Excellent Fall Fishing on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis

As of October 27, 2024, the Mississippi River in the Minneapolis area is offering some excellent fishing opportunities, despite the cooler fall weather. ### Weather and Tidal Report The weather today is expected to be partly cloudy with a high of around 55°F and a low of 40°F. Since the Mississippi River is not a tidal river, water levels are more influenced by rainfall and human management rather than tides. Currently, the river levels are relatively low due to the lack of significant rainfall recently. ### Sunrise and Sunset Sunrise is at 7:43 AM, and sunset will be at 5:53 PM, giving anglers a good window to catch both morning and evening bites. ### Fish Activity Fish activity has been robust, especially with the drop in water temperatures. Smallmouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish are the primary species being targeted. ### Catch Reports Yesterday, anglers reported good catches of smallmouth bass, particularly around the St. Cloud and Elk River areas. At St. Cloud, smallmouth bass were caught at a rate of about 48 fish per hour of electrofishing, with average lengths around 13 inches and a maximum length of 19.8 inches. Walleye fishing has been slower but still productive, especially in areas with less baitfish concentration. Anglers have been using crankbaits on leadcore or longline trolling to catch walleyes, with some success casting hair jigs and cranks near wing dams. Channel catfish are also active, with good catches reported near the Xcel plant and Clearwater areas, where they were caught at rates of up to 43.2 fish per hour of electrofishing. ### Best Lures and Bait For smallmouth bass, smaller jigs and crankbaits have been effective. For walleyes, crankbaits on leadcore or longline trolling, as well as vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners or fathead minnows, are recommended. Channel catfish are biting well on nightcrawlers and large minnows. ### Hot Spots - **Elk River**: This area has been particularly good for smallmouth bass, with high catch rates and fish averaging around 7.7 inches in length. - **Xcel Plant**: This spot is known for its strong channel catfish population, with fish up to 28.8 inches in length being caught. - **Wing Dams**: These structures are excellent for walleyes and smallmouth bass, especially when using crankbaits and hair jigs. Overall, the Mississippi River in the Minneapolis area is providing a great fall fishing experience, with a variety of species active and ready to be caught. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.