Winter Walleyes and Panfish Bonanza on the Mississippi near Minneapolis

As of December 22, 2024, the fishing scene on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis is quite dynamic, despite the cold winter conditions. ### Weather and Water Conditions The weather today is expected to be chilly, with temperatures ranging from the mid-teens to mid-twenties Fahrenheit. The water temperature is around 38-40 degrees, which is typical for this time of year. The water levels, although previously at record highs due to flooding earlier in the year, have stabilized, but the river is still experiencing low current flow due to the lack of recent rainfall[2][5]. ### Sunrise and Sunset Sunrise is at around 7:45 AM, and sunset is expected at approximately 4:30 PM, giving anglers a decent window to get out on the water. ### Fish Activity The Walleye and Sauger bite has been consistent, especially in the upper pool areas of the Mississippi River. These fish are girthy from their fall weight gain and are actively feeding on large shad schools present throughout Pool 4. Panfishing for Bluegills, Crappies, and Perch remains good, particularly in areas like rock shorelines, wing dams, and weed beds[1]. ### Catch Reports Yesterday saw a good number of Walleyes and Saugers caught, mainly using vertical jigging, dragging jigs, and Miller rigs with plastic lures such as Berkley's curly bones, bonefish, and ribworm. Crankbaits on leadcore or longline trolling also produced results. For panfish, small jigs tipped with a piece of crawler or minnow were effective[1]. ### Best Lures and Bait For Walleyes and Saugers, plastics are the go-to choice this time of year, with colors like white ice, greens, and purples working well depending on the cloud cover. For panfish, small jigs with plastics or tipped with a chunk of crawler are recommended. Live bait is less effective for Walleyes and Saugers during this period[1]. ### Hot Spots - Pool 4, particularly the upper pool area, is a hot spot for Walleyes and Saugers. - The dam area in Pool 5 is excellent for Perch and scattered Walleyes. - Rock shorelines, wing dams, and weed beds are good for panfish like Bluegills, Crappies, and Perch[1]. Overall, the Mississippi River near Minneapolis offers some great fishing opportunities even in the cold winter months, with the right lures and knowledge of the best spots. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.