Mississippi River Minneapolis Fishing Report Today

Artificial Lure here with your October 30th fishing report for the mighty Mississippi River in and around Minneapolis. Right now, fall’s in full swing: the days are getting shorter, and we’re working with typical autumn Minnesota weather—overcast skies, highs close to 50°F, lows in the upper 30s, and just a whisper of wind out of the west. According to the National Weather Service, there’s a run of mostly cloudy days ahead, with maybe a sprinkle here or there, so bring a good rain jacket and layer up. Sunrise hit at 7:44 a.m. this morning and sunset will be around 6:03 p.m., giving you just over ten hours to wet a line.

No tides to worry about out here, but those river flows and a mild west wind keep bait pushing against those windblown banks and inside corners—classic fall feeding zones. Water temps in the Minneapolis metro are in the low-to-mid 50s, which has really turned on the fish. On the Mississippi, Pool 1 and those downstream stretches are seeing some excellent action right now.

According to Outdoor News, these cooler temps have walleye feeding heavy along breaks in 10–18 feet, especially on overcast mornings and evenings. Pair an 1/8–1/4 oz jig with a fathead minnow or a Jigging Rap, and work those inside turns and current seams. Best colors? Stick with chartreuse, gold, or plain glow, especially in stained water.

For bass anglers, both smallmouth and largemouth are cooperating. Omnia Fishing reports from Pool 6 just below us say bladed jigs and swimbaits are hot—try a Z-Man Jack Hammer Chatterbait or a 3- to 4-inch paddle-tail swimbait, slow-rolled just off laydowns and chunk rock in current. You’ll find smallmouth bunched up on midriver rubble—ned rigs and finesse swimbaits are the ticket.

Northern pike are still prowling the last green weedbeds—burn spinnerbaits tight to the edge, or try a slow-rolled bucktail. Muskie, meanwhile, are showing on deep metro lakes adjacent to the river, with rubber baits and glide baits working best over bait clouds in 12–20 feet.

Crappies are drifting deeper—target mid-depth basins with small hair jigs or plastics under a float, especially where you can mark schools on your electronics. Sunfish can be found hanging on the first break near coontail patches, especially if there’s a little wind making things choppy.

Some recent catches from area regulars:

- Multiple limits of eater walleye, with fish up to 22", reported in the Minneapolis stretch using jig-and-minnow combos.

- Two-pound largemouths coming on chatterbaits around laydowns and wood.

- Occasional big smallmouth (18"+) showing up on swimbaits.

- Crappie limits landed from shore and by boat in side channels on hair jigs tipped with a Maki plastic.

- Even the young anglers are catching pike on in-line spinners along windblown banks.

For bait selection, fathead minnows are tough to beat for walleye and crappie right now, especially when the bite’s slow. If you’re heading after bass, bring a handful of ned rigs and a few chatterba

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This is Artificial Lure, reporting from the banks and bluffs along the mighty Mississippi in Minneapolis on this brisk Wednesday, October 29th, 2025. We’re headed into peak fall—a favorite stretch for local anglers chasing quality bites before ice-up, and today’s conditions couldn’t set the scene any better.

Weather at dawn is classic late October: temps in the low 40s, climbing to the mid-50s by afternoon, with cloudy skies giving way to a bit of sun and a gentle northwest breeze. CBS News Minnesota says the overnight rain has moved on, so the river edges are muddy, and flows are a tick up from last week but still on the low side—a pattern we’ve seen all fall with Minnesota DNR reporting near-record lows downstream in St. Paul. Expect sunrise at 7:44 AM and sunset at 6:07 PM. Plan to hit the water early for that classic fall bite window.

No tides to talk about here—it's a river system, but with the water low, structure and current breaks become magnets for fish. Shallow flats with nearby deep water are prime now. Jeff Sundin’s recent Minnesota Fishing Report notes water temps heading for the low 50s, which is when the big walleyes and saugers get feisty and the jumbo perch and crappies start sliding to accessible spots.

Fish activity’s been solid: Walleyes and saugers are the main ticket, with many reports of excellent catches on river bends and holes just down from vertical structures like the Franklin Avenue and Ford Parkway bridges. Several anglers this week tallied up mixed bags—three- and four-pound walleyes, saugers for the fryer, and the occasional crappie from the backwaters. The shallows just outside Minnehaha Creek and the flats below the Plymouth Avenue Bridge fished hot both morning and evening.

Best lures right now? Hands-down, vertical jigging with a frozen emerald shiner or fathead minnow is killer. Sundin points out that glow, gold and chartreuse jigs are converting most of the bigger fish, while pink and orange can turn slow streaks around, especially in stained water. You’ll want to tip your jig with a real minnow—live bait’s been out-producing soft plastics, but don’t count out a paddle tail or flutter spoon if you’re marking aggressive fish and the bite’s on.

Don’t forget about jumbo perch—when they go picky, a jig and a wax worm or sliver of crawler does the job. Pike are still lurking near weedbeds closer to shore; toss out a larger swimbait or spinner if you want to tangle with something bigger.

A couple of hot spots this week:

- **Hidden Falls Regional Park stretch (just above the locks):** Lots of current seams and drop-offs, frequent walleye catches, and bonus sauger mixed in.

- **Boom Island backwater:** Reliable for crappie, perch, and the odd smallmouth—but you’ll have to move slow and watch your electronics for suspended schools.

Bass action’s winding down, but some chunky smallmouth were reported at the mouth of Minnehaha Creek on tubes and Ned rigs—try a green pumpkin or smoke with silver flakes.

Keep an e

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Artificial Lure here with your live fishing report for the Mississippi River and surrounding waters in Minneapolis on this crisp Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Sunrise rolled in at 7:43 a.m. this morning, and sunset’s pegged for 6:11 p.m. We’re looking at classic late-October weather: highs in the mid-50s, waters cooling on the back of some deep autumn nights, and minimal wind—ideal for targeting both structure and seam waters. There’s no tidal activity here in the Minneapolis stretch of the Mississippi, but watch for current shifts after these cooler nights, as they’re stacking up bait and fish on inside bends and channel edges.

Now, fish activity’s been lively according to recurring reports: walleye are definitely on the chew, especially at dawn and dusk, plus on overcast days. You want to focus on 10 to 18 foot breaks and inside turns—work 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs tipped with fatheads, or run a Jigging Rap right on breaks. Folks are sticking good eater walleye on Pool 1, and there’s been a surge around Lake Nokomis and Lake Harriet as well. If you’re angling for bass, smallmouth are pushing into current seams and midriver rocky rubble—think ned rigs or 3–4" swimbaits bounced right off the bottom.

Plenty of pike are lurking around the last of the green weeds, and a spinnerbait burnt over the tops is getting the reaction bites. Meanwhile, muskie activity’s picked right up in the deeper haunts—look for bait clouds over 12 to 20 feet and throw glide baits, big rubber, or slow-rolled bucktails.

Crappies are making their traditional slide out to those mid-depth basins. Side imaging helps you locate those tighter pods; once you’ve got them, suspend a hair jig or small plastic under a float and gently hover it in their zone.

Recent reports over on FishingReminder and echoed on local forums say that anglers are getting into some real mixed bags lately—good numbers for walleye, with bonus pike, the odd muskie, and consistent slabs for crappie anglers.

The river’s mood is definitely autumn—turnover’s finished for most metro lakes, so you want to prioritize clearer stretches. Clarity can vary, especially after windy periods, so keep an eye on water color and consider adding a scent or switching to live bait during short windows of activity—this trick’s drawn extra strikes when fish are just nipping.

For bait and lures, here’s your local rundown:

- For walleye: 1/8–1/4 oz jig with a fathead minnow or a Jigging Rap in blue/silver, gold, or chartreuse.

- For smallmouth: ned rigs in green pumpkin, 3–4" soft swimbaits on a jighead.

- For pike: white or firetiger spinnerbaits slow-rolled across weed edges.

- For muskie: gliders like the Phantom Softail, big rubber like a Medussa or Pounder, and classic black-nickel or orange bucktails.

- For crappie: small tube jigs or hair jigs (white, pink, chartreuse) under a float, with or without live minnow.

Hot spots you don’t want to miss right now:

- Hidden Falls Regional Park is holding fish on the seam off the main flo

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Artificial Lure here with your Mississippi River, Minneapolis area fishing report for Monday, October 27, 2025.

What a fine late October day we've woken up to in the Twin Cities. According to CBS Minnesota’s latest forecast, we’re sliding into an unseasonably warm week, with highs today pushing into the low 60s by afternoon. The morning started cool in the 40s, but those lingering clouds from yesterday’s round of scattered rain are clearing, making way for a stretch of sun and perfect autumn weather. Wind’s gusting up to 30 mph, so watch your casts if you’re slipping the kayak in or working open banks. Sunrise hit at 7:44 AM, and sunset is at 6:13 PM tonight—plenty of light for a long session on the river.

If you’re tuning in for the tides, remember the upper Mississippi isn’t tidal, but river levels are running a tad low, just as they were the last few fall seasons, per CBS Minnesota. Boaters and shore casters alike might encounter exposed bank and rocky snags, especially near the locks and the University stretch—so double-check your launch points before backing down.

For fish activity, Solunar Forecast marks today’s top windows at 12:02–2:02 PM and a nice early minor period from 5:48–6:48 AM. Reports from the past couple weeks have shown walleye action heating up, especially with these chillier nights moving in. Anglers working the deeper runs between Boom Island and Ford Dam are boating eater-size walleye and the occasional fat sauger. You’ll also find plenty of smallmouth bass hugging current seams—recent catches in the 16- to 18-inch range have been reported on both jerkbaits and live minnows.

This week, local bait shops are pointing folks toward creek chubs and fatheads, especially during the midday bite. For artificial action, chartreuse or firetiger paddle tails on a 1/4 oz jighead are the ticket—with the river clearing up, that brighter flash is triggering more bites. Try slow-rolling those swimbaits along eddy seams, especially just downstream of the Plymouth Avenue Bridge. And don’t overlook blade baits: a silver or gold blade yo-yo’d off the bottom put several keeper walleyes in the net near St. Anthony Falls this weekend, according to reports from Mississippi River Minneapolis Daily Fishing.

Northern pike are still active, particularly along the grassy banks above the Lowry Avenue Bridge—best luck’s been on silver spoons and large white spinnerbaits. A few bonus channel catfish have been reported after dark using cut sucker near River Flats Park, and one local even hauled in a surprise flathead near the Ford Parkway Bridge late last week.

Hot spots for today:

- **Boom Island Park:** near the paddle share dock, targeting smallmouth and the odd walleye.

- **Below the Ford Dam:** use live minnows or brightly colored plastic tails—solid mixed bag area, just mind the current.

- **Lower Locks and Dam:** low water’s concentrated fish below the tailraces; walleyes and sauger on jigs and vertical presentations.

With leaves colori

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Artificial Lure here with your October 26, 2025, Mississippi River fishing report for the Minneapolis stretch, bright and early. Weather’s crisp—overnight lows stayed just above freezing, but as the sun burns off the fog, look for highs climbing to the lower 50s. River conditions are steady: flow at Aitkin is hovering around 3,400 cubic feet per second, water levels are stable, and no flooding worries. It's classic autumn in Minnesota, with sunrise at 7:41 AM and sunset rolling in around 6:06 PM. No tidal swings this far upriver, so leave those saltwater strategies at home.

Fish activity is keeping things interesting. After chilly nights and light morning fog, the bite's been strongest mid-morning through the early afternoon. Solunar tables peg major activity from roughly noon to 2 PM, with a minor window just before sunrise—so set up early or hit hard at midday.

Recent catches have leaned heavy into **smallmouth bass** and **largemouth bass**. Reports from the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship say anglers are targeting wintering holes and edge basin irregularities—think drop-offs from 4 to 16 feet. Nick Trim landed three chunky smallmouth in one run plus a steady largemouth to finish his bag. Most locals this week report bass in the 2–3.5 lb range, with a few folks calling in bigger bruisers closer to downtown. **Freshwater drum**, **walleye**, and the occasional **pike** can also be found near deeper holes and merging current seams.

Best lures right now: nothing beats a 1/2-ounce jig, worked slow and near bottom contours. Cast Again Tackle’s Hammer Jig has been the winner for dragging along those deeper banks where bass are holed up. For finesse, ned rigs remain outstanding, especially when bass aren’t as aggressive after big temperature drops.

Surface bites are hit-or-miss, but on sunny stretches, **chatterbaits** and wacky-rigged stick baits are pulling bites from bass that push shallow to warm up. Don’t skimp on the classic Senko, and if you’re shore-bound, toss a ned rig or chatterbait and work it across dying vegetation—these fall weeds hold bait and attract hungry fish.

Live bait is mostly a backup plan; large, lively minnows or fathead chubs are reliable if the artificial bite slows down, especially for walleye and drum near the dams or tributary mouths. But locals are mostly sticking with artificials, with blade baits and deep-diving crankbaits putting fish in the net after a cold snap.

Hot spots:

- **Boom Island Park**: Structure, deep water close to shallows, strong recent bass and drum catches.

- **Ford Dam (Lock and Dam No. 1)**: Classic spot, mixing up species. Bass stack up below the spill, walleye hold near the outflows.

- **Hidden Falls Regional Park**: Great for shore casting, especially with finesse rigs after 10 AM.

If you’re headed out later this week, these conditions look solid—water temps are dropping, keeping bass on the feed before winter. Bundle up, bring a spare dry set, and always wear that life jacket as water te

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Artificial Lure here, reporting on the Mississippi River bite around Minneapolis on this unseasonably warm late October day. Sunrise hit at 7:42 a.m. and sunset’s coming at 6:12 p.m.—plenty of daylight to wet a line before the clocks turn and days get short.

Weather’s been a treat for late fall, topping out near the mid-60s today, warm southerly winds around 10 to 15 mph, and last night brought a few light showers, but skies are trending clearer as the day rolls on. The next cold front isn’t set to arrive until early in the week, according to WCCO’s Friday weather reports. That means the water’s still warmer than usual, and the fish are active, especially with river flows trending down and clarity on the rise.

No tides to worry about up here—just river flows, which are hovering at 3,460 cfs around Aitkin with a gentle drop in recent days, per Snoflo’s latest flow report. That’s right in the sweet spot for comfortably working the seams and eddies, where fish stack up looking for bait.

Local tournament action on the Upper Mississippi’s been hot, with bass anglers hauling in some real slabs—Nick Trim landed over 21 pounds on day one of the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, showing that both largemouth and smallmouth bass are feeding aggressively as they fatten up for winter, according to The Bass Cast. Crankbaits and blade baits took most fish, with buzzbaits and bladed jigs throwing plenty of water when bass were smashing baitfish mid-morning.

Right now, walleye are reliable around the river bends and below the dams, especially close to dusk and dawn. Walleye are coming on jig-and-minnow combos—fathead minnows, shiners, or just a 3-inch paddle tail in chartreuse or white. Northern pike are nosing into shallows, hitting large spinnerbaits and swimbaits, while the smallies keep hammering the rocks and riprap lines, especially near the confluence with Minnehaha Creek and below the Ford Dam.

Best lures this week:

- For bass—3/8 oz white and chartreuse spinnerbaits, chrome or gold blade baits, and crawfish-pattern crankbaits.

- For walleye—1/4 oz lead jigs tipped with live minnows, or plastics in bright colors.

- For pike—big flashy spinners and jointed swimbaits in perch or fire tiger.

The live bait bite’s solid. Fresh fatheads and creek chubs out-fish plastics when a cold spell moves in, but artificials are still out-catching bait around the midday warm-up. Stripers and sheepshead are spotty but turn up in the current seams below bridges. Sauger bites pick up as the night cools—work deeper tailwaters for those.

Hot spots today:

- Lilydale Pool below the 35E Bridge: classic fall staging ground, good mix of bass and walleye.

- The deep cut below the Ford Dam: smallmouth stack here, and walleye hold in the tailwaters.

- Pike Island confluence: current edges are loaded with baitfish, and everything from smallies to pike is on the hunt.

Some locals reported hauling in a dozen keepers in an afternoon—mostly smallmouth and a couple thick walleye—wh

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Good morning from the riverbank—this is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report for Friday, October 24, 2025. As the fall bite kicks into high gear, the river around Minneapolis is putting on a classic autumn show for anglers tough enough to brave the chill.

Weather this morning sees a definite bite in the air. Overnight frost cooled the water but fired up the fish; the current temp is in the mid-40s with a stiff northwest wind around 10-15 mph and a high expected in the upper 40s by late afternoon, just like the tournament weather downriver in La Crosse, Wisconsin yesterday. The sun climbed up at 7:40 AM and it'll dip below the bluffs at 6:13 PM tonight; that's a solid window of daylight to put your time in the prime feeding hours. According to Solunar Forecast, your best shot at peak fish activity falls late morning to early afternoon, right as waters warm a bit.

While the upper Mississippi near Minneapolis isn’t tidal, the flow is still up after those frosty nights, pushing baitfish into eddies and backwaters—classic set-ups for fall bass. Water clarity is fair to good despite the low levels reported in downtown St. Paul this week. You’ll want to approach shallow spots quietly and target deeper holes as the day progresses.

The action has definitely heated up. Reports out of the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in La Crosse, just downstream, show that both largemouth and smallmouth bass are on the prowl. Day 1 totals blew up with Nick Trim bagging a five-fish limit at 21 pounds, including a chunky 6-pound smallmouth—he relied on local knowledge to find where the fish migrate as temperatures drop. The championship’s first-day weigh-in also showed more than 1,000 fish caught, with 156 five-fish limits landed, most in 17- to 21-pound ranges, and those conditions track with what we see upriver in Minneapolis today.

Right here in the Minneapolis stretch, local guides and regulars are boating mixed bags—solid numbers of bass, with bonus northern pike and a few surprisingly feisty channel catfish. Walleye are starting to hit in the evenings and just before sunrise. Anglers are reporting “good numbers” of eater-sized fish in city stretches as well as just upstream near the Coon Rapids Dam, where current seams and hard breaks are prime. As for panfish, crappie schools can be found roaming deeper pools now that weed lines are dying back.

For lures, fall means go big and go natural. Locals are hammering fish on dark colored jigs tipped with plastic craws or swimbaits, crankbaits in silver and chartreuse, and blade baits—anything that mimics a dying shad or minnow gets crushed. Topwater action has slowed with the cooler temps, but don’t rule out a hefty chatterbait or spinnerbait around midday if you find active fish on the flats. Nightcrawlers and fathead minnows on a jig or live-bait rig work magic for walleye or channel cats, especially if you’re fishing from shore or slow-drifting. Circle hooks keep the bite safe for cat

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Fishing action on the Mississippi River around Minneapolis is picking up as the fall chill sets in, and anglers are finding good numbers of smallmouth bass and some walleyes, especially in those deeper holes and current breaks that define the fall bite. According to Minnesota Outdoor News, larger minnows are coaxing more of those bronzebacks and the occasional 'eye to strike, with the pattern holding steady through this week. Water temperatures are sliding slowly downward, hovering in the mid-to-high 50s, which usually means active fish feeding ahead of the coming cold.

This morning, the river’s flow upstream near Aitkin is on the lower side for the season, running about 3,460 cubic feet per second, but that’s still plenty of current to keep bait moving and hold fish near structural breaks. The river levels are a bit low historically—CBS News Minneapolis notes this section has recently registered some of its lowest autumn gauges ever, so check access points for low ramps and log jams.

The weather for Thursday, October 23rd, is a classic fall setup for the Twin Cities with clear skies early, a crisp low around 37°F, and a high topping out near 60°F as the sun makes a full show. The sun pokes up at 7:40 AM and ducks back down at 6:16 PM. Winds will be light, making for comfortable conditions on the water. According to FishingReminder, today is rated an excellent day for fishing, aligning to the Solunar tables which show major activity peaking from 3:27 to 5:27 PM and a minor but promising window from 8:01 to 9:01 AM.

Anglers this week have been landing numbers of smallmouth bass on the river’s sharper bends and below the key dams—down by the Ford Dam and the stretch running through downtown Minneapolis have seen some eager fish. Reports are that the big ones are coming on larger creek chubs or flashy jigs tipped with live minnows, especially where the water breaks into a deeper hole or behind mid-river islands. Walleyes are still holding tight to the bottom, but a few nice catches have come from jigging with fatheads in that 10-18 foot range.

The bait of choice lately has been a jig and minnow combo—chartreuse and orange have been the hot head colors. For lures, mid-sized crankbaits, particularly in shad or firetiger patterns, are producing walleyes in the evening. Anglers targeting smallies have seen action on 3.5” tubes in green pumpkin and natural crayfish colors, along with spinnerbaits slow-rolled along current seams.

If you’re looking for a few hot spots:

- The area just below the Plymouth Avenue Bridge has been reliable, especially before mid-morning.

- The tailrace below the Ford Dam continues to hold both bass and walleye.

- The banks between Boom Island and Nicollet Island are stacked with baitfish and are well worth a cast, particularly as evening bites start to ramp in late afternoon.

On the bait front, live minnows are out-fishing plastics for walleyes, but don’t be afraid to throw a paddle-tail or jerkbait to cover more water if

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Hey there, folks I'm Artificial Lure, your go-to fishing expert around here. Today, I'm excited to share with you the latest fishing report for the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

Weather-wise, it's a bit chilly with highs in the mid-40s and windy conditions after last night's rain clears up. Sunrise is at about 7:38 AM, and sunset will be around 6:21 PM. The Mississippi River is flowing pretty steadily, with no significant tidal changes, but the current can be strong, so be prepared.

Fish activity has been decent, with recent catches of catfish, walleyes, and northern pikes. The best lures to use right now are jigs with live bait or crankbaits that mimic baitfish. For bait, big minnows or nightcrawlers are always winners.

Two hot spots to check out areочь the Ford Dam area and just below the Xcel Energy plant. These spots are known for their good structure and consistent fish activity.

Thanks for tuning in Remember to subscribe for more fishing insights. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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Fishing Report: Mississippi River, Minneapolis – Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Hey, anglers and river rats, it's Artificial Lure, your local fishing pulse, here with the real deal from the banks, backwaters, and bridges of the Mighty Miss in the Cities. Let’s get right to it.

## Weather and Conditions

We’re coming off a stretch of rain and wind that rolled through over the weekend, courtesy of a system that dropped moderate to heavy rain across the Midwest, including the metro area. This week, things are set to dry out—Tuesday morning saw lingering showers, but by this afternoon, skies should start clearing, and this warmer trend should hold through midweek. After these storms, the river’s up from last week’s historically low marks, but don't expect a dramatic boost—the recent rainfall, according to DTN Ag Weather, is just a bump, and water levels are still on the shy side by fall standards. That said, the extra flow has greened up the flats and added some current to the holes, which always gets the bite going.

## Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise today is right around 7:45 AM, and sunset comes at about 6:30 PM. That means plenty of daylight for exploring your favorite stretches, with prime light at both ends of the day.

## Tidal Report

There are no real tides here on the Upper Mississippi, but we do watch the river flow—right now, that extra runoff is stirring up the channels and giving fish something new to chase. In other words, it’s “turning on” the buffet, and you should be there.

## Fish Activity and Recent Catches

The bite’s been a mixed bag, but if you’re hunting for walleye, smallmouth, and channel cats, you’re in luck. Local folks out after the rain have been pulling in decent numbers of ‘eyes and smallies, especially around structure—laydowns, riprap, and deeper holes where the current breaks. Catfish action has picked up too, thanks to the freshened water and stirred-up bottom. If you’re in the know, you’ve heard about a few pike and even a surprise muskie or two hitting crankbaits in the early morning. No monster reports yet, but plenty of eaters and some solid catches for the stories.

Over on the city side, word on the docks is that panfish—crappie and sunfish—are up shallow in the slackwater eddies, especially near the willows and old pilings. Bring a light jig and a sensitive rod, and you’ll fill a bucket before lunch.

## Best Lures and Bait

If you’re after walleye, stick with classic minnows (shiners have been hot), leeches, or a slow-dragged jig tipped with a fathead. For smallmouth, nothing beats a white or green tube jig, especially with a little current. Topwater plugs have also been getting smacked at first light—buzzbaits and poppers are your best bet if you want to wake up the big guys.

Crappie and panfish? Small jigs under a slip bobber or a tiny grub on a 1/32-ounce jig head. The bait shop regulars swear by waxies and spikes this time of year, but a chunk of worm never hurts.

## Hot Spots

If you’re looking f

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