Minocqua Area Fishing Report 06/05/16
Early June starting out a bit wet and windy. Water temps have settled into the mid 60’s and many species have settles into their late spring patterns.
Walleye: Very Good. The cloud cover has benefitted day time walleye anglers. Casting diving cranks (ShadRaps, Flicker Shads, and Smash Shads) over and through cabbage beds of 8-12’ has produced very well again this past week. Opportunities come during lowest light periods or cloudy patches that are turning the fish on. Jig anglers finding very good success using minnow, leeches and crawlers. The night bite has not been as good yet, but will improve as the water warms and after the impending Hex hatches occur.
Northern Pike: Very Good. Good pike weather! Pike taking spinnerbaits (Boonies, Booyah), weedless spoons (Silver Minnows, Jawbreakers), and swimbaits. Live bait anglers very successful on chubs and suckers, 6-12’ weeds.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good! In an aggressive mood! Spinner baits (Boonies, Booyah) and chatterbaits are hot! A 22”er on a Booyah 6/5! Faster moving swimbaits as well as pre-rigged plastic worms ticking weed tops of 5-8’. Top-water action is slow due to mid-60’s water and a lot of wind/rain.
Bluegills: Very Good. Surprisingly, lots of signs of bedding gills already. Small leeches, Thunderbugs, and worms are working. Tiny tubes and twistertails. Once beds found, play nice- catch a bunch, but keep only a few; leave some for the next time out.
Smallmouth Bass: Good. Post spawn. Best on twitch baits such as Shadow Raps and X-Raps. Fish moved away from shallow spawning areas to next breaks. Plastic craws and cranks that dive to 8-10’ in craw patterns are working.
Musky: Fair-Good. Most reports of fish in upper 30” to lower 40” class on smaller bucktails and 3/8 oz. Spinner baits.
Yellow Perch: Fair-Good. A few good reports coming from flowages. If fishing drowned wood areas, chose Thunderbugs (dragonfly larvae) for bait- perch being cleaned picked with these bugs.
Crappie: Fair. With spawn over, this species has fallen off the radar a bit- maybe to recover. The few reports are of scattered fish taking jig/spinner combos (Beetle spins, mimic minnow spins eat).
Despite water temps averaging mid 60’s, spawning fish seem to be ahead of schedule. When anglers could fish (Rain/wind) reports were good. With temps forecasted into the 80’s for the coming weekend, expect more from our bass, musky and pike reports and with some top-water coming into play.