through the season across a piece of water large enough to be genuinely daunting.
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Access
Scanlon - the gauge location below Cloquet and the reference point for flow and water temperature on the middle river.
Jay Cooke State Park - the slate gorge downstream, with trails and overlooks; the water itself is dangerous and not wadeable.
Duluth-Superior harbour - the estuary at the river mouth, the heart of the smallmouth, walleye and musky fishery.
Cloquet - the nearest city upstream, the practical base for tackle, licences and access to the middle river.
Fond du Lac - the neighbourhood at the head of the estuary and a common launching point for the lower river.
Public boat ramps - distributed around the estuary on both the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides.
Lake Superior - the receiving water, supplying the steelhead, chinook and coho that run the lower river.
Seasons
Spring: high cold snowmelt through the gorge, with steelhead running the lower river and walleye concentrating in the estuary.
Summer: the signature smallmouth season, with the estuary and lower river fishing at their best and the gauge temperature a useful guide.
Fall: cooling water brings chinook and coho in from Lake Superior, strong musky fishing in the estuary and much less traffic.
Winter: iced over through most of the system, with ice fishing on the estuary the main activity and the river itself closed in.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Saint Louis River?
As of Nov 2, 5:30 am, the USGS gauge ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON, MN reads 747 cfs, with water temperature 47.5 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Saint Louis River?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake Sturgeon, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Steelhead, Walleye, Yellow Perch on the Saint Louis River in Minnesota.
Where can you access the Saint Louis River?
Scanlon - the gauge location below Cloquet and the reference point for flow and water temperature on the middle river. Jay Cooke State Park - the slate gorge downstream, with trails and overlooks; the water itself is dangerous and not wadeable. Duluth-Superior harbour - the estuary at the river mouth, the heart of the smallmouth, walleye and musky fishery. Cloquet - the nearest city upstream, the practical base for tackle, licences and access to the middle river. Fond du Lac - the neighbourhood at the head of the estuary and a common launching point for the lower river. Public boat ramps - dis...
When is the best time to fish the Saint Louis River?
Spring: high cold snowmelt through the gorge, with steelhead running the lower river and walleye concentrating in the estuary. Summer: the signature smallmouth season, with the estuary and lower river fishing at their best and the gauge temperature a useful guide. Fall: cooling water brings chinook and coho in from Lake Superior, strong musky fishing in the estuary and much less traffic. Winter: iced over through most of the system, with ice fishing on the estuary the main activity and the river itself closed in.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Saint Louis River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Minnesota agency site: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/index.html