Artificial Lure here, reporting from the chilly shorelines of Lake Superior in Duluth this Thursday, November 13th, 2025. We woke to crisp, clear air—right now in Duluth it’s 43°F, with the mercury nudging up just a bit as the day rolls on. It feels downright classic for late fall, and the lake is glassy calm, a real treat for folks sneaking out before freeze-up. The sunrise hit the water at 7:09 AM and we’re expecting sunset at 4:36 PM—so you’ve got a shorter window to wet a line, but with the low wind and stable pressure, conditions are just right for patient anglers.
Lake Superior doesn’t have true tides, but there are minor seiche-driven water level fluctuations—these are negligible today, so you’ll have steady shoreline and river mouth access for casting or drifting. Water temps are continuing their downward slide, currently sitting around 42°F—cold enough to stack fish in deeper water and get those big fall feeders on the chew.
Recent catch reports are tapering but still solid if you know where to look. The main action lately has been off the piers and river mouths, especially near the Aerial Lift Bridge and the Lester River. Folks are pulling a mixed bag—plump lake trout are still trickling in, especially for those jigging 30–50 feet down. The steelhead run is mostly waning, but a few strong fish are showing up in current breaks or just outside the rivers. Best catches this week have been a handful of lakers in the 3–7 pound range, a couple rogue splake, and a couple of lucky anglers managing late-fall brown trout on brighter days.
The hot ticket for lures? Locals are swearing by heavy tube jigs in white or smelt patterns—tip them with a fathead minnow or a strip of sucker for max scent. For steelhead and browns, try tossing a #7 Rapala Countdown or a gold/bronze Little Cleo spoon near inflows. Salmon egg sacks and fresh spawn bags remain the go-to for bank guys, drifted under a float in river mouths for that slow, tantalizing presentation. For those chasing the late catfish bite, especially in the St. Louis River, cut sucker is your best cold-water bait—stick to the deep holes near channel bends and let the scent trail do its thing, as recommended by fall catfish pros at Angling Edge.
A couple of prime hot spots I’d bet on today:
- **Lester River mouth:** Always reliable after a cold snap, this spot coughs up steelhead and browns in November—especially on brisk mornings like this one.
- **Minnesota Point/Skyline Pier:** Deeper water access from shore and a chance at lake trout, and maybe a bonus coho if you’re slinging spoons at first light.
As always, boaters launching near the Duluth-Superior entry should watch for ice near ramps—safety first. Not much floating debris yet, but mornings are cold enough for a skim of ice to surprise you at launch.
Thanks for tuning in to the latest Lake Superior report from your pal, Artificial Lure! If you want these reports straight from the shoreline, don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
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