Late September Heats Up the Mississippi River Bite in Minneapolis

Artificial Lure here with your Mississippi River, Minneapolis fishing report for Saturday, September 20th, 2025. We’re rolling into a classic late September pattern on the Mississippi—right now, summer-like weather has made a strong comeback. According to the latest area reports, water temperatures are climbing back into the **upper 60s**, putting a temporary pause on some of the fall transitions we started to see last week. Algae blooms are lingering and, while the water is clearing, visibility is still moderately stained. Today, **sunrise was at 6:54 a.m. and sunset will hit at 7:13 p.m.**—that means you’ve got plenty of low-light hours this weekend to cash in on a solid bite. Mississippi River sections above St. Anthony Falls have been seeing **good multi-species action**. Walleyes are moving and feeding hard, responding to the stable weather after an early-September cool spell botched up the bite. Fish are pushing up along current breaks, wing dams, and rocky shallows at sunrise and again before sunset. The most productive depths have shifted from 6–10 feet out to about **14–22 feet** in some spots along the deeper edges thanks to the warmth. The **walleye bite’s coming on strong**—jig and minnow combos have bested spinners lately. Local guides recommend **3/8-ounce jigs tipped with a 4–6 inch creek chub, fathead, or even sucker minnows**. Live bait still rules, even if the fish have seen plenty of lures lately. If you prefer artificials, paddle tail swimbaits and firetiger or chartreuse crankbaits on leadcore are hot, especially for targeting those suspending bigger fish when trolling flats just out from the main current. Some folks are reporting up to **a dozen keeper walleyes per trip** in the metro pools. **Smallmouth bass** are “on fire.” Briar rocks and riprap are prime territory, with the Ned rig, drop shot, and topwater poppers all getting hammered, especially around dawn. Largemouth are tucked in the weedlines of backwaters; spinnerbaits and wacky rigs get the nod here. If you’re chasing **panfish**, crappie and bluegill are stacking up near submerged trees and brush, mostly caught on a slip bobber with a chunk of crawler or small tube jigs. **Yellow perch** numbers are strong in shallow eelgrass patches, with some jumbos being fooled by either jigs and minnows or a classic live bait drop. **Northern pike** are slashing spinnerbaits and large spoons over sand/mud transitions. If your pike keep biting off your tackle, try switching to a steel or heavy fluorocarbon leader—local anglers swear by it to keep those “scissor bills” from running off with your favorite lure. In terms of bait, **nightcrawlers, creek chubs, and fatheads** are all outperforming plastics for numbers, but don’t underestimate a flashy crankbait on the troll, especially in deeper runs and current seams. Hot lure colors for the week: firetiger, chartreuse, and gold for walleyes; white, chartreuse, and craw-colored for bass; and classic perch pattern for crankba This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.