Minocqua Area Fishing Report
What was building into a great week of fishing slowed by Sun/Mon as the area got hit with a couple cooler fronts. Overall though, fishing was very good, and should return again by week’s end.
Smallmouth Bass: Very Good-Excellent – Season is ALL catch and release, but lots of great reports as Smallies are bedded up all over with lots of reports of 20””+ fish being caught on Chug Bugs, Creatures and Spooks
Largemouth Bass: Very Good – While not ready to bed, Largemouth are moving up into shallows to warm themselves and feed up in preparation for spawn. Jig and Creature combos, as well as, smaller swim baits are working well. Twitching shallow stick baits (Rattlin’ Rouges, X-Raps) also effective.
Northern Pike: Good – Lots of smaller Pike in shallow weeds. Larger Pike requiring a bit more depth, 6-12’. Use chatter baits, spinner baits and swim baits.
Musky: Good – Fish relatively shallow on smaller buck tails, twitch baits. Some surface action starting as water warms.
Walleye: Good – A good weed bite finally starting to develop. Jig and minnow, crawler and leeches, in water as shallow as 3’ to as deep as 14’ depending on lake type and clarity. Casting shallow stick baits and 3” swim baits also working.
Bluegill: Good – Staging in shallows. Tiny jigs tipped with waxies, or aberdeen hooks baited with thunderbugs under small floats best.
Yellow Perch: Good – Feeding heavily on thunderbugs (dragon fly larvae), this could end soon as dragonflies are starting to hatch. Switch over to medium leeches, ½ crawler.
Crappie: Good-Fair – Moved out over tall standing cabbage in 8-12’. Cast small spinners or beetle spins to locate, then come back with Crappie minnows
Water temps climbed into low 70’s by Saturday (6/8) but fell back into mid-60’s by start of week. Forecast for highs in upper 60’s won’t change that much, but at least stability in temperature (if not weather overall) should help bring about consistent patterns.
Want to help support the rebuilding of the Walleye population in the area lakes? The Walleyes for Tomorrow Dinner Fundraiser is set for next week, Thursday June 20th, at the Whitetail Inn in St. Germain. Great food, great door prizes and a great cause. Limited number of tickets for sale ($90.00 each). We have some here at the shop. Stop in or give us a call (715-356-4797) for more details.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
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