I've been doing a few quick fishing trips out of my little jon boat since I live right next to the big river. Caught some walleye, catfish, and bass on the same wing dam today. Still looks like it'll be a while before the leaves turn since it still feels like summer. The boat and I are in the 2nd pic

Used to hit the Mississippi all the time when I lived around St Cloud, MN

Cool stuff Ethan. Lots of water and public land along the Big Muddy.
Mississippi backwater duck hunt.

Clone....
I'm heading up to pool 9 to fish Thursday and Friday. Best 2 days of the week wind and weather wise.De soto bay area wing dams mainly..

Did the same trip area last year same time 4 days.
Main question? How are the grass weeds floating down the river?
Fished 10 days or so ago in pool 13 .
Not a fun way to fish.

Nothing floating down here on 17. Cleanest I've seen it as far as clarity too all year. (not a surprise)

From you guys on 13/14 on up have the dream spots. I'd love to fish up there sometime....heck maybe I just need to move up there somewhere.

Let's fish

I've done the Mississippi River twice. Once in a tandem between Hidden Falls and down into the Minnesota river. Going downstream was great. Going back up to Hidden Falls seemed like we would never get there. Looking at the bank it seemed at times we were going nowhere. The other time was solo in my Magic just above I 694. Made the mistake of going downstream first. Going back to the landing was a real chore. Maybe further upstream near Anoka or above may be better for a canoe.

I have been on the Mississippi 3X. Floated between Cass and Wini., from upper iowa to Lansing, and from Lansing to Prairie du Chien.
The 2 Iowa floats were over Labor Day weekend, that won’t happen again!
Too many young adults in power boats with too much testosterone.
I’m pretty sure they were trying to swamp us, not fun especially since we had our kids with us!
I think it would be different during the week though.
It might notice that I didn’t paddle upstream.

jhb8426: "I've done the Mississippi River twice. Once in a tandem between Hidden Falls and down into the Minnesota river. Going downstream was great. Going back up to Hidden Falls seemed like we would never get there. Looking at the bank it seemed at times we were going nowhere. The other time was solo in my Magic just above I 694. Made the mistake of going downstream first. Going back to the landing was a real chore. Maybe further upstream near Anoka or above may be better for a canoe."

This year would've been an easier paddle upstream. I spend a ton of time in that area as I live close by. At times I think it'd be faster to portage back to HF than to paddle against that current.

Grew up in Monticello, and have family up near Itasca. I took the river for granted my whole life. I've been on this river so many times in so many places. Favorite recent trip was a houseboat rental from Alma, WI up to Pepin. That's an absolutely beautiful stretch of the river. Found out later that both Mark Twain and Zebulon Pike have written about the beauty of the bluffs down there.