Waters · United States
St. Louis River fishing report
Updated Sunday, October 25, 2026 · refreshed automatically through the day
The largest US river into Lake Superior, ending in a wide estuary at Duluth. Lake Superior walleye run up to the Fond du Lac dam each spring, and the estuary has a growing muskie fishery. The gauge at Scanlon sits above the hydro dams.
Today's report: good (75/100)
Walleye is the most promising species on St. Louis River today. Water temperature at the gauge is 53°F (11.4°C) and barometric pressure is falling. Gauge ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON, MN shows the water level steady.
St. Louis River water temperature and flow
- Water temperature: 53°F (11.4°C)
- Discharge: 480 cfs (13.6 m³/s) — up 2% over 24 hours
- Level trend: steady
Measured at gauge ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON, MN · reading 17 min ago. Published by the national hydrological service, not estimated by us.
Best time to fish today
- 6:00 PM–8:00 PM local time — score 77/100
- 9:00 PM–11:00 PM local time — score 69/100
- 12:00 AM–2:00 AM local time — score 72/100
3-day outlook by species
| Species | Sunday, Oct 25 | Monday, Oct 26 | Tuesday, Oct 27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 75 — good | 64 — good | 74 — good |
| Muskellunge | 67 — good | 43 — fair | 59 — fair |
| Smallmouth Bass | 65 — good | 45 — fair | 42 — fair |
Why this score
Cast & Scan uses a deterministic, published scoring model — no black box. The strongest influences on today's St. Louis River rating:
- light: helping (+1)
- cloud cover: helping (+1)
- season: helping (+1)
- river flow: helping (+0.95)
- wind: helping (+0.85)
- pressure trend: helping (+0.8)
Forecast computed Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:47:01 GMT · data: Open-Meteo + gauge ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON, MN · refreshed automatically through the day · see our published accuracy
Winter fishing on St. Louis River
In winter the St. Louis estuary at Duluth freezes and is fished for walleye, perch and pike. Current, shipping channels and the river below the dams keep some ice thin, so stay off the moving water. The spring walleye run up to the Fond du Lac dam starts as the ice goes out.
Seasons, closed sections and permits are set by the state and change. Check the current regulations before a winter trip, and never trust shelf ice or a forecast for your safety.
Wondering how this stacks up against the apps you already know? Cast & Scan vs Fishbrain vs BassForecast — an honest comparison, including where they beat us.
Read before you go
- When pike bite: the pressure, light and temperature windows
- The best time to fish for bass
- How river flow trend changes the bite
- Barometric pressure and fishing, explained
More walleye waters
- Lake Erie (Western Basin) — Ohio, USA
- Lake St. Clair — Michigan, USA
- Au Gres River — Michigan, USA
- Burt Lake — Michigan, USA
- Devils Lake — North Dakota, USA
Nearby waters
- Knife River — Minnesota, USA (34 mi away)
- Bois Brule River — Wisconsin, USA (41 mi away)
- Mille Lacs Lake — Minnesota, USA (66 mi away)
- Lake Vermilion — Minnesota, USA (80 mi away)
- Gull Lake — Minnesota, USA (94 mi away)
- Lake Winnibigoshish — Minnesota, USA (97 mi away)