Late October Fishing Frenzy on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis

Artificial Lure here with your live fishing report for the Mississippi River and surrounding waters in Minneapolis on this crisp Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Sunrise rolled in at 7:43 a.m. this morning, and sunset’s pegged for 6:11 p.m. We’re looking at classic late-October weather: highs in the mid-50s, waters cooling on the back of some deep autumn nights, and minimal wind—ideal for targeting both structure and seam waters. There’s no tidal activity here in the Minneapolis stretch of the Mississippi, but watch for current shifts after these cooler nights, as they’re stacking up bait and fish on inside bends and channel edges.

Now, fish activity’s been lively according to recurring reports: walleye are definitely on the chew, especially at dawn and dusk, plus on overcast days. You want to focus on 10 to 18 foot breaks and inside turns—work 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs tipped with fatheads, or run a Jigging Rap right on breaks. Folks are sticking good eater walleye on Pool 1, and there’s been a surge around Lake Nokomis and Lake Harriet as well. If you’re angling for bass, smallmouth are pushing into current seams and midriver rocky rubble—think ned rigs or 3–4" swimbaits bounced right off the bottom.

Plenty of pike are lurking around the last of the green weeds, and a spinnerbait burnt over the tops is getting the reaction bites. Meanwhile, muskie activity’s picked right up in the deeper haunts—look for bait clouds over 12 to 20 feet and throw glide baits, big rubber, or slow-rolled bucktails.

Crappies are making their traditional slide out to those mid-depth basins. Side imaging helps you locate those tighter pods; once you’ve got them, suspend a hair jig or small plastic under a float and gently hover it in their zone.

Recent reports over on FishingReminder and echoed on local forums say that anglers are getting into some real mixed bags lately—good numbers for walleye, with bonus pike, the odd muskie, and consistent slabs for crappie anglers.

The river’s mood is definitely autumn—turnover’s finished for most metro lakes, so you want to prioritize clearer stretches. Clarity can vary, especially after windy periods, so keep an eye on water color and consider adding a scent or switching to live bait during short windows of activity—this trick’s drawn extra strikes when fish are just nipping.

For bait and lures, here’s your local rundown:
- For walleye: 1/8–1/4 oz jig with a fathead minnow or a Jigging Rap in blue/silver, gold, or chartreuse.
- For smallmouth: ned rigs in green pumpkin, 3–4" soft swimbaits on a jighead.
- For pike: white or firetiger spinnerbaits slow-rolled across weed edges.
- For muskie: gliders like the Phantom Softail, big rubber like a Medussa or Pounder, and classic black-nickel or orange bucktails.
- For crappie: small tube jigs or hair jigs (white, pink, chartreuse) under a float, with or without live minnow.

Hot spots you don’t want to miss right now:
- Hidden Falls Regional Park is holding fish on the seam off the main flow just upriver from the Ford Dam, particularly at dusk.
- Boom Island Park’s got some killer current breaks attracting both walleye and smallmouth.
- East Channel by Nicollet Island: work the eddies and rock outcroppings for mixed bag action.
- For crappies, Cedar Lake’s mid-depth basins have been reliable, especially mornings.

This October’s bite is prime, folks. Action is best at first and last light, and water clarity is your friend. Bring the right jig, play the breaks, and don’t be afraid to experiment with color as the light and water conditions keep shifting.

Thanks for tuning in to your Mississippi River, Minneapolis fishing report. If you got a limit or landed a river giant, send those photos in or let us know what you’re using. We’ll be right back with more tips, local knowledge, and real-time updates tomorrow, so make sure you subscribe for your daily dose of river intelligence.

This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lure. Here with your live fishing report for the
Mississippi River and surrounding waters in Minneapolis on this crisp Tuesday,
October twenty eighth, twenty twenty five. Sunrise rolled in at
seven forty three am this morning and sunset's pegged for
six to eleven pm. We're looking at classic late October
weather highs in the mid fifties. Water's cooling on the

(00:23):
back of some deep autumn nights and minimal wind ideal
for targeting both structure and seam waters. There's no tidal
activity here in the Minneapolis stretch of the Mississippi, but
watch for current shifts after these cooler nights as they're
stacking up bait and fish on inside bends and channel edges. Now,
fish activity has been lively according to recurring reports. Walleye

(00:46):
are definitely on the chew, especially at dawn and dusk,
plus on overcast days. You want to focus on ten
to eighteen foot breaks and inside turns. Work one eighth
to one four pounced jigs tipped with fat heads, or
run a jigging wrap right on bricks. Folks are sticking
good eat or walleye on pool one and there's been

(01:06):
a surge around like Mochamus and Lake Harriet as well.
If you're angling for bass small mouth, they're pushing into
current seams and mid river rocky rubble. Think med rigs
are three to four swim baits bounced right off the bottom.
Plenty of pike are lurking around the last of the
green weeds, and a spinner bait burned over the tops
is getting the reaction bites. Meanwhile, musky activities picked right

(01:30):
up in the deeper haunts. Look for bait clouds over
twelve to twenty feet and throw glide baits, big rubber
or slow rolled bucktails. Crappies are making their traditional slide
out to those mid depth basins. Side imaging helps you
locate those tighter pods. Once you've got them, suspend a
hair jig or small plastic under a float and gently

(01:52):
hover it in their zone. Recent reports over on Fishing
Reminder and echoed on local Forms say that anglers getting
into some real mixed bags lately. Good numbers for wally
with bonus pike, the odd musky, and consistent slabs for
crappy anglers. The river's moon is definitely Autumn turnover is
finished for most metro lakes, so you want to prioritize

(02:16):
clearer stretches. Clarity can vary, especially after windy periods, so
keep an eye on water color and consider adding a
scent or switching to live bait during short windows of activity.
This trick's drawn extra strikes when fish are just nipping
for bait and lures. Here's your local rundown for walleye

(02:37):
one eighth one fourth ounce jig with a fat head
minnow or a jigging wrap in blue, silver, gold or
chureuse for small mouth med rigs in green pumpkin three
four soft swim baits on a jighead for pike, wider
fire tiger, spinner baits, slow rolled across weed edges for

(02:58):
musky gliders like the phantom soft tail, big rubber like
a Medusa or pounder, and classic black nickel or orange
bucktails for crappie, small tube jigs or hair jigs, white
pink chartrews under afloat with or without live minno hotspots
you don't want to miss Right now. Hidden Falls Regional

(03:20):
Park is holding fish on the seam off the main
flow just up river from the fore dam, particularly at
dusk Boom Island Park's got some killer current breaks attracting
both Walleye and small Mouth East Channel by Nicolay Island
work the eddies and rock outcroppings for mixed bag action
for crappies. Cedar Lake's mid depth basins have been reliable,

(03:41):
especially mornings. This October's bite is prime, folks. Action is
best at first and last. Light and water clarity is
your friend. Bring the right jig, play the breaks, and
don't be afraid to experiment with color as the light
and water conditions keep shifting. Thanks for tuning in to
your Mississippi River. Many applis fishing report. If you've got

(04:02):
a limit or landed a river giant, send those photos
in or let us know what you're using. We'll be
right back with more tips, local knowledge, and real time
updates tomorrow, so make sure you subscribe for your daily
dose of river intelligence. This has been a quiet please production.
For more check out Quiet Please dot ai