Minocqua Area Fishing Report. 10/13/2015
Close to peak colors and peak musky meet sucker time. Good fishing for many of our favorite fall species plus a beautiful show to be outdoors if not a bit cool and windy at times.
Musky: Very Good. Personally not as excellent as last year but a very strong sucker bite. Winds letting anglers move bladed quick set rigs with 12-16” suckers. Action fast and furious, but in small windows (5 fish in 25 minutes one outing, 3 fish in 15 minutes another). Casting twitch baits (Cranes, Grandma’s) and gliders (Smitty jerks) as well as true jerk baits (Suicks, Reef Hawgs). Casting over weed edges and first breaks where waters drop into 8-16’ of water. Keep casting to move fish out to your boat.
Walleye: Very Good. With the exception of Saturday’s high winds, walleye action very good on medium red tails, black chubs. Deep lakes 30-45’, work 18-24’ depths where gravel meets mud, vertical jig when possible otherwise drift Lindy rigs or Spinner rigs with 3-5” suckers if windy. Lots of good catches of 16-19” + fish with plenty of 20-24” slot fish to be released.
Crappies: Very Good/ Good. Wind a big factor, but when possible Crappie bite very good. On natural lakes with standing green weeds of 8-12’ use medium fat heads on slip- float rigs. If not finding weed fish, search out drowned wood, ½ crawlers or fats on jigs also effective in these areas of 10-15’.
Northern Pike: Good. Most fish caught by anglers targeting musky (Rizzo Tails, smaller 10-12” suckers) or walleye (chubs on jigs). Spinner baits and twitch baits also effective.
Smallmouth Bass: Good. Lindy rig 4-6” suckers in 24-32’ on large clear lakes. Work up slow to protect fish. Big smallies taking chubs near drowned timber on Flowages.
Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass and Bluegills: Scattered reports, but few anglers targeting.
Despite some cold mornings (launch times in low 30’s), daytime highs have kept surface temps on most lakes in the 54-58 degree range. Sundays high of 78 degrees helped. Temps should drop this week, some lakes could start turning over, keep eyes open for signs of turbid water- but plenty of options as lakes of different size and depth will turn at different times.