2-19-14 Minocqua Fishing Report
Finally a break in the weather. Not great, but, by this winters standard, a nice weekend to be out. The east winds didn’t help much for the fish, nor did the high pressure system. That has all given way to a new batch of snow on Monday that will only add to the travel problems.
Pike: Good. Action, as well as participation improved. Large shiners were the top producers by far. Not much change in location – any green weeds of 5’ to as deep as 12-14’ edges. Lots of mid 20” fish with better pike of up to 36” this past weekend.
Bluegills: Fair-Food. Action improving with warmer weather getting anglers out and moving. Best in heavy weeds of 6-9’. Small gill pills and #3 tungsten jigs tipped with spikes best. Dark colors tops.
Perch: Fair-Good. Anglers having tough time getting out to mud flats, so deep water bite is quiet. Weedy flats of 8-12’ holding surprisingly nice perch feeding on small bluegills. Jigs in the shape of these small panfish tipped with minnows as well as tip-downs with rosies catching nice perch of 9-11”+.
Walleye: Fair. High pressure seemed to have held this bite off. A few anglers getting out to off shore sandgrass flats using walleye suckers having success at dusk and again at early dawn.
Crappies: Fair. A few good reports from anglers catching nice crappies of 11-12” from weedy bays of 10-12’ for 30-45 minute windows at dusk.
Largemouth Bass: Fair. A few nice fish on tip-up/shiner combos. Best just shy of 20” this past weekend.
The warm weather following last nights snow (2/17) will hopefully allow anglers to pack down trails so that access and travel will improve. Snow depth on some lakes, while slush on others has been a big deterrent to anglers getting out – should change some as temps in the 30’s this week followed by cold nights should push snow levels down and firm travel up.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop