Mississippi River Fishing Report: Walleye, Smallmouth, and Pike Biting Around Minneapolis

Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Mississippi River fishing report for March 14, 2025. Let me tell you, it's shaping up to be a decent day on the water around Minneapolis. First off, we've got partly cloudy skies with temps climbing to the mid-50s by afternoon. Sunrise was at 7:23 AM and sunset will be at 7:15 PM, so we've got plenty of daylight to work with. The river level is running about normal for this time of year, with a slow current. Now for the good stuff - the fish have been biting! Walleye action has really picked up this past week as they start moving into their pre-spawn patterns. Anglers have been having luck jigging with minnows or plastics in 8-12 feet of water, especially near current breaks and wing dams. Some nice 20-inchers have been coming in. The smallmouth bass bite is also heating up. They're hitting crankbaits and jigs around rocky areas. A few reports of 3-4 pounders caught and released. Northern pike are active too - try spinnerbaits or live suckers in the backwaters and side channels. For bait, can't go wrong with fathead minnows or nightcrawlers this time of year. As for artificial lures, I'd stock up on jigs, crankbaits, and swimbaits in natural baitfish colors. The Rapala Shad Rap has been money lately. If you're looking for some hotspots, I'd recommend trying the area just below Lock and Dam 1 or around Pig's Eye Lake. The Mississippi River Gorge stretch has also been producing well. Remember to bundle up - it's still chilly out there! Tight lines, everyone! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.