Winter Walleyes and Saugers in the Minneapolis Pool of the Mississippi River

This is Artificial Lure with your Mississippi River Minneapolis fishing report.

The big river’s sliding into true early winter mode now, running cold, clear to slightly stained, and low and steady with typical pool levels for this time of year. Air temps are hovering near and below freezing, with light northwest wind and occasional flurries, so it’s a bundle‑up and fish‑slow kind of day. Expect a short feeding window around the warmer part of the afternoon and again right around dark.

Sunrise comes late and sunset is early, giving you a fairly tight prime-time band from mid‑morning through about an hour before dark. With that limited daylight, focus on spots that set up quickly: current breaks just off the main flow, deep outside bends, and the first big holes below dams. Fish activity has been classic winter river behavior: fewer bites, but solid quality walleyes and saugers when you stick with it.

Recent catches in this stretch have been dominated by eater‑size sauger and walleye with the occasional bigger walleye pushing into the mid‑20s, plus some surprise smallmouth hanging on the deeper rocks. A handful of anglers working slower have also reported bonus channel cats soaking dead bait on bottom. Numbers aren’t fast and furious, but grinders working deeper seams are putting together respectable dinners.

Best producers have been vertical presentations. A 1/4 to 3/8‑ounce jig and minnow or jig and soft‑plastic ringworm has been the go‑to, with colors like purple, chartreuse, and firetiger showing up often in local chatter. When the fish are extra finicky, a plain live‑bait rig or a simple jig with a fathead, held almost motionless just off bottom, has been outfishing flashier stuff. For bait, bring a mix of fatheads, shiners if you can get them, and some plastics to cover both live and artificial looks.

Artificial‑only anglers are doing well with paddle‑tail swimbaits and ringworms on heavier jig heads, hopped slowly down current seams. Blade baits and lipless cranks can still trigger reaction strikes on warmer afternoons, but they’re very much a “window” bait now—great for a short flurry, then back to meat and finesse. Downsizing and slowing your cadence is the name of the game; let that lure hover and wash in the current.

A couple of local hot spots to think about:
- The pools and current breaks just below Upper St. Anthony and Ford Dam, where wintering walleyes and saugers stack on the edges of the main chute.
- The deeper outside bends and rock edges near the Camden and Lowry Avenue bridge areas, where subtle current soft spots meet hard bottom.

Boat or shore, safety is key: icy ramps, cold water, and quick currents do not forgive mistakes, so wear the float suit or life jacket and keep trips shorter. If you stay patient, move spot to spot with a purpose, and trust your electronics, the river will still give up some very respectable fish.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI