Late Spring Mississippi River Minneapolis: Walleye, Smallmouth, and Catfish

This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River, Minneapolis fishing report. We’re in that sweet late‑spring pattern now. River levels through the metro are near normal and running with a light stain – just enough color to let you get close without spooking fish, but clear enough that downsizing line can help. No true tide here, just flow, and it’s moderate: enough current seams to set up predictable feeding lanes around bridge pilings, wing dams, and the heads and tails of islands. Weather-wise around Minneapolis, plan on cool, calm mornings with temps in the low 50s climbing into the 60s–70s by afternoon, light winds, and a mix of sun and clouds. Stable pressure means fairly consistent action, with the best bite at low light. Sunrise is right around 5:40 a.m., sunset near 8:45 p.m., so you’ve got long windows to work early and late. Fish activity has been solid. Walleyes are largely postspawn but still hanging in classic current breaks and the tops of deeper holes; evenings have been better than mornings the last few days. A lot of 14–20 inch fish, with an occasional bigger one if you grind. Smallmouth bass are really waking up – think rocky stretches, riprap, and the upstream edges of islands. Plenty of 12–17 inch bronzebacks, and locals are reporting some mid‑18s on moving baits. Channel cats are active with the warmer water; fish in the 3–8 pound range are common, with some bigger blues and flatheads showing after dark near heavy structure. For presentations, stick with river staples. For walleye, a 1/8–1/4 oz jig and plastic in chartreuse, firecracker, or natural shiner tones has been money; tip with a fathead or half a crawler if the bite is finicky. Live‑bait rigs with leeches are also starting to shine on slower inside bends. For smallmouth, mid‑size crankbaits in craw or silver/black, 3–4 inch swimbaits, and suspending jerkbaits are producing. Once the sun’s higher, switch to tubes or compact football jigs dragged across rock. If you like power fishing, a white spinnerbait slow‑rolled along current breaks will surprise you with both smallies and pike. Catfish crews are doing well on cut sucker, goldeye, and chicken liver fished on simple slip‑sinker rigs. Focus on the first deep hole below any major riffle or dam; fish the upstream lip at dusk and slide deeper after dark. A couple local hot spots to consider: – Below St. Anthony Falls down through the 3rd Avenue and 10th Avenue bridges: plenty of current breaks, eddies, and depth changes. Work the seams with jigs for walleye early and late, then slide shallower to the riprap and throw cranks for smallmouth once the sun is up. – The stretch around the Ford Dam (Lock and Dam 1) and down toward the Lake Street bridge: classic river structure with wing dams, bar edges, and deeper bends. Anchor just upstream of the wing dams and cast across them for walleyes; in the daytime, pitch tubes to rocky shorelines for smallies. At night, this same stretch is a great bet for channel cats with cut bait. Boat anglers should watch floating debris; the recent flow has kicked loose a few logs. Shore anglers will find decent access near the Stone Arch area and down by the Ford Parkway and Lake Street bridges – just be mindful of posted signs and stay safe around the current. That’s the latest from the Mississippi in Minneapolis. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn