Minocqua Area Fishing Report 9/2/14
Fall fishing! The start of good things for anglers in the Northwoods for the next 6-8 weeks.
While we have nice surface temps for early fall angling (70-73 deg. Aug.), lots of rain and high water are changing some patterns and the availability of some of our most popular fall bait.
Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very good. Anglers finding smallies active in two very different locales. Deep gravel and rock humps holding smallies feasting on crayfish and sculpins.... anglers jigging crayfish, plastics and creature baits as well as drop shotting craws and minnow imitations. Others are finding smallies cruising shallow (7-10') weed patches hitting lipless cranks (Rattlin Rays, Rattle Traps), shallow Shad Raps and live minnows. Good numbers of 2-4# fish are being caught and released.
Large mouth Bass: Good-Very Good. Wacky wormers have been scoring lots of LMB in heavy weeds and around boat houses. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits over heavy vegetation. On the right evenings, not much wind, warming evening, top water has been proving to be working well with plastic frogs and jitterbugs.
Northern Pike: Good-Very good. The very good is not so much for action as it has been for size. Multiple fish in the low 30" range just since Monday. 5-7" suckers on jigs and #4 & #5 Mepps accounting for above average pike for this area.
Bluegills: Very Good-Good. Was better with the stable weather. Nicer gills (7-8 1/2") suspending out from coontail edges of 12-16'. Small leeches tops, but pieces of worm, waxies, even small crappie minnows are producing limit catches.
Crappies: Good. While weed tops in 10-14' remain a good place to start on most lakes, pitching Charlie Bees and small beetle spins, A few locations are giving up fish deeper down... 2-4' off the bottom along deep weed edges. The lighted slip-float and minnow bite has started after dark.
Walleyes: Fair-Good. On deeper lakes transition to deep gravel / rock has started. Chubs and suckers of 4-6" are best, crawlers are the next choice. A shallow move on the flowages as water levels drop has been stalled as heavy rains have raised levels some.
Yellow Perch: Fair. Few reports.... 1/2 crawlers or pieces of softshell craws (frozen) best around wood or cribs.
The rain over the past week (3-6" south of our area) has changed the flowage patterns for fishing. Worse yet, wild bait such as suckers for musky fishing as well as red tails and black chubs for walleye and pike are unavailable. Leeches are almost unattainable (but working great if available). Hopefully river and stream levels will return to normal soon so we can get these fall favorites.
Thanks,
Kurt
Island Sportshop