Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Temps hovering in the low to mid 30’s and short bouts of rain for the past five days have pushed snow down on the lakes but have made things slushy. Fishing improved for the most part as we got some clouds and a drop in the barometer (a little too low Friday causing the bite to slow).
Yellow Perch: Good-Very good – Not a lot of reports on jumbos, but good #’s of eaters in the 8-10” range for anglers plying the mud flats of lakes in 20-25’ of water. Gold , orange and glow pimples, Kastmasters, Flash Champs and Halis tipped with wigglers or red spikes. Perch talkers also have been effective. On flowages tip-downs w/ rosie reds best. What the Flowages lack in #’s they make up for in size – some anglers reporting 11-13” perch.
Northern Pike: Good-Very good – Most reports of #’s more than size, though a 39”er was reported from Lake Minocqua Sunday morning. Big shiners and suckers on tip-ups the usual fare.
Bluegills: Good – With warmer temps and holes staying open, anglers finding gills by hopping from hole to hole in 7-10’ of water. VMC waxy jigs, K&E Moon Glos and tungsten flys tipped with Moussees, waxies or red, chartreuse or green plastics worked well over the weekend. Sorting necessary.
Walleyes: Fair-Good – Best at or just after dark – a few early risers picking up fish pre-dawn/dawn. Jigging raps accounted for some very nice fish (27 & 29”ers, both caught and released). Tip-up anglers reporting best action on suckers in depths of 14-22’ depending on size of lake. Sandgrass bottoms best.
Crappies: Fair – Flowages giving up best reports. Anglers doing well using tip-downs with rosies. Bite windows small, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Lake reports for crappies vary, best over deeper flats of 22-28’ using crappie minnows on tip-downs or glow jigs (pimples, Pug Bugs) tipped with waxies.
The rain has made things messy, anglers finding it best to use knee boots to keep feet dry. The plus side is snow melt allowing for better access, ATV use is back. By the weekend, highs in the 20’s should start to firm things up. Forecast is for 1-3” of snow mid-week, but it will be warm and wet.
UPCOMING DERBY DATES
Jan 28th - Justin Donner Memorial
Turtle-Flambeau flowage
Feb 4th - United Way
Stacks Bay, Lake Minocqua
Feb 4th - Willow Haven
Willow Flowage
Feb 18th - Rob Lemmer Memorial
Lake Katherine
Feb 28th -Carrol Lake Ice Fishing Tournament
Carrol Lake
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com