Minnesota Fishing

Minnesota DNR certifies a state record coho salmon

An angler caught a 10-pound, 14-ounce coho salmon from Lake Superior in St. Louis County that the Minnesota DNR has certified as a state record, breaking the previous record from 1970.

David Cichosz caught the salmon on Sept. 4 while on a charter fishing trip with his wife Chris Sky. Cichosz said it was a beautiful morning in which Sky caught the first fish, a nice lake trout, and they proceeded to nearly catch their limit of lake trout before starting to fish for salmon. With Captain Kent Paulsen driving the boat they were sitting back enjoying the morning when Sky noticed the rod really moving.

?I quickly grabbed it and was off on the fight. I kept thinking to myself, ?am I gaining any line on this fish??? Cichosz said, adding that he was tempted to tighten the drag but Paulsen told him to leave it and let the fish take out line. ?Once the fish broke the surface, I could tell by our captain?s response that we had a big fish.?

After they weighed the fish and took pictures, they found a certified scale at a grocery store in Duluth, and turned in the paperwork the next day to the DNR.

?I am thankful for the record but at the end of the day, I am happy to just share the joy of fishing with new friends and fellow [anglers] and to be on the lake with my wife,? Cichosz said.

The DNR announces state records in news releases, on social media and on its website. Find current records and guidelines for each type of state record on the DNR record fish webpage.

Through Friday: Share your thoughts on special fishing regulation proposals

The Minnesota DNR is asking for input on several special fishing regulation proposals. The DNR is considering regulation changes on the following waters:

• Northern pike in Gull Lake Chain (Cass and Crow Wing counties)
• Northern pike in Pearl Lake (Stearns County)
• Crappie and sunfish in Clearwater Lake (Wright County)
• Crappie and sunfish in Maple Lake (Wright County)
• Sunfish in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Crow Wing lakes (Hubbard County)
• Sunfish in Lake Winnibigoshish (Beltrami, Cass and Itasca counties)
• Northern pike in Balsam, Haskell and Scrapper lakes (Itasca County)
• Walleye in Big Sand Lake (Hubbard County)

Anyone can provide input about these proposals via an online survey that is available through Friday, Oct. 20. Check the DNR website for additional ways to comment.? ?

Are you a muskie hunter?

Many devout muskellunge anglers look forward to this time of year. Some of the largest muskie are caught in October and November, when the fish are actively feeding before winter. The inland water muskie season is open through Friday, Dec. 1.

Want to learn how to fish for muskies and catch some this fall? Check out the Minnesota DNR learn to fish webpage about?how to catch a muskie.

Catch trout this fall

Fall is a fantastic time for trout fishing! Inland stream trout fishing season is closed but you still have a few weeks to catch stream trout in lakes, and even take some home for a meal.

Few anglers pursue rainbow trout in the fall, but good fishing is possible. Most trout, including rainbows, will bite on a nightcrawler. This is an especially good option if you?re keeping fish.

You can also cast small spinners or flail the shorelines with a streamer like a wooly bugger.

Fine-tasting brook trout and splake (a hybrid of lake trout and brook trout) are stocked in small, northern lakes. Brook trout and splake are fall spawners, but they cannot successfully spawn in most lakes because they need streams for spawning. Troll or cast for them as they congregate near points.

Brown trout are stocked in a few lakes. These elusive trout may grow to large sizes, giving skilled (or lucky) anglers the opportunity to catch a trophy. Brown trout are fall spawners and roam the shorelines in October. Cast with large streamers, crankbaits, or spinners to target them. Bigger lures sometimes means bigger fish!

Find a trout fishing spot near you on the DNR trout fishing page. Review trout regulations and limits starting on page 24 of the Minnesota fishing regulations.?

Brook trout photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

North Shore fishing info

Are you a fan of large fish? Don?t pass up North Shore fall fishing!

Fall can be a great time to tangle with large lake-run trout and salmon on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Pink salmon, steelhead and brown trout can all be targeted below the posted boundary of Lake Superior tributary streams all year. For more about fishing on the North Shore, visit the?Minnesota DNR website.