Late December Open Water Fishing Report for the Mississippi River near Minneapolis

This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report. We’re in an odd warm stretch for late December. WCCO’s NEXT Weather team reports highs running well above average with rain chances instead of heavy snow, so shoreline access is open and most backwaters are either thinly iced or still open. That means late‑fall tactics on winter dates. Sunrise around the metro is about 7:45 a.m. with sunset near 4:40 p.m., and solunar forecasts for south‑central Minnesota show the main feeding window lining up early to mid‑afternoon, roughly noon to 3 p.m., with a minor bump right at first light. Plan to be set up by dawn or slide out for that midday push. There’s no real tide on this stretch of the Mississippi, but river levels are running on the low side all up and down the system, and ag weather services note only a modest bump from snowmelt. Low, stable flows mean clearer water and more concentrated fish, especially below dams and in wintering holes. Recent chatter from metro anglers has been consistent: - **Walleyes and saugers** have been coming from below the Coon Rapids and St. Anthony pool dams, mostly eaters in the 14–19 inch range with a few bigger fish mixed in. - **Smallmouth** are largely slid off into deeper current breaks, but guys dragging hair jigs are still picking a few solid bronzebacks. - **Crappies and bluegills** are staging in the slower backwaters and marina basins; numbers are decent once you find them on electronics. - A handful of **channel cats** are still biting on cut bait or fatheads in the deepest bends. Best producers right now: - For walleyes/saugers, think classic river stuff: a 1/8–1/4 oz jig and fathead or rainbow chub, or a subtle plastic like a paddletail or ringworm in chartreuse, white, or motor oil. On the cleaner days, a plain jig and minnow out‑fishes everything. - Vertical jigging blade baits in gold, silver, or perch patterns has been putting fish in the boat when they pin tight to bottom. - For panfish in the marinas, small tungsten jigs with waxies or a tiny crappie minnow under a fixed float are hard to beat. - If you’re chasing late‑season smallmouth, drag a hair jig or small finesse tube painfully slow along rocks and current seams. Couple local hot spots to consider: - **Below Coon Rapids Dam**: Work the current breaks and deeper slots downstream of the main boil. Start with jigs and minnows; if they’re aggressive, switch to blades or plastics to cover water. - **Upper Pool 1 around the Ford Dam area**: Focus on inside bends, eddies, and any 14–20 foot holes for winter walleyes and saugers. - For panfish, poke around the **North Minneapolis and Fridley marinas** and any protected backwater with 10–15 feet and minimal flow. With the unseasonably warm weather, safety is split: open‑water anglers still need cold‑water gear and PFDs; would‑be ice anglers should stay off anything that isn’t clearly measured and at least four inches of solid, clear ice. Treat This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.