Mississippi River Fishing Report - Minneapolis October 2025

Fishing Report: Mississippi River, Minneapolis – Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Hey, anglers and river rats, it's Artificial Lure, your local fishing pulse, here with the real deal from the banks, backwaters, and bridges of the Mighty Miss in the Cities. Let’s get right to it. ## Weather and Conditions We’re coming off a stretch of rain and wind that rolled through over the weekend, courtesy of a system that dropped moderate to heavy rain across the Midwest, including the metro area. This week, things are set to dry out—Tuesday morning saw lingering showers, but by this afternoon, skies should start clearing, and this warmer trend should hold through midweek. After these storms, the river’s up from last week’s historically low marks, but don't expect a dramatic boost—the recent rainfall, according to DTN Ag Weather, is just a bump, and water levels are still on the shy side by fall standards. That said, the extra flow has greened up the flats and added some current to the holes, which always gets the bite going. ## Sunrise and Sunset Sunrise today is right around 7:45 AM, and sunset comes at about 6:30 PM. That means plenty of daylight for exploring your favorite stretches, with prime light at both ends of the day. ## Tidal Report There are no real tides here on the Upper Mississippi, but we do watch the river flow—right now, that extra runoff is stirring up the channels and giving fish something new to chase. In other words, it’s “turning on” the buffet, and you should be there. ## Fish Activity and Recent Catches The bite’s been a mixed bag, but if you’re hunting for walleye, smallmouth, and channel cats, you’re in luck. Local folks out after the rain have been pulling in decent numbers of ‘eyes and smallies, especially around structure—laydowns, riprap, and deeper holes where the current breaks. Catfish action has picked up too, thanks to the freshened water and stirred-up bottom. If you’re in the know, you’ve heard about a few pike and even a surprise muskie or two hitting crankbaits in the early morning. No monster reports yet, but plenty of eaters and some solid catches for the stories. Over on the city side, word on the docks is that panfish—crappie and sunfish—are up shallow in the slackwater eddies, especially near the willows and old pilings. Bring a light jig and a sensitive rod, and you’ll fill a bucket before lunch. ## Best Lures and Bait If you’re after walleye, stick with classic minnows (shiners have been hot), leeches, or a slow-dragged jig tipped with a fathead. For smallmouth, nothing beats a white or green tube jig, especially with a little current. Topwater plugs have also been getting smacked at first light—buzzbaits and poppers are your best bet if you want to wake up the big guys. Crappie and panfish? Small jigs under a slip bobber or a tiny grub on a 1/32-ounce jig head. The bait shop regulars swear by waxies and spikes this time of year, but a chunk of worm never hurts. ## Hot Spots If you’re looking f This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.