Minocqua Area Fishing Report 6-18-13
June 18 started with 38 degrees, so what’s new? Guess we shouldn’t be surprised, but a cold front with high pressure in the middle of June has backed water temperatures down into the low 60’s again. Temps yo-yo up with the sun in the afternoon, but overall are down for this time of year.
Smallmouth Bass: Excellent – Fish nesting still on all but the smallest, warmest lakes. Big smallies (21”+) 5# fish on X-raps, creature baits, leeches and crawlers. Top water – Chub Bugs, Jitter Bugs also hard for these fish to resist right now.
Musky: Very good. Cool weather seems to be holding fish in near shallow weeds. Best action on smaller bucktails (#5 Mepps, Rizzo Wizzs, #500 Buchertails) and 5-7” twitch baits (Cranes, Jakes). Lots of active fish in the low 30-40” range. A few mid 40” fish mixed in.
Crappie: Good. Deeper weed edges and wood in 7-10’. Small spinner/jig combos (Charlie Bees and Road Runners) and jig/twister tails fan cast over and through these areas scoring big crappies to 14 ½”. After locating these fish return to minnow/slip-float rigs.
Northern Pike: Good. Cool temps appeal to this species. Spinnerbaits (Boonie Baits), #3 Mepps and Comets over weeds of 6-10’. Jig and chub combos for early morning action before waters warm.
Largemouth Bass: Good. Should be nesting and maybe on small lakes, but water temps need to rise. Best action on 1/8oz jig and 3” twister tail (black, red, orange) in 5-7’ weeds.
Walleye: Good. Tough on cold, clear mornings – opt for Flowages on these days. Target lakes on overcast days. Catching walleyes on chubs, leeches and crawlers – no distinct favorite right now. Fish on flowages on edges of river channels – on lakes – 14-18’ outside weeds.
Perch: Fair-good. Prefer warmer temps, some big perch (10-12”+) from flowages around wood. ½ crawler, leeches, medium fats. On lakes, search out the warmest portion with soft bottom and weeds, feeding heavily on dragon fly larvae (thunderbugs).
Bluegill: Fair. Too cool. As water warms to 70 degees, watch for spawning to commence. Tiny tubes, small Gulp Alive leeches as well as live (small) leeches, thunderbugs and waxies in heavy weeds.
Despite oddly cool weather, bite not bad. In some cases exceptionally large (smallmouth, crappie) fish being caught. Big hatches delayed. Small March brown mayfly hatches, but the big Hexs hasn’t started yet.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com