Mississippi Madness: Walleye, Cats, and More Bite on Pool 2

Hey, river rats! This is Artificial Lure bringing you the latest from the banks of the Mississippi right here in Minneapolis. If you woke up thinking about fishing, you picked a perfect day to wet a line. It’s early June and the river is back to its regular, moderate flows after last year’s flooding. We’ve got abnormally dry conditions across central Minnesota, so keep an eye out for shallow water and the odd snag—launch your boat with care. We kicked off sunrise at 5:28 AM this morning, and you’ve got daylight all the way until sunset at 8:49 PM. The weather’s prime: think pleasant temps, little wind, and just enough cloud cover to keep the bite on. Pool 2, stretching from Ford Dam down to Hastings, is the local hotbed right now. This stretch is open for catch-and-release walleye and sauger action year-round, and I’ve been hearing from anglers that the bite is absolutely on fire. Fish are holding in that 14-foot mark, right off the drop-offs; both shore and boat anglers are catching solid numbers. White bass are in high spirits, schooling up and smashing small crankbaits and blade baits. If cats are your game, you’re in luck—both channel and flathead catfish are prowling, with cut bait and live suckers doing most of the damage. And hey, don’t forget, muskie season opens tomorrow—so rig up those big swimbaits and bucktails, and be ready for some June teeth. For lures, bring an arsenal. Jigging Raps and paddle-tail plastics in chartreuse or firetiger have been top producers for walleye and sauger. Catfish fans: circle hooks and cut shad or live bullheads have been hot, especially in the slower, deeper eddies. Those after white bass can’t go wrong with a white twister or small silver spoon. Recent catches in the area report plenty of eater-size walleye (mostly 15 to 18 inches), a mix of sauger, and enough channel cats in the 5–10 pound range to keep arms sore. A few flatheads over 20 pounds have been logged near the confluence with Minnehaha Creek, and white bass runs are at their peak near the mouth of Minnehaha and below the Ford Dam. Hotspots? Start your day at the Ford Dam tailwaters—great structure, current seams, and always active fish. If you want less boat traffic, try the backwaters and side channels around Hidden Falls or above the Lake Street bridge. Plenty of fish, less hustle, and some surprise pike or largemouth, too. That’s your Mississippi River report for today, June 6th, 2025. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more river wisdom! This has been a Quiet Please production—for more, check out quietplease.ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.