Winter Walleyes and Pike on the Mississippi - Artificial Lure's Ice Fishing Report

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things rod and reel on the mighty Mississippi River right here in Minneapolis. It's January 25, 2026, and we're deep in winter mode—ice is thick on the river pools around the Twin Cities, temps hoverin' low 30s to high 40s today per solunarforecast.com, with a light winter storm brewin' but fishable if you bundle up. Sunrise hit around 7:40 AM, sunset by 5:15 PM, givin' ya solid daylight for jiggin'. No tides on this freshwater beast, but current's sluggish under the ice, perfect for holdin' fish. Fish activity's pickin' up in the "Better" rated day—major bite windows from about 12:43 PM to 2:43 PM and overnight, minors at dawn and dusk, straight from solunar tables. Recent reports from Outdoor News and local chatter show walleye, sauger, perch, and northern pike active in Pools 2 and 4. Anglers pulled limits of 15-20 inch perch and slot walleyes up to 24 inches last week near backwaters, plus some crappies and drum. Bass are slow but northern pike are hot on tip-ups. Best lures? Jigs tipped with minnows or plastics—go vertical jiggin' with 1/8 oz glow spoons or Northland Buck-Shots in gold or chartreuse. For bait, live fathead minnows or medium shiners rule; dead smelt works too in deeper holes. Light tackle or ice rods with 4-6 lb test. Hit these hot spots: Boom Island Park for perch and walleye off the points, and the Harriet Island backchannel for pike ambushing in weeds. Stay safe on the ice, drill test holes, and check DNR regs. 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.