Four Northland Shore Fishing Piers Get Big Improvements For This Summer

The Minnesota Fishing opener is now behind us, and we're into the summer fishing season.

While most people assume you need a boat to get out and do some open-water fishing in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the good news is that the Minnesota DNR has more than 200 designated fishing piers and shore fishing sites around the state, so you can get out and catch some fish without needing a boat.

Four Northern Minnesota fishing piers recently got some nice upgrades just in time for the 2026 open-water fishing season, with plans to provide upgrades to more piers this season.

READ MORE: Minnesota DNR's 2026 Open Water Fishing Outlook

The four piers where upgrades were recently completed are:

Munger Landing - Duluth, MN: A fishing pier was installed in the Duluth area, just off Clyde Avenue in the Smithville neighborhood on the St. Louis River. The landing offers pier fishing and a boat landing.

Wakemup Bay - Cook, MN: This is a new fishing pier added between the campground and boat access at Wakemup Bay Campground on Lake Vermilion. A gravel trail was also added from the parking area to make it more accessible. This is one of a couple of shore fishing options on Lake Vermilion. The photo at the top of this article is of this fishing pier.

Little Emily Lake - Crow Wing County, MN: This freshly upgraded fishing pier got a 20-foot extension to allow anglers to reach deeper water more easily. It is on the southeastern side of Little Emily Lake, which is just north of Emily, Minnesota. It is pictured right above.

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Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area - Ironton, MN: This is one of a few shore fishing spots in the Cuyuna & Ironton area. A 64-foot wooden pier was installed near the beach on Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake in Ironton.

The DNR says they have additional projects in the works, including on Sand Lake near Warba.

The upgraded fishing piers are funded by "Get Out M.O.R.E." (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences), a one-time fund of $150 million set aside to help ensure Minnesotans of all abilities and interests enjoy high-quality outdoor recreation.

You can find all of the hundreds of Minnesota's public use fishing piers and shore fishing locations on the Minnesota DNR website.