Frosty Fishing on the Mississippi: Walleye, Pike, and Sauger Bite in Minneapolis Waterways

For those venturing out to fish on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis today, January 26, 2025, here’s what you can expect: First, let's talk about the weather. It's going to be quite cold, so make sure to bundle up. There's no tidal report for the Mississippi River since it's a freshwater system, but the cold weather will likely affect fish activity. Sunrise is at around 7:45 AM, and sunset will be at about 5:00 PM, giving you a good window to get out on the water. Fish activity has been moderate, with anglers reporting catches of walleye, northern pike, and some sauger. Walleye fishing, though typically slow in January, has seen some action during evening hours. Anglers have been using bright glowing jigs tipped with minnows, especially on large mud flats in depths of 25 to 30 feet[1]. For northern pike, medium to large suckers fished in weedbeds in 5 to 12 feet of water have been effective. Small jigging spoons tipped with wax worms or dead minnows have also been productive for panfish and smaller species. If you're targeting lake trout, which is less common in this part of the Mississippi, you might want to head to deeper areas like the main lake points and flats near deeper water, using lures such as white flukes, tubes, Swedish Pimples, and bucktails[1]. Hot spots include areas around the Ford Dam and the Mississippi River Gorge, where the structure and depth changes can attract a variety of fish species. Remember to stay warm and safe, and enjoy your time on the water. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.