Fishing in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore covers a stretch of Lake Superior's southern shore along the Bayfield Peninsula, plus 21 islands scattered across open water to the north.

The fishing here is almost entirely Lake Superior fishing — cold, deep, and subject to weather that can change fast.

Up to 44 fish species are documented in and around the islands, but the ones anglers come for are lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout (steelhead), coho salmon, and lake whitefish.

A Wisconsin fishing license and a Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp are required to fish within the park.

Season dates, closed areas, and method restrictions are enforced by both the National Park Service and Wisconsin DNR — check current Wisconsin fishing regulations before you go.

Two areas worth knowing about: Gull Island Shoal and Devils Island Shoal are designated refuges, established in 1976 and 1981 respectively to protect and restore lake trout populations.

Both have been successful enough that whitefish numbers have also increased. Fish these areas carefully and know the current boundaries. Spring — from ice-out through late May or early June — is when shore fishing comes into its own.

Trout and salmon push into shallower water, often 10 to 30 feet deep, drawn by warming temperatures and spawning runs of steelhead and rainbow smelt. The north side of Long Island is consistently productive during this window.

Basswood, Hermit, and Oak Islands are also worth working. Along the mainland, points adjacent to spawning streams — the Sioux, Onion, Pikes, Cranberry, and Flag Rivers — concentrate fish from Ashland to Port Wing.

Casting lures from shore is a legitimate approach at this time of year. Summer shifts the fishing offshore. Trolling and jigging around the archipelago's reefs and rocky structure puts anglers on lake trout and coho.

Hermit, Stockton, and the north end of Madeline Island all hold fish. Chinook salmon are present as well. The reefs scattered among the islands are a key piece of the puzzle — they attract and hold fish through the warmer months. Lake Superior demands respect.

Cold water temperatures, sudden squalls, fog, and rough seas are not hypothetical. Check marine forecasts on channel 7 (162. 525 MHz) before leaving the dock. The distance between islands and the mainland is real, and conditions can deteriorate quickly.

The fishing here is tied directly to the park's protected status — the refuge shoals, the intact shoreline, the cold clean water. That's not incidental to the experience; it's the reason the fish are here.