Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Finally some summer like weather moved in over the weekend, bringing some typical mid-summer action as well as some non-typical mid July occurrences such as mayfly hatches! On just about any other summer, off shore gravel humps provide anglers plenty of opportunity for walleyes and small mouth bass action. Until the past week, this action has been late to occur - but now the pattern is setting up nicely, providing good action for both species. The late mayfly hatch on certain lakes the past couple of days has been small yet visible, but not enough to impact the walleye fishing in most cases. These mayfly are not the big tan Hexagemia yet a med / large green mayfly I'm not as familiar with. Calls and concerns about the hatch have been followed with reports that this hatch has not affected the walleye bite.
Crappies: Good- Very good. The warmi9ng weather brought on some stronger action in bays with tall weeds of 8-10' in 10-14' of water. Casting small Beetle Spins, Charlie Bees, Road Runners and Northland Fish Fry Spins as well as just 1/16oz jigs tipped with 2" twister grubs has been the ticket for nice catches of Crappies in the 12-12" range on many of the larger "chain" lakes.
Largemouth Bass: Good-very Good. Wacky worm bite from mid-morning through late afternoon has been hot! Work weed beds of 7-12' on windy days a Senko worm (because of the weight) or a weighted hook needed to keep feel. Otherwise Yum dingers, Trigger X, and Jackall Flick Shakes have all been producing as well. With the warmer weather, the top water bite has picked up again- plastic frogs & mice as well as the hard top water baits (Skitter Pops, Jitterbugs etc.) has been best after7pm.
Bluegill: Good-Very good. Finally some good panfish weather has helped anglers with nice catches of gills. Daytime bites on small leeches, waxies and worms- towards evenings poppers and dry flys providing fun action and nice fish along emergent weeds in water of 2-6'.
Smallmouth Bass: Good to Very Good. Best out on the deep humps of gravel topping out at 18-26" Drop shotting Jackall Crosstail Shads and Clone Fry as well as Yum's Craw Pappies finally seeing good success. Tubes still a good choice, especially early and late as smallies cruise shallower in search of small baitfish.
Walleye: Good- Improving. Nice catches off gravel humps and deeper sand grass. 1/8 - 1/4oz jigs tipped with whole crawlers or extralarge leeches. Drifting these same baits with slip bobbers also producing. best depths 22-34'.
Northern Pike: Good. Action picking up on artificials. Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits and #4 Mepps. Jig or spinner rig with live chub / sucker also producing nice fish this week- several in low 30" class.
Yellow Perch: Good. Warmth improving bite. Soft shells or 1/2 crawlers on slip floats or Lindy rigs along outside weed edges of 10-14'
Musky: Good. Bucktail & Top-water action picking up nicely. Most catches on bucktails but warm evenings producing good top-water fish on Whopper Ploppers.
Though facing a cool down mid-week, the bite has increased and anglers finding more success (and more typical summer success) than the previous 2-3 weeks.
Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua Wi 54548
715-356-4797