Fishing

Minnesota’s state fish averages 1 to 3 pounds but sometimes exceeds 10. Catch this tasty fish canoeing in the northern wilderness, trolling live-bait rigs on weed lines or bouncing jigs along a river bottom. If you don’t have a boat, rent a spot on a commercial launch and reel in walleyes alongside other anglers. 

Find rainbow, brook and brown trout in the woodland creeks of Minnesota’s Bluff Country and the tributary streams of Lake Superior. Find lake trout, chinook and coho salmon in the cold waters of Superior itself. A “brookie” may measure only a foot, while a mature chinook can push 20 pounds.

One of the largest and most populous fish in the state, you’ll find this exhilarating catch all over, from the backwaters of the Mississippi to the wilderness lakes of canoe country. Catch them on both live bait and artificial lures, by casting and trolling. They also make for great sport on a fly rod.

Minnesota muskies are bigger and more widespread than ever, thanks to successful stocking programs that have introduced them to new lakes. A catch-and-release program allows them to grow big—sometimes over 50 pounds. 

To find smallmouth and largemouth bass, head out in a bass boat and work the weed lines with plastic worms. Run spinnerbaits through the shallows, or row a boat along the lily pads and throw topwater plugs. In some of these waters, you can spend the day without seeing another person.

Sunfish and crappies live in most Minnesota lakes. Some of the state’s largest lakes, known best for big walleyes, offer a surprise—jumbo yellow perch, some weighing more than a pound.