Mississippi River Fishing Report: Walleye Bonanza, Perch Pickup, and Catfish on the Prowl

Artificial Lure here with your Monday morning fishing report for the Mississippi River in and around Minneapolis, May 12, 2025. The weekend brought some fine fishing, and today's looking even better! Sunrise this morning came at about 5:43 AM, and we'll see sunset around 8:29 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to get after those fish. Weather's shaping up beautifully today with temps expected in the low 70s and a light breeze from the southwest – just enough to put a little ripple on the surface without messing with your casting. Water levels remain a touch below normal due to our dry spring, but that's actually concentrating fish in predictable locations. Just watch for those exposed rocks and structure if you're running your boat shallow. The walleye and sauger bite has been flat-out fantastic this past week! Pool 2 from the Ford Dam down to Hastings continues to be the hot ticket, especially around current breaks and eddies. Remember though, Pool 2 is catch-and-release only for walleye, sauger, and bass – but the action makes it worthwhile. If you're looking to put some fish in the cooler, head down to Pool 3. For walleye and sauger, jigs tipped with fathead minnows have been the top producer, especially in that 1/8 to 1/4 ounce range depending on current. Work those current seams and deeper holes. Early morning and evening have seen the best action, but folks have been catching fish throughout the day too. The perch bite has also picked up considerably, with some nice eaters being caught in backwaters and slower eddies. Small jigs tipped with pieces of nightcrawler or crappie minnows are working well. For you catfish enthusiasts, channel cats are starting to get active below the Brainerd Dam, Kiwanis Park, and French Rapids. Cut bait or chicken liver on a 1/0 octopus hook with a 1-ounce weight about 1-2 feet above has been the ticket. Look for those seams where slack water meets current. Two hot spots you'll want to check out: The wing dams just south of downtown have been producing consistently, and the backwaters near Pike Island are giving up some nice crappies and perch for folks working brush piles with small jigs. If you're heading out, don't forget your sunscreen – that spring sun will fool you! Stop by and show me your catch; I'll be down at the landing most evenings this week. Until next time, this is Artificial Lure saying tight lines and full livewells, friends! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.