Fishing Report 5-14-11

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We are well into the Minnesota walleye opener today and the weather still smells of steelhead.  Are you done steelheading for the season?  I am not! 

As you will read in the DNR creel report below, the numbers of fish in the survey seem few - they are.  What you need to remember though is that most fair weather steelhead anglers are already off the water and either done for the year or back in the woods chasing other species today.  Fewer anglers on the water mean fewer fish recorded.

For those wondering if the steelhead are still running, quit wondering and get out and fish - they are!  When conditions are favorable, like they are this month,  You can bet that there are still fish moving in most middle and upper shore steelhead rivers. Yes, it is true that we are near the end of the 2011 spring run, but some of my best fishing has been done late season.  In fact, a couple of us will still be on the water into next weekend.  Hope to still see a few of you out with us!

~DB


DNR Creel Report:

From 5/9 through 5/12, water temperatures ranged from 52 to 58 on the Lower Shore, 48-52 on the Middle Shore, and were 45 to 57 on the Upper Shore. 

Interviewed anglers caught 5 Steelhead, 5 Kamloops, and 17 Suckers on the Lower Shore, 5 Steelhead, 5 Brook Trout, 1 Kamloops and 1 Sucker on the Middle Shore, and 6 Steelhead on the Upper Shore.  The Knife Trap totals are 396 Steelhead and 27 Kamloops, while French River Trap totals are 813 Kamloops and 93 Steelhead.

Stream flows shorewide are still decreasing, but still running with above average clear flows.


Fishing reports are updated on the web on Mondays and Fridays at http://mndnr.gov/areas/fisheries/lakesuperior/report.html 
or by calling our office at 218-525-0853 and selecting 1 for the updated fishing report

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