Minneapolis ranked the second-best city in Minnesota to fish in, according to an analysis by Fishing Booker Blog.
The number of available fishing charters, guides with the Angler’s Choice Award, number of bookings, average review score, average recommended score and minimum price of a fishing trip make up the criteria for the rating. Duluth took the number one spot.
The 19 fishing charters, recreational fishing boats for hire that come with a guide, and the metropolitan lakes like Lake Minnetonka, Lake Waconia, Lake Independence and Shakopee Lake are why Minneapolis ranked so high, Fishing Booker spokesperson Vanja Polovina said.
Lake Bde Maka Ska and other big lakes around Minneapolis are good for anglers who fish with a rod and a line, as it is hard to find fishing areas along the shore, recent University of Minnesota graduate Thompson Nguyen said.
Ice Fishing Warrier Founder Jeff Henrichs said Lake Minnetonka is also a good fishing registry.
“Like I said, the variety of fish and different bays,” Henrichs said. “That lake is over 14,500 acres. Average depth on that lake is about 30 feet and probably the deepest is in Crystal Bay at 113 feet. So it’s a good lake. It’s fun to explore it.”
Jonathan Wilson-Thieroff, a fourth-year University student, said the Mississippi River is also a good place to fish because of the variety of different species of fish that can be caught.
“In the river, it’s a lot of smallmouth bass,” Wilson-Thieroff said. “Occasionally you get some walleye too, but I’d say mostly smallmouth. You can catch catfish, muskies, pretty much anything in the river. In the lakes, it’s more kind of panfish oriented, so a lot of bluegill, crappies, perch, that kind of thing.”
Not all fish caught in metropolitan lakes can be eaten as it depends on the lake, Wilson-Thieroff said. Lake water quality varies from lake to lake, meaning various chemicals caused by human activity can affect the fish.
Fishing in Minnesota requires a license, which can be obtained on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website or at gas stations. Minnesota residents are required to be at least 21 years old,bring a driver’s license number and a public safety identification number as proof of residency. Non-Minnesota residents must get a public safety identification number before purchasing any type of license from the DNR.
A license is not needed for people under 16 years old, above 90 years old, Minnesota residents enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces or residents of a Minnesota licensed nursing home, according to the DNR website.
Wilson-Thieroff said people associate urban areas with pollution and do not fish here for that reason, but he disagrees as the local rivers and lakes are clean.
“Minneapolis does a really good job, the Parks District especially, of preserving kinds of natural landscapes and making water diversion lakes accessible to a lot of people,” Wilson-Thieroff said.
Nguyen said there are a lot more people fishing in the heart of Minneapolis than farther north, making the competition for fish more fierce. He added overall, Minneapolis is a great spot to fish and will continue to be that way as long as people keep the fishing spots clean.
“Fishing is a lot of fun, Minneapolis has a lot of places to check out,” Nguyen said. “Just please keep fishing spots clean.”