Guided Fly Fishing Trips
Fly Fishing Guide in Duluth, MN
Jason Swingen is an experienced Fly Fishing Guide based out of Duluth MN. Offering unforgettable multi-species fly fishing guided trips along the North Shore of Lake Superior to the South Shores of Wisconsin. Targeting migratory steelhead and salmon, as well as native brook trout, and float trips for smallmouth bass, pike, and walleye.
Whether you are an experienced fly-fisher, or you have never cast a fly-rod before Jason will provide you with personalized instruction to help improve your techniques and catch more fish.
Guiding Calender
| Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Shore Steelhead | YES | YES | |||||
| South Shore Steelhead | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
| North Shore Brook Trout | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| North Shore Pink Salmon | YES | YES | |||||
| Warmwater Float Trip | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| Casting Instructions | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
North Shore Steelhead
Trip Details
April and May are prime times for North Shore wild steelhead. We guide over a dozen rivers from Duluth to Canada. Trip destinations are tentatively scheduled but we prefer to be nimble and able to choose rivers that are hot on any given day. Wild steelhead are entirely catch-and-release on the North Shore so our fish can grow to impressive sizes. All North Shore steelhead trips are walk and wade. Learn more about catching North Shore steelhead.
- Dates: April, May
- Trip Options: Walk and Wade
- Anglers: One, Two, or Three
Brule River Migratory Fish
Trip Details
The Bois Brule is a storied and famous river located in northern Wisconsin, roughly 45 minutes from Duluth, MN. Spring and fall trips are available. Wild steelhead fill the river in spring, offering our earliest trips, from April through early May. Migratory brown trout, salmon, and steelhead offer great fishing from September through mid-November. Our migratory trips explore the lower river from US Hwy 2 north to Lake Superior. All Bois Brule migratory trips are walk and wade. Learn more about catching Brule River steelhead.
- Dates: April, May, September, October
- Trip Options: Walk and Wade
- Anglers: One, Two, or Three
North Shore Brook Trout
Trip Details
Fly fishing for wild brook trout beneath towering waterfalls and through deep canyons is a unique way to experience the North Shore. Resident brook trout are an excellent option for those learning to fly fish, looking to explore the wilderness, kids, or those wanting to fine-tune technique. Easy access and more challenging trips are available. We offer these trips from the end of May through the end of September. All North Shore trout trips are walk-wade. Learn more about brook trout fishing on the north shore of Lake Superior.
- Dates: May, June, July, September
- Trip Options: Walk and Wade
- Anglers: One, Two, Three, or Four
North Shore Pink Salmon
Trip Details
Pink salmon are one of the most underrated migratory fish on the north shore. They often enter Lake Superior’s tributaries in great numbers, they can be fairly easy to find, and they fight extremely hard for their size. They are a great species for beginners to get started into fly fishing as well as great for advanced anglers to fine-tune their skills in preparation for the spring steelhead run. Learn more about fly fishing for pink salmon.
- Dates: September, October
- Trip Options: Walk and Wade
- Anglers: One, Two, or Three
Warmwater Float Trip
Trip Details
Float down a river and run the rapids through the Northern Minnesota wilderness on a scenic fly fishing float trip! Smallmouth bass, northern pike and the occasional muskie or walleye are the quarry. Using larger rods to cast topwater flies and streamers, this is a great way to hit the water in the heat of summer. This is a warm-weather trip option and we guide rivers such as the St. Louis and Cloquet from June through September. Limited to 2 people. Learn more about fly fishing for bass and other warmwater species.
- Dates: June, July, September
- Trip Options: Walk and Wade, or Float Trip
- Anglers: One, or Two
Fly Casting Instructions
Trip Details
New to fly casting or looking to fine-tune your casting technique? Spend some time outside working on everything from basic overhead casting, roll casting or even advanced double hauling for an upcoming saltwater trip.
- Dates: March, April, May, June, July, September, October
- Anglers: One, Two, Three, or Four
Book your Fly Fishing Trip
Rates
- Half-Day Guided Fly Fishing (Walk and Wade) - $300
- Full-Day Guided Fly Fishing (Walk and Wade) - $450
- Full-Day Float Guided Fly Fishing (Float Trip) - $525
- Additional Angler - $50
- Waders and Boots Rental - $35
- Fly Rod and Reel Rental - $35
- Fly Casting Lessons - $50/hr/person
A $200 deposit is required after a trip is set up to lock in your fishing date. The remaining balance is due by the end of our trip date.
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- Full days include lunch and beverages.
- Flies and tippet are provided for all trips.
- Gratuity not included, but greatly appreciated.
No refunds will be made within one week of your scheduled trip. We will notify you if weather or water conditions require the cancellation or rescheduling of your trip. In such a case, a full refund will be made if other arrangements cannot be made to your satisfaction.
All rates are subject to change at any time. Confirmation of rates occurs only with receipt of the deposit for your trip.
We are dedicated to protecting our natural resources and promoting responsible fishing practices. All trips are catch-and-release only. Even if regulations allow for fish to legally be kept.
Contact Information
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Guiding Gallery
Prepare For Your Trip
What to Bring
- Weather Appropriate Clothes
- Our Steelhead trips can get very cold. Multiple layers of wool and insulation will help. Hand-warmers, and toe-warmers can help make your trip more comfortable.
- Sunglasses (polarized)
- You should bring sunglasses even if it’s cloudy. Polarized glasses will help you see in the water and either see structures or even see where you are walking if we need to wade across a river.
- Protecting your eyes from our flies’ hook is also extremely important.
- Snacks, Water
- Fly Rod and Reel
- Pink Salmon and Brook Trout (3wt - 6wt)
- Steelhead (7wt - 8wt)
- A 9’ 5wt is a very common fly rod, that will handle many species of fish. However, it is much too light to fish for our hard-fighting steelhead. If you do not own or have access to a 7wt or 8wt fly rod we have rental equipment available.
- Bass and Pike (5wt - 9wt)
- Waders, and Boots
- Some may require hiking. We recommend breathable waders and wading bootsRubber-soled wading boots are not required but are recommended. Having studs in your boots will help when hiking and wading.
- Flies
- We recommend bringing a small assortment of your own flies, but we will have plenty of flies to use as well.
- For local fly recommendations please visit our local fly shops.
- Nippers, Hemostats
- Don’t worry we will tie on most of your flies, but just in case it can be helpful to bring your own nippers, and hemostats. Bonus points if you bring my all-time favorite fly-fishing accessory, the Scissor Mitten Clamp.
- Fishing License and Trout Stamp
- You will need to have a current fishing license and trout stamp for the state we will be fishing. There are many options for year, week, and day licenses available for both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- Minnesota Fishing Licenses
- The single-day, 7-day, and 14-day licenses do not require a trout stamp
- Wisconsin Fishing Licenses
- There are affordable options for non-residents including a “First-time buyer”, and “One-day fishing license”
- You will also need to purchase the “Inland Trout Stamp” if we will be fishing for trout in WI.
- Minnesota Fishing Licenses
- You will need to have a current fishing license and trout stamp for the state we will be fishing. There are many options for year, week, and day licenses available for both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
What You Don’t Need To Bring
- Net
- You won’t need to bring a net, but you can if you have one and would like to bring it. We will have an appropriately sized net for the species of fish we will be fishing for.
- Terminal Tackle
- We will have appropriate leaders, tipper, split-shot, indicators, etc.
Meeting on the Water
Because most of the rivers we will fish in are dependant on water-flow, and some of the fish are migratory we will not know the exact location of where we will be fishing until often a few days before our trip. When scheduling a trip we will let you know general areas of where we will most likely be fishing, then will contact you a few days before our trip to make a plan for our day on the water.