October 17th Fishing Report: Walleye, Smallmouth, and More on the Mississippi in Minneapolis

Hey there, fish fanatics! Artificial Lure coming at you live from the banks of the mighty Mississippi, right here in Minneapolis. Let’s get right to the good stuff—real, on-the-water intel for October 17th, 2025. **Weather & Water Conditions** We’re smack in the heart of fall, and the nights have finally started cooling down, dropping surface temps on the metro lakes into the low-to-mid 50s. According to FishingReminder, turnover is mostly done, but clarity can vary, especially after a windy day—bring a variety of lures and be ready to adjust. There’s a light breeze in the forecast, which should put just enough chop on the water to keep walleye prowling the shallows at dawn and dusk. No tides to speak of—we’re freshwater here, folks—so wind and light drive our action. Sunrise today hits at 7:34 AM, sunset at 6:27 PM, so plan your trips for first and last light for the best odds. **What’s Biting** Walleye are showing up strong on Lake Harriet, Nokomis, and Pool 1 of the Mississippi—look for ‘em on those classic 10–18 foot breaks, especially on the inside turns. Jigs in the 1/8–1/4 oz range, tipped with fatheads or finesse minnows, are getting bit. If you want to trigger the big girls, try a Jigging Rap—nothing slams like that erratic action. Smallmouth bass are pushing into current seams and hugging midriver rubble piles; a ned rig or a 3–4" swimbait bounced just off the bottom is money. Muskie are starting to make some noise—look for bait clouds suspended over deeper holes (12–20 feet), and work glide baits, big rubber, or slow-rolled bucktails through those schools. Northern pike are playing hide-and-seek in the last green weeds—burn spinnerbaits over the tops, and you’ll get crushed. Crappies? They’ve slid to mid-depth basins. Find them on your electronics and drop a small hair jig or plastic under a slip float. Remember, after turnover, the clearest water (even if it’s just a little clearer) holds the most active fish—add some scent or live bait to seal the deal if the bite is slow. **Baits & Lures Working Now** - **Walleye:** 1/8–1/4 oz jigs with fatheads or minnows, Jigging Rap, vertical jigging with frozen shiners - **Smallmouth:** Ned rigs, 3–4" swimbaits, craw tubes - **Muskie:** Glide baits, big rubber, bucktails - **Northern:** Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits - **Crappie:** Small hair jigs, plastics under slip floats **Hot Spots to Hit** - **Lake Harriet & Nokomis:** Reliable for walleye right now, especially around the edges and first breaks. - **Pool 1 of the Mississippi:** Find smallmouth on current seams and rubble; walleye stack on the inside turns. - **Windward Points & Channel Edges:** After a blow, bait stacks up here—so do the predators. Fish them hard. **Recent Catch Reports** From the FishingReminder crew, anglers are putting walleye in the boat consistently, along with bonus smallmouth and the occasional surprise muskie. Pike are plentiful for those willing to work the weeds, and crappie action is steady i This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.