October 17th Fishing Report: Walleye, Smallmouth, and More on the Mississippi in Minneapolis

Hey there, fish fanatics! Artificial Lure coming at you live from the banks of the mighty Mississippi, right here in Minneapolis. Let’s get right to the good stuff—real, on-the-water intel for October 17th, 2025.

**Weather & Water Conditions**
We’re smack in the heart of fall, and the nights have finally started cooling down, dropping surface temps on the metro lakes into the low-to-mid 50s. According to FishingReminder, turnover is mostly done, but clarity can vary, especially after a windy day—bring a variety of lures and be ready to adjust. There’s a light breeze in the forecast, which should put just enough chop on the water to keep walleye prowling the shallows at dawn and dusk. No tides to speak of—we’re freshwater here, folks—so wind and light drive our action. Sunrise today hits at 7:34 AM, sunset at 6:27 PM, so plan your trips for first and last light for the best odds.

**What’s Biting**
Walleye are showing up strong on Lake Harriet, Nokomis, and Pool 1 of the Mississippi—look for ‘em on those classic 10–18 foot breaks, especially on the inside turns. Jigs in the 1/8–1/4 oz range, tipped with fatheads or finesse minnows, are getting bit. If you want to trigger the big girls, try a Jigging Rap—nothing slams like that erratic action. Smallmouth bass are pushing into current seams and hugging midriver rubble piles; a ned rig or a 3–4" swimbait bounced just off the bottom is money. Muskie are starting to make some noise—look for bait clouds suspended over deeper holes (12–20 feet), and work glide baits, big rubber, or slow-rolled bucktails through those schools. Northern pike are playing hide-and-seek in the last green weeds—burn spinnerbaits over the tops, and you’ll get crushed. Crappies? They’ve slid to mid-depth basins. Find them on your electronics and drop a small hair jig or plastic under a slip float. Remember, after turnover, the clearest water (even if it’s just a little clearer) holds the most active fish—add some scent or live bait to seal the deal if the bite is slow.

**Baits & Lures Working Now**
- **Walleye:** 1/8–1/4 oz jigs with fatheads or minnows, Jigging Rap, vertical jigging with frozen shiners
- **Smallmouth:** Ned rigs, 3–4" swimbaits, craw tubes
- **Muskie:** Glide baits, big rubber, bucktails
- **Northern:** Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits
- **Crappie:** Small hair jigs, plastics under slip floats

**Hot Spots to Hit**
- **Lake Harriet & Nokomis:** Reliable for walleye right now, especially around the edges and first breaks.
- **Pool 1 of the Mississippi:** Find smallmouth on current seams and rubble; walleye stack on the inside turns.
- **Windward Points & Channel Edges:** After a blow, bait stacks up here—so do the predators. Fish them hard.

**Recent Catch Reports**
From the FishingReminder crew, anglers are putting walleye in the boat consistently, along with bonus smallmouth and the occasional surprise muskie. Pike are plentiful for those willing to work the weeds, and crappie action is steady if you target those offshore basins. No wild numbers, but quality fish that’ll put a bend in your rod.

**A Word on Safety & Conservation**
The Mississippi is running low—downtown St. Paul is actually registering its fourth-lowest level ever, says CBS Minnesota—so be extra careful navigating, especially if you’re new to the river. Also, be aware that PFAS (forever chemicals) have been found in fish from Pool 2—check DNR guidelines before keeping your catch.

**Final Tips**
If the sun’s high, head deeper and slow down. Overcast? Stay shallow and cover water. When the wind picks up, fish the windward side—that’s where the bait, and the gamefish, stack up.

Thanks for tuning in, everyone! If you found this report helpful, don’t be a stranger—subscribe, share, and get out there. Tight lines, and remember: the fish are always right—we’re just here to outsmart ‘em.
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, they're fish fanatics. Artificial lure coming at you. Live
from the banks of the mighty Mississippi right here in Minneapolis.
Let's get right to the good stuff. Real on the
water intel for October seventeenth, twenty twenty five. Weather and
water conditions. We're smacking the heart of fall and the
knights have finally started cooling down, dropping surface tempts on
the Metro Lakes into the load to mid fifties. According

(00:22):
to Fishing Reminder, turnover is mostly done, but clarity can vary,
especially after a windy day. Bring a variety of lures
and be ready to adjust. There's a light reason the forecast,
which should put just enough chop on the water to
keep walleye prowling the shallows at dawn and dusk no
times to speak of. We're fresh water here, folks, so
wind and light drive our action. Sunrise today hits at

(00:44):
seven thirty four am, sunset at six twenty seven pm,
so plan your trips for first and last light for
the best odds. What's biting. Wally are showing up strong
on Lake Harriet Nokamus and pull one of the Mississippi.
Look for him on those classic ten eighteen foot breaks,
especially on the inside turns. Jigs in the one eighth

(01:05):
one fourth ounce range tipped with fat heads or finest
minnows are getting bit. If you want to trigger the
big girls, try a jigging rap. Nothing slams like that
erratic action. Small mouth bass are pushing in the current
seams and hugging mid river rubble piles. A net rig
or a three four swim bait bounced just off the
bottom is money muskier starting to make some noise. Look

(01:26):
for bake clouds suspended over deeper holes twelve twenty feet
and work glide baits, big rubber or slow rolled bucktails
through those schools. Northern piker playing hide and seek in
the last green weeds. Burn spinner baits over the tops
and you'll get crushed crappies they've slipped mid depth basins.
Find them on your electronics and drop a small hair
jig or plastic under a slip flow. Remember after turnover,

(01:50):
the clearest water, even if it's just a little clearer,
holds the most active fish. Add some scent or live
bait to seal the deal. If the bite is slow,
baits and lowers working now ya one eighth one fourth
ounce jigs with fat heads or minnos, jigging wrap vertical
jigging with frozen shiners, small mouth one seven, med rigs

(02:12):
three four, swim baits, craw tubes, muskie sixty five, glide baits,
big rubber buck tails, spinner baits, jerk baits, spinner baits,
crappy small hair jigs, plastics, under slip floats, hotspots to

(02:35):
hit like Harriet Nokmus. Reliable for walleye right now, especially
around the edges and first breaks Pool one of the Mississippi.
Find small mouth on current seams and rubble wileye stack

(02:56):
on the inside turns, rinward points and chat ledges after
a blow bait stacks up here, so do the predators
fishing hard. Recent catch reports from the Fishing Reminder Crew
anglers are putting walleye in the boat consistently, along with
bonus smallmouth and the occasional surprise muskie bikeer plentiful for

(03:18):
those willing to work the weeds and crappy. Action is
steady if you target those offshore basins. No wild numbers,
but quality fish that'll put a bend in your rud.
A word on safety and conservation the Mississippi is running low.
Downtown Seint Paul is actually registering its fourth lowest level ever,
says CBS Minnesota, so be extra careful navigating, especially if

(03:41):
you're new to the river. Also, be aware that p
fasts forever chemicals have been found in fish from Pool two.
Check DNR guidelines before keeping your catch. Final tips if
the sun's high, head deeper and slow down overcast station
both from South Poland and Southwest Canada. When the wind

(04:05):
picks up, fish the windward side. That's where the bait
and the game fish stack up. Thanks for tuning in everyone.
If you found this report helpful, don't be a stranger. Subscribe,
share and get out there. Tight lines, and remember the
fish are always right, We're just here to outsmart them.

(04:25):
This has been a quiet please production. For more check
out Quiet Please