As of October 17, 2024, the fishing scene on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis is looking excellent, especially with the fall season in full swing. The Mississippi River, being a non-tidal river, does not have tides, but water levels are currently slightly above normal and stabilizing, which is ideal for fishing.

The weather today is expected to be partly cloudy with a high of around 68 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 50 degrees. Sunrise is at 7:04 AM, and sunset will be at 6:47 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to get out on the water.

Fish activity has been strong, particularly for walleyes and saugers. Yesterday saw a good number of these species caught, with walleyes ranging from 15 to 25 inches and saugers up to 23 inches. Panfish, including bluegills, crappies, and perch, are also biting well, providing a fun fill-in when the walleyes and saugers are less active.

For walleyes and saugers, vertical jigging and using Dubuque rigs with baits like Berkley bonefish, curlybones, ripple shads, and rib worms have been effective. Crankbaits, especially on leadcore or longline trolling, are also working well. Hair jigs in white, purple, and chartreuse colors are catching fish too. For panfish, small jigs with plastics or tipped with a chunk of crawler under a bobber or pitched into rock shorelines, wing dams, wood, and weeds are producing good results.

Hot spots include the areas around Lake Pepin and the river sections near Wabasha and Red Wing. The backwater areas and main river sections with wood, weedlines, and wing dams are particularly productive. If you can find areas with less bait, the fish tend to be more aggressive.

Overall, the fall fishing on the Mississippi River near Minneapolis is shaping up to be fantastic, with plenty of opportunities to catch a variety of fish species. Get out there and enjoy the beautiful fall weather and excellent fishing conditions.