Steamboats, houseboats and fantastic sunsets offer only a peek at life along the Mississippi River valley! Small boat cruising is king along the river. Small boats include paddlewheelers, houseboats, and day cruising. There are few overnight cruises available, but several of the small cruising boats offer overnights in hotels along the river. Check out the JBS, the Twilight, and Celebration Cruise Lines.

About our Weekly Fishing Report
All content © Pat Middleton and Great River Publishing

Each week I receive an informative, and often fascinating, fishing report from Mark Clements at the Genoa, Wisconsin, fishing barge. If the fish are not biting, he tells us that and tells us why not. If they are biting, he tells us where and what on.

We hope you enjoy this frequently updated fishing page. Please thank our sponsors and use our "site recommender" to let others know. If you want to submit your own fishing report, feel free to email us.

A note about the fishing barges: Commercial "fishing barges" are located on the upper Mississippi River below the Lock and Dam on most of the river pools. These fishing barges provide an opportunity for travelers to experience some of the best fishing in the Midwest for a minimal fee. The barges offer ferry service from shore to the barge. Fishing barges and access points are all noted in Discover! America's Great River Road.

Gotta tell you, a picture is worth 1000 words!!! Take a look at these from Clements Fishing Barge in Genoa, Wisconsin! Thanks, Mark!!!

My Favorite, a beautiful and primitive spoonbill catfish!!! Also known as a paddlefish!

My next favorite... a REALLY BIG catfish. Now this one might be 35-45 pounds (I'm guessing). Imagine one that is 10 times larger! Well, no one has ever found one that size, dead or alive, but there are rumors that go back to the 1930s about just such catfish. Wow!

How's this for a nice northern pike? I saw three guys from Milwaukee with about 5 this size, that they caught casting from shore.

Fishing Report,

Still getting bluegills, catfish and northern pike right now. It'll be HOT through the weekend, but fish are biting!

Great River Publishing

"Morning Run"
Available as a 5x7 Real Photo note card in our FISHING NOTE CARD assortment, or as a frame-ready print. $15 for 5 individually packaged cards.

More fishing Links on www.greatriver.com ... The Mississippi River Home Page!

Can I safely eat the fish?
The Mississippi River's Prehistoric GAR
Flying Carp
More about PCBs
Wisconsin Advisories
Minnesota Advisories

Return to the Mississippi River Home Page

**VHS Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia - Is a disease that kills huge amounts of fish and has been found in some of the Great Lakes and Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. The DNR has issued emergency ruling that requires all fishermen to empty their boats of all water and make sure no grass or weeds are contained on the boat either. All other fishermen must make sure all their coolers are empty of water, as well as minnow buckets. That means no minnows may leave the river area. We are going to set up a compost pile near the flag pole steps to make it easier for fishermen to get rid of their bait.
We would like to ask that you help us out by convincing the DNR to set up a compost pile at each boat landing as well, to help facilitate the disposal of the minnows. You are not supposed to just leave them on the ground and how many are going to take them home with them! Also, since this rule now prohibits bait shops from getting any willowcats, we ask that you also inform them to modify an existing rule. The law right now states that you can get bait from Iowa and Minnesota and use that bait ONLY in the Mississippi River, it is not allowed to be used in the inland lakes, which is the DNR's concern. Ask them in your email or letter to modify that rule to allow willowcats out of the river to be used under that same provision. This will allow all the Bait Shops along the river to sell them for fishing on the river. Bait shops would of course have to have a dedicated tank for willowcats, but if you enjoy walleye fishing, the best method for getting them this time of year, is with willowcats. Help us to save a time tested way of fishing on the river, please send your comments to the person listed below.

William Horns - william.horns@wisconsin.gov
Bureau of Fisheries Management
Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921