Mississippi Winter Walleyes: Jigs, Minnows, and Hot Spots for Icy Season Fishing

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the Mississippi River right here in Minneapolis. It's January 5th, 2026, and we're kickin' off the year with some solid winter fishin' action despite the chill. Weather's lookin' cloudy today with patches of fog, highs in the mid-30s—perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the ice or open water edges, per WCCO's latest forecast. Sunrise at 6:51 AM, sunset 7:42 PM, givin' us nearly 13 hours of daylight. Solunar tables from solunarforecast.com show major bite times from 3:52-5:52 AM and 4:23-6:23 PM, minors at noon to 1 and 8:29-9:29 AM—fish are feedin' steady under this 24% waxing crescent moon. No tides on the upper Miss, but flows are low at Brainerd—18% of normal per Snoflo—meanin' fish are huggin' deeper holes and current breaks downtown. Recent reports got walleyes and sauger bitin' good, with limits of 14-18 inchers on jiggin' spoons; perch schools thick in 15-25 feet; a few northerns crashin' the party too. Anglers pullin' 10-20 fish days easy. Best lures? Tip vertical jigs with **glow spoons** or **Swedish Pimples** in 1/8-1/4 oz for walleyes—add a minnow head. For perch, small **wedding ring spinners** or **horn pukes**. Live bait shines: medium **shiners** or **fathead minnows** on a Lindy rig. Artificials like **paddle-tail soft plastics** on 1/16 oz heads work when they're fussy. Hot spots: Boom Island Park for easy access and sauger stacks; below St. Anthony Falls where current funnels 'em in—watch ice edges. Bundle up, stay safe out there, and tight lines! 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.