Fall Transition on the Big Lake - Duluth Fishing Report 09/27/2025
Artificial Lure with your Lake Superior, Duluth fishing report for Saturday, September 27th, 2025.
The fall transition is in full swing on the big lake, and today’s sunrise cracked the horizon at 7:03 AM with sunset coming at 6:58 PM. Lake Superior doesn’t have classic ocean tides, but onshore wind and air pressure changes can create seiche action—watch for fluctuating water levels, especially after last night’s chill breeze.
Weatherwise, we’re waking up to a crisp, clear morning—temps in the upper 40s, reaching a high around 60 later. Winds have laid down since yesterday’s westerlies, making for pretty ideal fishing, especially if you’re setting out from the harbor or Park Point.
Fish activity is ramping up. According to the latest local reports from yesterday, the salmon, trout, and perch bite is running strong in the Duluth area. Anglers trolling along the North Shore picked up coho and a few king salmon, mostly on spoons and cutbait flashers, with activity increasing at dawn and late afternoon. The Kamloops rainbows are still scattered along shoreline breaks—try casting Little Cleos or bright stickbaits early or after sundown. Lake trout action has moved a bit shallower, especially from 20 to 60 feet near Blatnik Bridge and the Lester River mouth; natural-colored tube jigs and white paddletails have been producing steady results. Smallmouth bass are being found on rocky nearshore points from Brighton Beach out to Knife River, typically on drop-shot rigged soft plastics and smaller swimbaits.
Perch reports from the St. Louis River estuary and around Hearding Island have been solid—lots of eaters with some jumbos mixed in. A simple fathead minnow under a slip bobber or a small jig tipped with crawler pieces is getting the job done. There are even some nice walleyes biting after sundown, sliding up to feed along shallow flats where the current’s pushing bait. According to The Bass Cast’s September tips, downsizing profile and using more natural colors can really help as fish are keying in on small, late-season forage. Try Ned rigs with green pumpkin or smoke colors, and if you’re bass hunting, keep a few craw-styled baits and beetle imitations handy.
Recent catches in the area include coho up to 5 pounds, some lake trout pushing double digits, and steady perch buckets from shore anglers at the mouth of the Lester River and the fishing pier down at Canal Park. The St. Louis River is pumping out good numbers of both perch and the occasional catfish, especially using live bait on medium rods—catfish rod junkies, this is your window.
Hot spots this week:
- The Lester River mouth and Brighton Beach: strong for trout and salmon, especially with overcast cover.
- St. Louis River estuary around 40th Avenue West and Clough Island: perch, occasional walleye, mixed smallmouth.
- Park Point shipping canal and Lakewalk fishing pier: active with trout at dawn and dusk; watch for schools moving through.
Best baits: silver/blue and chartreuse spoons for salmon, tube jigs, and paddletails for lakers, and natural colored soft plastics for smallies. Fresh fathead or shiner minnows are tops for perch and walleye. Drop-shot presentations and Carolina rigs work great for finding deeper, transition-zone bass.
With waters cooling and light winds today, expect fish to hold a bit shallower through the mid-morning—do some shoreline poking before moving out deeper after lunch.
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