Mississippi River Minneapolis Fishing Report Today

This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report.

We’re locked into early hardwater mode across the metro, but Pool 1 around Minneapolis is still pushing current and holding fish. FishingReminder’s solunar tables put the stronger bite windows this morning and again around dusk, which lines up with what locals have been seeing: slow mid‑day, but a real bump in activity when that light gets low.

Weather-wise, the Twin Cities are sitting in typical mid‑December cold: daytime highs in the teens to low 20s, single digits overnight, light northwest breeze, and high pressure overhead according to the National Weather Service. Skies are mostly clear, so expect a bright day and a tougher middle‑of‑the‑day bite. Sunrise is right around 7:45 a.m. with sunset just before 4:30 p.m. per timeanddate, so your prime walleye and sauger windows are that first and last hour of light.

No real tide to speak of on this stretch of the Mississippi, but river level has been fairly stable with moderate flow based on USGS river gauges. That steady current keeps a few seams and eddies loaded with fish even when everything else feels locked down.

Recent reports from local anglers and metro shop chatter have Pool 1 giving up decent numbers of **walleyes**, **saugers**, and some bonus **smallmouth bass**, plus a few eater **channel cats** on cut bait after dark. Most walleyes are running 14–18 inches with an occasional 20‑plus sliding in at dawn. Smallmouth have mostly slid to wintering holes, but you can still pick a few off deep rock if you grind.

Best presentations right now are classic cold‑water, low‑and‑slow stuff. For walleye and sauger, work 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jigs tipped with fatheads or shiners along 15–25 foot channel edges and inside turns; outdoor columnists in Minnesota Outdoor News keep hammering on that pattern every winter, and it’s playing again. If you like plastics, a small paddle‑tail on a light jig, just ticking bottom, has been enough when the sun’s low. After dark, a slow‑worked jigging rap or blade bait on deeper current breaks can trigger the bigger marks.

For smallmouth, think finesse. Ned rigs with 1/10 to 1/6 ounce heads and 2.75–3 inch TRD‑style baits, or a compact hair jig, dragged painfully slow over rubble and mid‑river rock piles are getting bites from those winter groups that won’t chase a swimbait anymore.

If you’re chasing cats, cut sucker or shad on a simple slip sinker rig in the deeper holes below dams is your best bet. Set up, soak it 20–30 minutes; if you don’t get touched, move. Even in the cold, channels will slide up on softer current edges when the sun’s been on the water a while.

A couple local hotspots to think about:

- **Saint Anthony Falls / Upper and Lower Lock areas**: current seams and deep scour holes below the structures hold walleyes and saugers all winter when conditions allow safe access.

- **Lock and Dam 1 down toward Minnehaha Creek confluence**: classic wintering water with defin

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Mississippi River report for the Minneapolis stretch.

Up here we don’t worry about tides, just **flow and weather**. According to the National Weather Service Twin Cities discussion, we’re in a deep cold snap with air temps struggling around and below zero, light winds, and high pressure parked overhead. That kind of cold will build shelf ice along the banks and slow current in the quieter cuts.

Sunrise for Minneapolis today is right around **7:40 a.m.**, with sunset near **4:30–4:40 p.m.**, based on the solunar and astronomy tables for the metro. FishingReminder’s Minneapolis forecast pegs **major activity early** this morning and again around dusk, which lines up with what river regulars already know: bite windows are short and focused around low light.

Recent chatter from Minnesota Outdoor News and local bait shops has the **Mississippi pools around town giving up walleyes, sauger, and a mix of smallmouth and channel cats** before the deepest freeze really clamps down. Most of the better reports have been **quality over numbers**: a handful of eater walleyes with an occasional fish in the 24–27 inch class, plus bonus rough fish on cut bait.

For **lures**, keep it classic winter river:

- **Walleye / sauger:** 1/8–1/4 oz jig and fathead or rainbow, or a firetiger or gold **Jigging Rap** popped just off bottom on current seams and below the dams, as suggested in the metro river reports on FishingReminder’s Mississippi Pool 1 notes.

- **Smallmouth:** compact **ned rigs**, 3–4" paddletail swimbaits on 3/16 oz heads, craw colors or natural shad, dragged slow on rocky edges.

- **Cats and oddballs:** cut sucker or fat nightcrawlers on a simple river rig in the deeper wintering holes.

Best **live bait** right now: fatheads, small shiners, and river-caught suckers. Plastics work, but most locals will tell you to tip something with meat when the water’s this cold.

A couple **hot spots** to circle:

- **St. Anthony Falls / Upper & Lower Lock area (Pool 1):** Current breaks, eddies, and those deeper holes right below the structure give up walleyes and sauger, with the occasional bonus smallie. FishingReminder lists St. Anthony and Nicollet Island as prime metro waypoints.

- **Lock and Dam 1 / Ford Dam area:** Down toward the Minneapolis–St. Paul line, any accessible current seam or inside turn can stack winter fish. Work vertically with jigs and watch your electronics closely.

With the cold and ice building, safety is the real pattern: watch for skim ice along shore, use a PFD any time you’re in a boat, and don’t trust early ice edges on backwaters just yet.

That’s your Mississippi River rundown from Artificial Lure.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Mississippi River, Minneapolis fishing report.

The big river’s running cold and steady through town now, with levels near seasonal normal and clarity a bit stained but very fishable, especially in the slower wintering holes below dams and around deep bends. The Mississippi isn’t tidal up here, so no tide charts to worry about—current is your “tide,” and it’s mellow enough this morning to work jigs without huge sinkers.

National Weather Service forecasts seasonable winter conditions: temps hovering in the upper teens to 20s at daybreak, creeping into the 30s mid‑day with a light northwest breeze and high pressure parked overhead. Skies are mostly clear, giving us a bright, cold day. Sunrise around the metro is right about 7:45 a.m., with sunset a little after 4:30 p.m., so your prime windows line up nicely with low light.

FishingReminder’s solunar outlook for Minneapolis shows a solid major bite early, roughly 7–9 a.m., and another window in the early evening, about 7–9 p.m. That early one will be your best shot at a decent walleye push on the river.

Recent chatter from Minnesota Outdoor News and metro anglers has Pool 1 and Pool 2 giving up **walleyes and saugers** on the edges of deep holes below Lock and Dam 1 and downstream of the confluences. Most fish are coming from 18–28 feet, tight to the first sharp break off the main channel. Numbers have been decent, with plenty of 14–18 inch sauger and eater‑size walleyes, plus a few bigger fish sliding shallow right at dusk.

**Smallmouth bass** reports have thinned but there are still a few stubborn bronzebacks hanging on deeper current seams and rock piles; you’ll pick them up as by‑catch dragging plastics or live bait for ‘eyes. A handful of **channel cats** are biting slow, soaking cut bait or fatheads in the deepest wintering holes when the sun is high.

Best producers right now:

- For walleye/sauger:

• 1/8–1/4 oz jig heads in chartreuse, parrot, or glow with a fathead or small rainbow chub.

• Vertically jigging blades or Jigging Raps in the same color family when they get aggressive.

- For bonus smallmouth:

• Ned rigs with green pumpkin TRDs or a 3–4" paddletail on a 1/8 oz head, dragged just off bottom.

- For cats:

• Cut sucker or large fatheads on a simple river rig, enough weight to stay pinned.

Best “bait vs. artificials” mix: early and late, stick with live minnows on jigs; mid‑day, experiment with blades, Raps, or a slow‑rolled swimbait along the break.

A couple metro hot spots to circle:

- **Below St. Anthony Falls down through Nicollet Island and Boom Island:** work the deeper slots and current breaks along the main channel, especially where rock meets sand.

- **Pool 1 around Lock and Dam 1 and the Ford Bridge area:** classic winter walleye water—deep holes, inside turns, and subtle current seams can all stack fish.

Most traffic has been boat anglers slipping the current, but shore casters are still scratching ou

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# Artificial Lure's Mississippi River Fishing Report

Well hey there, folks. It's Artificial Lure coming to you on this December morning, and let me tell you, the Mississippi River around Minneapolis is calling our names right now.

First things first—we're looking at early winter conditions here, and that means the water's cold and the fish are concentrated. The Minnesota Department of Health has flagged some PFAS contamination in Pool 2 stretching from the Ford Dam in St. Paul down to Hastings Dam, so if you're fishing that stretch, you'll want to check current advisories before keeping anything for the table.

Now, here's what's been happening on the water. Early ice is forming in various spots, and that's opening up some serious opportunity. We're seeing good action on walleyes, saugers, and jumbo perch in the early-ice zones. Those are your money fish right now—they're hungry and concentrated as the water temps drop.

For lures, you can't beat classic light tackle presentations. Small jigging spoons tipped with live bait are absolutely crushing it. If you're working artificial, try your white and chartreuse soft plastics on a quarter-ounce jig head. For bait, live minnows are your bread and butter—shiners work fantastic, and don't sleep on fathead minnows either.

As for hot spots around Minneapolis, you've got to check out the deeper pools and structure near the Ford Dam area—that's where the walleyes are staging right now. The backwater areas along the St. Paul riverfront are also producing early-season action as the water cools down and fish move to deeper holding zones.

Get out there, stay safe on the ice, and respect those fishing regulations. Thanks for tuning in, and make sure you subscribe for more reports like this one.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report.

We’re rolling into that early-winter pattern now. The Mississippi isn’t fully locked up in town yet, but you’re seeing shelf ice on the slower edges and backwaters. The main channel is still moving good; the USGS gauge downriver at Winona shows mid‑30,000s cfs and just over 6 feet, so expect a decent push of current in the main seams.

No real tide to speak of on this stretch, but current is your “tide.” Fish are sliding to wintering holes, current breaks, and deeper bends. According to solunarforecast.com, the better activity windows line up around the early morning and mid‑afternoon majors this week, so plan your serious sits then and hop spots in between.

Weather-wise, the Twin Cities National Weather Service office is calling for seasonable temps – mid‑30s to low 40s, light west wind, and a chance of flurries, classic jacket‑and‑gloves weather. Sunrise is right around 7:40 a.m. with sunset close to 4:30 p.m., so you’ve got tight but productive windows, especially that last hour of light.

Recent scuttlebutt from Minnesota river forums and local chatter in town has been:

- **Walleyes and sauger**: Good numbers coming out of deeper bends and below dam faces, especially below St. Anthony and down toward Ford Dam. Folks are reporting mixed bags – a handful of keepers with plenty of smaller fish. Vertically jigging a 1/4–3/8 oz jig with a fathead or shiner has been doing work. Plastics like a paddletail on a jig are taking the more aggressive fish.

- **Smallmouth**: Way slower now, but a few quality bronzebacks are still coming on hair jigs and small tubes worked painfully slow on rocky outside bends and below dams. Most guys are catching them incidentally while walleye fishing.

- **Panfish** in the backwaters and marinas: Decent crappie and bluegill action where you find 8–12 feet with wood or old pilings and just a hint of current. Small crappie minnows or waxies on a tiny jig are putting fish in the bucket.

Best offerings right now:

- **Lures**:

- 1/4 oz jig + 3–4" paddletail in chartreuse, firetiger, or natural shiner.

- River hair jigs in darker tones for cold‑water walleyes and smallies.

- Small blade baits and jigging raps when they’re pinned to bottom on holes.

- **Live bait**:

- Fatheads and river shiners are the go‑to for walleyes and sauger.

- Crappie minnows and waxies for panfish in backwaters.

Couple of local hot spots to consider:

- **Below the Ford Dam (Lock & Dam 1)**: Classic early‑winter walleye and sauger haunt. Work the current seams, eddies, and the first deep breaks below the dam with jigs and minnows. Boat control is key with the heavier flow.

- **Backwaters and side channels around Boom Island and down toward the U of M flats**: Look for slower pockets off the main drag. Good for mixed bags of panfish and the odd walleye when you hit the right depth and cover.

Safety note from a local: watch that ea

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This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River, Minneapolis fishing report.

Up here on Pool 1, winter’s running the show. According to NOAA’s Twin Cities office, air temps are sitting in the teens and low 20s with light northwest wind and high pressure, so it’s cold, clear, and stable. That means slower, window-style feeding, not all‑day chewing. The river’s rimmed with shore ice but the main channel is still open and pushing decent current.

The Mississippi isn’t tidal up here, so no true tide swings, but FishingReminder’s solunar table for Minneapolis shows prime **major bite** this morning roughly 7–9 a.m., with another push around 7–9 p.m., and **minor** activity midafternoon. Think “first light, last light, and right before dark” as your best bets.

Sunrise is right around 7:40 a.m. with sunset close to 4:30 p.m., so that late‑afternoon dusk bite is short and sweet. Bundle up and be set on your spot by 3 p.m. so you’re not fumbling with cold fingers when they turn on.

According to the Minnesota statewide fishing report from Outdoor News, it’s been a fast slide into ice across the state, but rivers like the Mississippi are still giving up fish, especially walleyes. Pool 1 has been spitting out eater‑size **walleyes and sauger**, with a few bonus smallmouth and the odd pike. Most folks are reporting half‑dozen to a dozen fish in a few hours if they stick to current seams and deeper holes.

Best presentations right now are low‑and‑slow:

- For **walleyes/sauger**: 1/8–1/4 oz jig and fathead, or a jig and plastic paddle tail, dragged just off bottom. On the cleaner sand and gravel, a vertical‑jigged Jigging Rap or blade bait will trigger reaction strikes.

- For **smallmouth** holding deep: ned rigs and 3–4" swimbaits in natural shad or goby colors, crawled along current breaks.

- If you slide into nearby metro lakes, local anglers are icing early **crappies and bluegills** on small tungsten jigs tipped with waxies or plastics.

Color-wise, go with **chartreuse, gold, and purple** in the murkier flows; switch to natural shiner and smelt tones if the water clears. Live fatheads are still outfishing artificials most days, but plastics catch the more aggressive fish and cover water faster.

Couple of hot spots to check:

- **Below St. Anthony Falls and the Upper/Lower Locks**: classic wintering water, with deep holes and soft current edges. Work the edges of the main flow, not the middle.

- **Lock and Dam 1 / Ford Dam area** downriver: concentrate on the tailout of the scour hole and inside bends where the current lays down.

Safety note: shore ice and shelf ice can be slick and sketchy. Treat every edge like it’s hollow—spud bar, cleats, and a buddy are smart this time of year.

That’s the bite on the big river today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s report.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report.

Up here on Pool 1, winter’s in charge. The river’s low and cold, with shelf ice building in the backwaters and slower edges. Open main‑channel runs are still fishable, but you’ll want to pick your spots and move slow.

According to SolunarForecast, the better feeding windows today line up with a **major bite mid‑morning into late morning and again toward evening**, with a softer minor push right after daybreak. Sunrise is right around **7:30 a.m.** and sunset about **4:30 p.m.**, so you’ve got a short, prime light window to work with.

Weather‑wise, local forecasts are calling for **below‑freezing air temps, light north to northwest breeze, and high overcast**, classic mid‑season conditions that usually nudge fish into deeper, softer current: inside bends, below current breaks, and wintering holes tight to rock.

Recent reports from metro anglers and local bait shops around Pool 1 have been steady but not fast. Folks are picking up:

- **Walleye and sauger**: mostly 14–19 inches, with a few bigger fish after dark.

- **Smallmouth bass**: numbers are down with the cold, but a handful of chunky bronzebacks still coming from deeper rock piles.

- **Channel cats**: occasional fish on cut bait in the deepest winter holes.

Best river presentations right now are **subtle and slow**:

- For walleye/sauger:

- 1/8–1/4 oz **jig and fathead** or small rainbow chub, just heavy enough to tick bottom.

- **Vertical jigging** plastics or a small blade bait (silver, gold, or firetiger) in 18–28 feet.

- After dark, long‑lining a **#5 crankbait** or small stickbait along current edges can still produce.

- For smallmouth:

- **Ned rigs** with green pumpkin or natural shad plastics dragged painfully slow over rubble.

- 3–4" **swimbaits** on light heads, swum just off bottom on seams.

- For cats:

- **Cut sucker** or frozen shad on a simple slip sinker rig, right in the deepest bends.

Live bait is king in this cold: **fatheads, river shiners, and small sucker minnows** are your best bet. On plastics, think natural and downsized; let the current do most of the work.

Couple of hot spots to consider:

- **Below Upper St. Anthony Falls / Nicollet Island area**: Classic wintering water with deep holes, eddies, and current seams. Work the downstream side of the big bends and any visible current breaks.

- **Downstream of Lock and Dam 1** near the Ford Bridge: Deeper slots, riprap edges, and slower runs stack both walleye and sauger. Stay mobile until you mark or feel fish.

Ice is forming in the backwaters and along the banks, but river ice is never uniform. Use a spud bar if you step off onto any skim ice, and give the current plenty of respect. Check Minnesota DNR regulations for winter closures or special rules before you launch.

If you slide over to metro lakes like Harriet or Nokomis, anglers are already seeing early‑ice **crappie and bluegill** over basin fl

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This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report.

The big river’s sliding into true early winter mode now, running cold, clear to slightly stained, and low and steady with typical pool levels for this time of year. Air temps are hovering near and below freezing, with light northwest wind and occasional flurries, so it’s a bundle‑up and fish‑slow kind of day. Expect a short feeding window around the warmer part of the afternoon and again right around dark.

Sunrise comes late and sunset is early, giving you a fairly tight prime-time band from mid‑morning through about an hour before dark. With that limited daylight, focus on spots that set up quickly: current breaks just off the main flow, deep outside bends, and the first big holes below dams. Fish activity has been classic winter river behavior: fewer bites, but solid quality walleyes and saugers when you stick with it.

Recent catches in this stretch have been dominated by eater‑size sauger and walleye with the occasional bigger walleye pushing into the mid‑20s, plus some surprise smallmouth hanging on the deeper rocks. A handful of anglers working slower have also reported bonus channel cats soaking dead bait on bottom. Numbers aren’t fast and furious, but grinders working deeper seams are putting together respectable dinners.

Best producers have been vertical presentations. A 1/4 to 3/8‑ounce jig and minnow or jig and soft‑plastic ringworm has been the go‑to, with colors like purple, chartreuse, and firetiger showing up often in local chatter. When the fish are extra finicky, a plain live‑bait rig or a simple jig with a fathead, held almost motionless just off bottom, has been outfishing flashier stuff. For bait, bring a mix of fatheads, shiners if you can get them, and some plastics to cover both live and artificial looks.

Artificial‑only anglers are doing well with paddle‑tail swimbaits and ringworms on heavier jig heads, hopped slowly down current seams. Blade baits and lipless cranks can still trigger reaction strikes on warmer afternoons, but they’re very much a “window” bait now—great for a short flurry, then back to meat and finesse. Downsizing and slowing your cadence is the name of the game; let that lure hover and wash in the current.

A couple of local hot spots to think about:

- The pools and current breaks just below Upper St. Anthony and Ford Dam, where wintering walleyes and saugers stack on the edges of the main chute.

- The deeper outside bends and rock edges near the Camden and Lowry Avenue bridge areas, where subtle current soft spots meet hard bottom.

Boat or shore, safety is key: icy ramps, cold water, and quick currents do not forgive mistakes, so wear the float suit or life jacket and keep trips shorter. If you stay patient, move spot to spot with a purpose, and trust your electronics, the river will still give up some very respectable fish.

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Well folks, it's Artificial Lure here, and we're looking at a fantastic day on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis today, Thursday, December 4th.

Let me break down what's happening on the water. We've got temperatures ranging from the low 50s to mid-70s Fahrenheit, which is actually pretty mild for early December up here. According to the solunar forecast data, today is shaping up to be a solid fishing day. Your major bite times are hitting between 12:23 AM to 2:23 AM and again from 12:43 PM to 2:43 PM. The minor bite windows are showing 6:06 AM to 7:06 AM and then again from 8:32 PM to 9:32 PM. Now, we don't have traditional tidal reports for the Mississippi River like you would for saltwater, but water conditions are favorable right now.

Fish activity has been excellent recently. The herring spawn and shad patterns have been driving the action, with anglers picking up solid numbers of bass. From recent reports, lures like soft plastics—especially Googan Baits Darts in green and gizzard colors—have been producing well. Berkley PowerBait Power Swimmers on light heads are absolutely crushing it. Z-Man ChatterBaits in white and chartreuse with swimtail trailers are another hot ticket. Don't sleep on vintage Bomber Long A wakebaits either; they're working great on herring eaters in deeper water.

For bait, live herring and shad are top choices if you can source them. If you're running artificials, vary your retrieve speed and work those main lake points methodically.

I'd recommend hitting the deeper points along the main channel in the Minneapolis lock and dam areas, or getting up into the backwater sloughs where the current breaks. Those transition zones between deep and shallow water are firing right now.

Thanks for tuning in today! Make sure you subscribe for your daily fishing reports and stay connected to what's happening on the water. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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# Artificial Lure's Daily Fishing Report - December 3rd, 2025

Well folks, it's Artificial Lure here, and we're looking at a fantastic day on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis. Let me break down what you need to know.

**Weather & Timing**

Sun came up at 6:52 AM this morning and we're looking at a sunset around 7:41 PM, giving you a solid thirteen hours to get out there. The moon's at a waxing crescent at fifteen percent, and here's the good news – today rates as an average fishing day overall, but don't let that fool you. We've got major bite times running from 3:52 to 5:52 AM and again from 4:23 to 6:23 PM. If you can make those windows, you'll be in prime time.

**Fish Activity & Recent Catches**

The Mississippi River near Minneapolis has been putting out some solid reports. Wisconsin's been crushing it with record-setting flathead catfish hitting 53 inches and weighing over 74 pounds. That's the kind of monster we want to tangle with. We've also seen shovelnose sturgeon pushing 37 inches, and the river's loaded with walleye, pike, and perch.

**What to Throw**

For lures, you'll want to go with artificial options – light tackle fishing is huge right now. Throw some crankbaits and jigs along the structure. If you're going traditional, live bait with shiners or crawlers will absolutely produce, especially for walleye and pike. Bottom fishing with cut bait is money this time of year.

**Hot Spots**

Head down toward the deeper channels where the current breaks – that's where walleye stack up in December. Second spot worth hitting is any area with submerged timber or rock structure. The river's been generous to anglers working those transition zones.

Get out there and make it happen. Thanks for tuning in – make sure you subscribe for daily reports just like this one. This has been Artificial Lure Productions, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.