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Fishing Mississippi River (Brainerd): what the data says
Brainerd to Fort Ripley The river tops out around 11 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Mississippi River (Brainerd)
Spring smallmouth bass on Mississippi River (Brainerd) hold shallow, usually 3 to 11 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 11 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 11 ft. Riffle & run (mile 8.7) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Walleye fishing at Mississippi River (Brainerd)
Spring walleye on Mississippi River (Brainerd) hold shallow, usually 3 to 11 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 11 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 11 ft. The spot to know is Riffle & run (mile 8.7), a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 11 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 11 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Mississippi River (Brainerd)
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 11 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 11 ft. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 3.1), a current seam in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Mississippi River (Brainerd)
Spring channel catfish on Mississippi River (Brainerd) hold shallow, usually 3 to 11 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 11 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 11 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 11 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 3 to 11 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday |
Notable structure
- Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 5.0): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 6.8): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.5): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 13.3): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 15.2): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 17.1): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 18.9): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Current seam (mile 3.1): current seam, around 6 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 8.7): rock pile, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Mississippi River (Brainerd)?
Mississippi River (Brainerd) is about 11 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Mississippi River (Brainerd)?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, channel catfish on Mississippi River (Brainerd).
Where is the best fishing spot on Mississippi River (Brainerd)?
Riffle & run (mile 8.7) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Mississippi River (Brainerd)?
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Crow Wing · Perch · White Sand · Sylvan · Middle Whipple · Red Sand
See how Mississippi River (Brainerd) stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best channel catfish lakes in Minnesota
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