Late Spring Minneapolis River: Smallmouth Spawning, Walleye Below Dams

This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River fishing report for the Minneapolis stretch. We’re sitting on a classic late‑spring pattern. The Mississippi here isn’t tidal, so no tide swings to worry about—just flow. River levels have been running a bit on the high side but stable, with visibility around a foot to maybe a foot and a half in many main‑channel spots. Water temps are in the mid‑50s to low‑60s, warmer in backwaters and slack eddies. Sunrise comes early and sunset runs late now, so the prime bite has been that first light window and the last hour of daylight into dusk. Cloud cover and a light south wind are helping the day bite, keeping fish more comfortable in shallower water and around current seams. Smallmouth bass are the headline right now. Fish are sliding from pre‑spawn into spawn on many stretches, especially on rocky shorelines, riprap, and the heads and tails of islands. Anglers have been reporting steady numbers of 12–17 inch bronzebacks, with a few 18–20 inch fish in the mix, especially below dams and along deeper rock edges. Ned rigs in green pumpkin, 3–4 inch tube jigs in natural crayfish colors, and compact squarebills in shad or craw patterns are producing well. On the calmer banks, a small walking topwater or popper early and late has been deadly when the wind lays down. Walleye and sauger are still giving up some nice eaters, mostly in the 14–19 inch range, with the occasional bigger fish caught deeper. Focus on current breaks below the dams, wing dams, and deeper holes on outside bends. A simple jig and minnow or jig and half a nightcrawler remains hard to beat. During low light, crankbaits trolled upstream along the edges of the main channel are picking off roaming fish. Chartreuse, firetiger, and gold have been solid colors in the stained water. Channel catfish action is ramping up as temps climb. Reports of good numbers of 2–8 pound cats, with some double‑digit fish, are coming from cutbanks, logjams, and deeper outside bends. Cut bait—sucker, goldeye, or even chunked shad—is the go‑to, with stink baits starting to pick up more fish as the water warms. Set up just upstream of structure and let the scent do the work. Crappies and panfish are still hanging in the backwaters, marinas, and slack pockets off the main channel. Folks are catching decent numbers of 9–11 inch crappies on small crappie minnows and 1/32 oz jigs tipped with plastics under a float. Target submerged wood, brush piles, and the first distinct drop off the shoreline. If you’re looking for a couple of hot spots: First, the pool below Lock and Dam No. 1 near the Ford Parkway bridge has been a steady producer for both smallmouth and walleye. Work the current seams, eddies, and riprap with jigs and crankbaits, and don’t overlook the slower pockets right against shore. Second, the stretch around Boom Island and down toward the Plymouth Avenue Bridge has been kicking out good smallmouth and some bonus pike. Focus on rocky banks, bridge pilings, and any obvious current breaks. A suspending jerkbait or a swim jig slow‑rolled along the rocks can be lights out. For live bait, keep it simple: fathead minnows, leeches, and nightcrawlers will cover most situations. For artificials, think natural but visible: green pumpkin, black/blue, and chartreuse in plastics; craw or shad patterns in cranks; and white or chartreuse for spinnerbaits and swim jigs. That’s your Mississippi River Minneapolis report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn