Sport fishermen are celebrating a new season of steelhead fishing along North Shore tributaries. Here are four key links to celebrate the upcoming thaw!

In an article via Stevens Point Journal, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources report that their biologists recorded an increase in steelhead numbers during a count last September. DNR Biologist Paul Piszczek says the 2015 numbers were the highest they’d been in five years: “For nearly nine consecutive weeks starting in September, steelhead exhibited movements of 400 or more fish past the Brule fishway. This is a marked improvement over the past three of four fall seasons, when steelhead counts exceeded 400 fish for only two or three weeks.”

He goes on to speculate that the data collected by the DNR heralds the start of a good spring season: “The higher fall steelhead count combined with the size of fish we are seeing has many anglers anticipating some of the better steelhead fishing we’ve seen in several years,” Piszczek said.

For the full Stevens Point article, click here. 

Thunder Bay outdoorsman and radio personality Gord Ellis posted a recent photo to his twitter account, grinning widely with his first large steelhead catch of the season. To answer the prayers of everyone from experienced anglers to budding fish fanatics, he’s compiled a list of prime tributaries for steelhead fishing along the North Shore of Superior. The list includes spots in both Ontario and Minnesota, from Pigeon River to Steel River and everywhere in between.

Take a gander at Gord’s ‘Best Bets for ‘Bows’ list here.

The North Shore Steelhead Association is holding it’s 33rd Annual Dinner and auction TONIGHT! APRIL 1ST, 2016 at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay. Tickets are $60/per person or $600/table of 10. All funds go towards conservation and preservation of the cold water fishery in the District of Thunder Bay. They’re auctioning off a host of top notch prizes, including a 5-night stay for 4 at Kashabowie Resort, and an all-inclusive weekend getaway for four at a custom ice lodge on Lac Des Milles Lacs.

For tickets, and a link to the Association’s comprehensive site, click here!

And as an audio-visual treat for anglers excited about the upcoming season, take a gander at this steelhead documentary. Titled “The North Shore Diaries,” Storm Carroll of Storm Carroll Photography presents a 35 minute film on the North Shore fishing lifestyle.