Minocqua Area Fishing Report
From the forecast, I would have been sure the ice would be done by now. Instead, since a few nights dipped below freezing last week and the rain never really showed Sunday, we still have fishable ice throughout much of the Lakeland area.
Ice thickness that ranged 16-20” last week is now down to 9-13” with the top 2-3” very rotten. Walking is the best approach, but, use caution. A beautiful , high pressure Saturday caused the biggest melt down and didn’t do much for the fishing, but by Saturday night and through this morning (3/15), the panfish bite has been very good.
Crappies: Very good. Following some very good fishing early last week, action slowed on all but the Flowages with the sun and high pressure. Tip-downs were the ticket here, baited with rosie reds and set up along the sides of river channels and over wood piles in 12-18’ of water. On lakes tip-downs with crappie minnows best at dusk and just after dark in 8-12’ weeds. During the day, finesse fishing Rembrandts, Purists or Rockers dressed with plastics (pink has been hot), Chena or waxies has been best. Big crappies of 13-14” coming towards dusk and right at dawn.
Bluegills: Very good. They really turned on with the cloud cover. Many reports of gills coming up high, sometimes 2-3’ under the ice. You don’t need tungsten in these conditions. Standard lead jigs or the Northland Helium jigs work nice for slow drop. Bait with moussees or waxies. Plastic colors of red, raspberry, purple and black have been best.
Perch: Very good. Very early mornings best over deep mud using wigglers on Hali jigs or #4 Tungsten jigs. Anglers reporting perch in the 8-11” range on lakes while the Flowages had 10-13” perch reported on tip-downs with medium fatheads or VMC Chandelier jigs with a waxie on each hook of the treble.
It’s very tough to predict how long the ice will hold. A heavy rain could eat up shore line ice in a hurry, yet a forecast of lows in the teens by Friday may stretch some access out for a while. Just like the beginning of the season, use caution (Rope, Spikes and Friends).
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop