Springtime Bite on the Mississippi: Walleye, Sauger, and More in Minneapolis

Artificial Lure here, bringing you the latest fishing report for the Mississippi River in and around Minneapolis on April 30, 2025. We’re seeing classic spring conditions this week. Sunrise hit at 6:36 a.m. and sunset will be at 7:51 p.m., giving anglers that long, golden window when the fish are most active. Early mornings and evenings are still the ticket for the best bite, especially with warmer afternoons following some light overnight showers recently. Temps are sitting comfortably in the low 60s, and the river is rising with water temps hovering around 44 degrees in the main flow. Some of the shallower, backwater spots with darker bottoms are already pushing closer to 60, so fish activity is peaking as we move into prime spawning season for many species. Walleye and sauger are the big story right now, with reports of steady action in 8 to 16 feet, especially near rocky and gravelly patches. The females are softening up, which means the spawn is right around the corner. Anglers are pulling in good numbers on jigs—hair jigs, blade baits, and soft plastics like B-Fish-N Tackle Pulse-R paired with a 3/16 or 5/16 ounce jighead. If you want to match the hot lure, purple has been getting the most bites lately. Look for subtle current breaks, the mouths of feeder creeks, and points downstream of islands for the most action. Perch and a few bonus pike are making cameos in the same areas. Plenty of folks are still working channel catfish, too, with cut bait and stinkbait producing well after sunset. For live bait, minnows and fathead rigs are still working when things are slow on artificials. If you’re hoping to mix things up, slip-bobber rigs fished near submerged timber or brush can surprise you, especially when fished with half a crawler. As for hot spots, the stretch just below the Ford Dam down past Minnehaha Creek is buzzing, especially around the drop-offs and current seams. The backwaters up near Boom Island Park have also been steady, with warmer water drawing in perch and crappie. The catch numbers are looking solid—multiple boats reporting easy limits of walleyes and sauger, with quite a few in the 17 to 22 inch range, and some lucky anglers landing a couple of 25-inchers. Catfish in the 5 to 10 pound range are showing up after dark. In short, it’s shaping up to be a classic spring bite on the Mississippi in Minneapolis. Now is the time to get out there. Good luck and tight lines. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.