Minocqua Area Fishing Report 07/18/16
Mid-Summer has not been typical. Morning temps in the 40’s put the early bite off. Heat coming in this week should light a fire under a few species as was noted by the afternoon and evening anglers as of late.
Smallmouth Bass: Very Good. Good numbers and big fish. Several cracking 21” this weekend, moving the interest in these battlers. Deep humps of 18-28’ holding smallies, from the looks of what they are regurgitating, feeding heavy on crayfish. Drop-shotting JackALL cover craws, Yum Christy Craws as well as 3-4” wacky/dropshot worms from yum, Jackall and Chompers. Skirted grubs (chompers and Yamamoto) on ¼ - 3/8 oz. football jigs are also effective. If all else fails- a big leech or crawler is hard to resist for these fish.
Northern Pike: Very Good. Actively chasing again. Chatterbaits, Boonie Baits, Booyah spinnerbaits as well as 4” swimbaits and 4” twistertails on a 1/8 oz. jig scoring well. Lots of mid 20” fish with enough 29-32”ers to make it interesting. Casting a jig/chub on a 9” wine leader is a good bet. Weedless spoons such as Johnson Silver Minnows on Northland Jaw Breakers also working.
Crappies: Good. Work weeds of 8-14’ of water. Crappies holding in top 2; of the weeds taking small minnows below floats as well as small 1-2” Mr. Twisters on 1/32 – 1/16 oz. jigs. In the flowages, search out deep wood (14-18’) using medium fatheads.
Bluegills: Good. Better towards afternoon/evening as water warms. Work weeds of 7-12’. Worms, small leeches, mini-mite jigs tipped with waxies.
Largemouth Bass: Good. Mornings slow, evenings are best on top-water frogs, buzz baits. During the day, work weed pockets with 4” and 5” wacky worms. Clouds bring bass up to weed tops taking spinnerbaits, 3 ½ swimbaits.
Walleyes: Fair-Good. Play the wind. Windward shallows pre-front providing nice catches on redtailed chubs. Sun forcing bite deep on off-shore humps on crawlers, X-large leeches using 1/8- ¼ oz. jigs or Lindy rigs.
Yellow Perch: Fair-Good. Was better the previous week. This species seems to respond to warm weather. ½ crawlers, soft shells, medium fats in 4-8’ weeds or out over 22’ sand grass on the big clear lakes.
Musky: Fair. While reports just so-so, this week’s forecast for heat (possible 90’s) could bring on the top-water bite we’ve been missing.
The upcoming heat wave should help spike some activity for smallies (humps), largemouth and muskies (evenings, top-water) yellow perch and off shore humps for walleye. Early mornings and evenings are best, as the heat will also bring out the pleasure boaters and jet skiers!