Minoqua Area Fishing Report
A little smack of winter came back (just to let us that live in the Northwoods know where we live) and with the cold, wind and snow brought a slow down to our fishing.
Reports of the panfish bite shutting off somewhat have been mixed with good reports of Walleyes being accidentally caught by anglers seeking Crappies.
Crappies: Good-Fair – Bite best on warming days. Small jigs of hair or plastics best below small floats suspended 6-8’ down over 12-14’ of water. Crappies moving shallower when weather warming. A 15 1/4” brought in, along with numerous reports of 12-13” fish.
Yellow Perch: Fair – Dropping water temps pushed them out from their post spawn feeds. As with the Crappies, warmer conditions will bring them back in as the shallows will fill back up with minnows and insects.
Bluegill: Poor – Few reports due to cold and snow.
Water temps have fallen a bit (avg 40-43 degrees) while water levels have risen. What started out as a warm mid-April has given way to a cold late April/early May. Luckily the forecast for the opening weekend is warmer and dry.
Down side to all the rain is with streams and rivers swollen, our favorite early season live bait – redtailed chubs and rainbow dace – are impossible to come by. Black chubs, 3-4” suckers and large fatheads, as well as leeches if waters warm into low 50s, should all be good choices. Shallow running stick baits - Rattlin Rouges, X-Raps, Husky Jerks, Thunderstiks and good ol’ floating Rapalas will be good low light period choices. Casting 1/8 oz jigs tipped with 3” twister tails is a great way to “search out” aggressive fish. On most small to medium sized lakes, target patches of green weeds. On large lakes, Walleye spawning still occurring – focus on gravel beds next to deeper water.
At this writing the snow is coming down , but outlook is for a good opener this weekend.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
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