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If you’re looking for a worthwhile angling adventure this fall, I’d highly recommend taking a trip to Minnesota’s North Shore.

During the month of September, the lake trout go on a serious eating binge and congregate heavily at the mouths of many of the major rivers that flow into Lake Superior.

Fishing for them is fairly easy, with a vast majority of fish caught on one half to three quarter oz. spoons cast from shore. Traditional walleye outfits will do the job, but an 8 and a half to 11 ft. medium/light action rod is ideal. The lighter action and added length will send a spoon a greater distance to reach fish further out into the lake. Also, this type of rod will allow you to run lighter line.

Considering the lake’s water clarity, it always pays to run the lightest, smallest diameter line you can. I’ve found that early mornings and the last two hours of daylight are prime times to chase Superior’s lake trout.

Also, the pink salmon begin to stage at the rivers prior to their fall spawning run in September. Like the lake trout, pinks respond well to spoons cast into the lake, and once the run has begun, spin fishermen also have success fishing the rivers, too. Bottom-bouncing spawn bags on egg hooks, with some split-shot placed 18 or so inches up the line, take quite a few pinks each season. Otherwise, once their run up the rivers is in full swing, drifting yarn flies and egg patterns with a fly rod can be deadly.

Because Lake Superior’s Fall river fishing is entirely dependent on rainfall run-off, it’s important to get a “real time” report on conditions a few days before you head up there. The folks at Marine General Supply and the Lester River Fly Shop in Duluth will let you know about river conditions and what types of baits and presentations are taking fish.

If you haven’t yet fished the North Shore, give it try. The fall colors and scenery alone will bring you back next season.

Dan Brown’s weekly outdoor column is brought to you by Frankies Bait and Marine in Chisago City.

Dan Brown is a director at the Chisago Lakes Achievement Center in Chisago City. In addition, Brown is a fly casting instructor and trout fishing guide at Seven Pines Lodge in Lewis, WI. Recently Brown was featured on Ron Schara’s Minnesota Bound and ESPN II’s Backroads with Ron and Raven, as well as KSTP channel 5’s Eyewitness News Morning Show. He is a Taylors Falls resident and can often be found on the area lakes, trout streams and the St. Croix river.

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