The Mississippi River is the largest river in America, running roughly 2,350 miles through the heart of the country. It’s by far the biggest river we’ve ever been on, let alone fished. Our next stop for Fly Shop Tour Season 4 would be Minnesota, a stone’s throw away from where the Mississippi begins, at Lake Itasca in Minnesota. We met up with the team from Mend Provisions Fly Fishing Co. to fish the mighty Mississippi and learn how to fish big water.
The Mississippi at a Glance
At first glance, the Mississippi can be a bit intimidating. Even near its starting point, it’s big water, and for anglers used to small rivers, it can be tricky to hone in on fish. Because of its size, it’s also a fairly slow-moving river. This presents a unique challenge, making it harder to read water and distinguish fish holding features from the boat.
In the northern portion of the river, the main target species are smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike, which is exactly what we set out to find. We also opted to fish out of a drift boat, enabling us to row the river and position ourselves to catch fish. Just be sure you have a respectable push row to move through frog water. The following tips we learned on the water will help catch more fish on the Mississippi.
Locate Structure
Fish love structure, particularly smallmouth bass, one of our target species. On big water like the Mississippi, finding fish holding structure can be tricky. We generally broke down the structure into two categories: underwater structure and bank structure. Of these two, the bank structure is the more obvious fish holding cover to find. Some common bank structures consist of overhanging trees, cuts in the riverbank, or submerged logs. Fish these hard, and if you do find a fish, there’s a good chance there’s more than one.
Underwater structure is where things get a bit more complicated, especially in a slow-moving river like the Mississippi. To find the holes and the underwater structure that holds fish, look for clues on the water’s surface. Ripples or boils are caused by an underwater structure pushing water upwards. Fish often sit in front of or behind these obstructions.
Find a Pattern
The next secret to fishing big water is to find a pattern. Depending on the time of year, fish will move through different parts of the system, just like in a trout stream. In the spring fish often move shallower in search of more oxygenated water, while come summer these same fish may move to deeper, cooler pools.
When you’re fishing the Mississippi, it’s important to establish some form of pattern. This narrows down where the fish will be and can keep you from wasting time in unproductive stretches. If you consistently catch fish in shallow riffles, hone your efforts in on this water, rather than wasting time on other, less productive structures.
Cover Water
The last tip for the Mississippi and other big waterways is to cover water. This goes hand-in-hand with the other tips we’ve hit on. By staying mobile and covering as much water as possible, you’re able to find a likely structure and establish a pattern. There’s plenty of fishy options to hit on the Mississippi so don’t dwell on one particular spot if it’s not working,
