Mississippi River Spring Walleye Bite Heats Up Near Minneapolis

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on the Mississippi River right here in Minneapolis. It's early morning on April 24, 2026, and the river's callin'—water's runnin' steady at about 12 feet on the St. Paul gauge, no real tides but that current's got a nice push from recent rains. Weather's lookin' prime: mostly sunny with highs in the low 60s, light northwest breeze at 5-10 mph keepin' things calm. Sunrise was at 6:07 AM, sunset 8:12 PM—plenty of daylight to chase 'em. Fish are wakin' up as spring ramps; walleyes are keyin' on the spawn tail-end, smallies goin' strong post-spawn, and sauger, pike, and channel cats mixin' in. Recent catches? Locals hammered walleyes up to 28 inches on the main channel edges—reports from Minnesota DNR say limits daily near the boom, with 15-20 boat anglers pullin' 10-15 fish each last weekend. Smallmouth bass hittin' 4-5 pounds around rock piles, perch schools thick for panfish chasers, and cats stackin' up in deeper holes. Shad runs are buildin' too, drawin' predators. Best lures: **jiggin' with 3/8-oz chartreuse hair jigs tipped with minnows** or **paddle-tail swimbaits in white/pearl**—they're tearin' it up on current breaks. Live bait? Fathead minnows or crawlers on a Lindy rig for walleyes, cut shad for cats. Nighttime, throw **Rapala Shad Raps** for that suspendin' action. Hot spots: Hit the **Boom Island area** for walleyes driftin' the drop-offs, or **Lock & Dam #1 tails** where smallies smash jigs—park at the lot off Shepard Road, launch easy. Water temp's hoverin' 48-52°F, perfect for aggressive bites. Stay safe, check regs—walleye season's open, slots apply. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.