Mississippi River Minneapolis Fishing Report: Fall Bite Heats Up

Good morning from the riverfront, folks. Artificial Lure here with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report for Saturday, September 6, 2025. Daybreak came early today—sunrise at 6:40 AM, sunset’s expected around 7:40 PM, giving us a good twelve hours to work those lines. The weather’s got us in true September mode: crisp and cool this morning, with temps hovering around 37 at dawn and warming up to a high just reaching the low 60s this afternoon. Cloud cover will mix with the sun, and there’s a light northwest wind—8 to 15 mph—so dress in layers and expect that bite in the air. There’s a slim 30% chance for a brief shower or even a rogue thunderstorm, but overall, a solid early fall bite is shaping up for the weekend according to the St. Cloud State University weather discussion. River levels remain typical for this time of year and currents are moderate, but recent cold fronts have started driving water temps down. These conditions are firing up those classic fall fishing patterns. According to Outdoor News, the fall walleye bite is developing quick across the metro. Look for walleyes moving out of their summer haunts and setting up on deeper holes, edges, and transitions. Jumbo perch are showing up as a bonus, mixed in with the walleye—nothing wrong with a little mixed bag action. Recent catches logged around Minneapolis and St. Paul from Fishbrain and reports on the ground show solid numbers of largemouth bass, northern pike, and bluegill hitting the nets. The stretch from Boom Island down to Ford Dam has produced good bags, and over in Minnehaha Creek and even Lake Harriet, anglers are racking up big bass and the occasional trophy carp. Numbers in St. Paul alone logged thousands of bass and pike caught this season. Best bets today: for walleye, rig up with a firetiger or purple crankbait, or stay classic with a jig tipped with fathead or shiner minnow. As the water cools, walleyes go for slower presentations—try dragging a live bait rig along current breaks or deep channels. For bass, topwater baits can still get hit early, but the switch has definitely started toward jigs and soft plastics fished slow along weedlines and drop-offs. Northern pike are crushing spinnerbaits and large spoons where the river bends and weeds meet current but consider a big sucker or cutbait if you’re feeling catfishy—Matt Cat on TikTok can’t stop talking up big bait for big cats, and the Mississippi’s flatheads are never shy this time of year. Two local hot spots to try: - The mouth of Minnehaha Creek, especially morning and evening, for both multi-species action and surprise bruiser pike. - The Ford Dam tailwaters (below Lock and Dam No.1): classic fall walleye and sauger territory, with access from both shores and good parking for river regulars. Don’t overlook the deeper pools between Boom Island and the Stone Arch Bridge for mixed-action, either—they’ve been holding perch, walleye, and smallmouth as the flow stabilizes. Big picture: fall patte This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.