Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Some break in the slow fishing last week came in the form of a front bringing clouds and wind and NOT cool weather by the weekend. Fishing seemed to pick up, though not great, but better than previous couple weeks.
Bluegill: Poor-Good – Improved as weather warmed. Active throughout. Weed related, be it cabbage of 6-10’ or on deeper, clearer lakes suspending outside coontail edges of 14-18’. Tiny tube jigs, Mini-mites, small leeches or worms below small floats. Even little #00 & #0 Mepps spinners working over cabbage tops.
Smallmouth Bass: Fair-Good – Action improved over deep rock humps. Drop shotting has been best bet using 3” Gulp Alive Minnows and small craw imitations. Jig and creature, as well as heavier Ned rigs, over 18-24’ rock bars also effective.
Northern Pike: Fair-Good – Pick your days. Wind and cloud cover help immensely. Cast Boonie Bait spinner baits or chatter baits over tobacco cabbage flats, work at weed top level. On brighter, flat days, ply some weeds with a jig and chub or sucker combo.
Musky: Fair-Good – Same as Pike, pick your days with wind or clouds to get fish to move up. Spinner baits, Bucktails and gliders with tails (Smity Jerks, Phantom Soft tails). Otherwise work deep with rubber baits along deep coontail edges or over open water.
Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good – Action improved. Wacky worming cabbage beds effective. Evening top-water with small Whopper Ploppers or plastic frogs also good.
Crappie: Fair – Scattered reports of fish in curly leaf cabbage tops on small tinsel jigs or 1-2” twister tails
Yellow Perch: Fair – Most catches in weeds of 8-12’, ½ crawlers, medium fatheads. Also, drowned wood of 14-18’ on Flowages.
Walleye: Fair – While some weed action here and there, deeper rocks seem to be preferred. The largest leeches available, crawlers or red-tailed chubs all scoring when you can locate hungry fish.
With less of those cold mornings (as low as 47-49 degrees) the stable temps seem to be helping the bite. Warm weather should help mid-week. A cool down Friday, but more summer like temps to help smooth things out this weekend.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
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