"Mississippi Autumn Bounty: Smallies, Walleyes & Solunar Forecast"

Fishing action on the Mississippi River around Minneapolis is picking up as the fall chill sets in, and anglers are finding good numbers of smallmouth bass and some walleyes, especially in those deeper holes and current breaks that define the fall bite. According to Minnesota Outdoor News, larger minnows are coaxing more of those bronzebacks and the occasional 'eye to strike, with the pattern holding steady through this week. Water temperatures are sliding slowly downward, hovering in the mid-to-high 50s, which usually means active fish feeding ahead of the coming cold. This morning, the river’s flow upstream near Aitkin is on the lower side for the season, running about 3,460 cubic feet per second, but that’s still plenty of current to keep bait moving and hold fish near structural breaks. The river levels are a bit low historically—CBS News Minneapolis notes this section has recently registered some of its lowest autumn gauges ever, so check access points for low ramps and log jams. The weather for Thursday, October 23rd, is a classic fall setup for the Twin Cities with clear skies early, a crisp low around 37°F, and a high topping out near 60°F as the sun makes a full show. The sun pokes up at 7:40 AM and ducks back down at 6:16 PM. Winds will be light, making for comfortable conditions on the water. According to FishingReminder, today is rated an excellent day for fishing, aligning to the Solunar tables which show major activity peaking from 3:27 to 5:27 PM and a minor but promising window from 8:01 to 9:01 AM. Anglers this week have been landing numbers of smallmouth bass on the river’s sharper bends and below the key dams—down by the Ford Dam and the stretch running through downtown Minneapolis have seen some eager fish. Reports are that the big ones are coming on larger creek chubs or flashy jigs tipped with live minnows, especially where the water breaks into a deeper hole or behind mid-river islands. Walleyes are still holding tight to the bottom, but a few nice catches have come from jigging with fatheads in that 10-18 foot range. The bait of choice lately has been a jig and minnow combo—chartreuse and orange have been the hot head colors. For lures, mid-sized crankbaits, particularly in shad or firetiger patterns, are producing walleyes in the evening. Anglers targeting smallies have seen action on 3.5” tubes in green pumpkin and natural crayfish colors, along with spinnerbaits slow-rolled along current seams. If you’re looking for a few hot spots: - The area just below the Plymouth Avenue Bridge has been reliable, especially before mid-morning. - The tailrace below the Ford Dam continues to hold both bass and walleye. - The banks between Boom Island and Nicollet Island are stacked with baitfish and are well worth a cast, particularly as evening bites start to ramp in late afternoon. On the bait front, live minnows are out-fishing plastics for walleyes, but don’t be afraid to throw a paddle-tail or jerkbait to cover more water if This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.