Lake Superior trout fishing season kicks off Thursday in Minnesota, Wisconsin

Lake Superior’s trout fishing season opens Thursday for Minnesotans and Wisconsinites.

Anyone who wants to fish for trout there from Dec. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023 – or until the harvest cap is met – should brush up on regulations and make sure they are properly licensed.

People from either state must possess a valid fishing license and buy a trout and salmon stamp before they go. One must possess a valid Minnesota license on Minnesota-allocated Lake Superior waters, and vice versa for Wisconsin.

One exception pertains to tributaries of the largest of the Great Lakes: A Minnesota license is acceptable on the St. Louis River Estuary, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Depending on where a person fishes, their lake trout bag limit will vary. The limit is three lake trout for Wisconsin Western Arm waters, two lake trout for Wisconsin Apostle Islands waters, and three lake trout for Minnesota North Shore waters, according to Minnesota and Wisconsin DNR guidelines.

The Wisconsin DNR says this trout season will be the last season under the current quota for the Apostle Islands region, although the department says it has not yet decided on the quota for next season.

No one from either state is allowed to fish from certain sanctuary spaces, including the French, Knife, Lester, Devil Track and Kadunce rivers, as well as Gauthier Creek.

Find all Minnesota rules and regulations in the Minnesota DNR’s 2022 guide. Lake Superior information can be found on pages 26-28 of the guide. Find Wisconsin information on the Wisconsin DNR’s page for Lake Superior fishing.

Want to learn more about lake trout populations? Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.