120513 - Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Fantastic start to the ice season! Most lakes averaging 4-6”. Fish active and biting. Earliest fishable ice in the past few years. Not everyone ready for it, but, those that are have been taking advantage of some great early ice fishing.
Walleye: Excellent. Best reports at dusk and just after dark. Tip-ups baited with suckers or chubs fish in waters of 6-12’ best. With little ice and mobility easy, jig fishermen using Jigging Raps, Chubby Darters having great success as walleyes have been aggressive. Lots of 17-24” fish being reported. Bite becoming earlier as we hit new moon (tonight).
Pike: Excellent. Big suckers, shiners and chubs on tip-downs over weeds in 5-9’. Fish heavy as they have been feeding on panfish in shallows. Lots of mid 20” fish with good numbers of 30+”.
Musky: Season over as of Nov 30th. A few ice anglers did score some bonus muskies through the ice. No reports from the last of the shore anglers.
Crappies: Good-Very good. Moving into the classic bays with standing weeds. Best catches had been by anglers finessing plastics on tiny #14 or #12 jigs. With the front moving in action picked up on minnows below tip-downs as crappies got more aggressive.
Bluegills: Good. Not quite as good as expected. Lots of action, though a lot of little fish. Anglers targeting areas of drowned wood finding larger fish of 8+” in 5-8’ of water. Red spikes and dark plastics on #10 tear drops working.
Perch: Fair-good. Mostly numbers of smaller fish. Anglers using minnows catching some larger perch in weeds.
Largemouth Bass: Very good. Lots of bass on tip-ups using shiners meant for pike. Bass also taking Jigging Shad Raps, spoons and even small ice jigs tipped with waxies. Bass to 20” this weekend.
Unfortunately it’s started snowing a warm heavy snow and 4+” expected. This will make lakes slushy, though super cold temps Friday morning should firm things up.
Don’t miss our 4th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza on December 6, 7 and 8. All the latest in Electronics, Augers, Shacks by Otter Frabill and Clam as well as the floating ice suites by Striker. Hot deals on jigs, chances to win prices. Everything ice fishing at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop