"A Bountiful Bite on the Mississippi: Fall Fishing Report for Minneapolis"

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your November 13, 2025 Mississippi River fishing report for Minneapolis. First things first, the weather is just about perfect for a fall bite—plenty of sunshine and temps reaching up to 52 degrees today with breezy westerly winds running 10 to 20 mph according to FOX 9 and CBS Minnesota. Bundle up if you’re pushing dawn or dusk, as it dips to the upper 20s tonight. Sunrise today was at 7:10 AM; sunset is coming early, just after 4:48 PM, so plan your sets and retrieves accordingly. Heads up: the Northern Lights may make an encore tonight, so you might just be fishing with an aurora in the background. The Mississippi’s water levels remain on the low side, per DTN Progressive Farmer, which puts fish tight to deeper channels and structure. Expect mild current and clearer water than usual. With no tides in Minneapolis, focus your efforts on slack water pockets, especially near river bends and below the dams. Fish activity has surged with the cooler nights. Recent logs on Fishbrain show strong numbers: nearly 30,000 largemouth bass caught in greater St. Paul, about 9,800 northern pike, and over 5,500 bluegills through this season so far. There’s been a steady pick of walleyes—anglers are reporting healthy fish at the tailwaters and deep holes—and the occasional monster sturgeon for those willing to put in the grind below the Ford Dam. Best baits right now? For bass, work a shad-colored jerkbait or a finesse Ned rig along rocky banks and submerged timber. Northern pike are smashing chartreuse spinnerbaits, especially mid-morning. Walleye anglers are doing well with live fathead minnows on a jig head, but a firetiger Rapala or similar crankbait bounced along the bottom is getting hits near dusk. Bluegills are stacking up at the river mouths—use wax worms or small jigs under slip bobbers. Top hotspots: - The stretch below the Franklin Avenue Bridge, where deep cuts and riprap hold active walleyes and smallmouths this time of year. - Boom Island Park, on the upriver side of the island—fish the eddies along the main current seam for mixed bags, pike included. - Marshal Terrace, just north of Lowry Bridge, is producing solid numbers of bass and the occasional bonus crappie. Pick apart the pilings and slackwater pockets here for best results. A couple pro tips: Don’t neglect forward-facing sonar if you have it—Major League Fishing recommends locking in on bait schools with a higher-mounted transducer. Keep your trolling motor pointed into the wind to stay on target and adjust your position to follow the roaming fish. As water temps continue dropping, slow down your presentation and keep it near the bottom unless you spot suspended schools. Access is solid at most public ramps around downtown and North Minneapolis, but always check closures and city regulations before launching. The St. Anthony Lock is closed to navigation, but shore fishing is allowed upstream and below the falls. As we settle into This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.