Minocqua Area Fishing Report 06/21/16
They are Heeerrree! The dreaded Hexagenia hatches have been going on for the past week at a lake near YOU! And there are still a few more to come.
The larger lakes, with deeper, cooler waters are yet to see hatches. Mid-sized (1000 Acres and less) and the flowages have finished.
Warm afternoons have pushed surface temps into the low 70’s; most spawning fish are done, though there are some exceptions here and there.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good. Weeds have been key, green bass lurking in cabbage flats of 8-10’ hitting lipless cranks, ShadowRaps and spinnerbaits over weed tops when aggressive. Slip down into pockets using wacky worms and sweet Beavers rigged weedless to hoist bass from mid-day cover. Evenings with rising water temps great time to work to-water plugs and frogs.
Smallmouth Bass: Very Good. Early A.M. find cruising shallows-use #6-#8 Husky Jerks, X-Raps on Shadow Shads (Shallow). During day move off-shore to humps- drop –shotting plastic craws, 3” Senkos and Jack ALL clonefry & Cross Tail Chads.
Bluegills: Very Good. Worms small leeches, tubes in 6-9’ weeds. Most spawning is done. It’s a great time to try your hand at fly-fishing- with poppers, dry flies and nymphs.
Crappies: Good-Very Good. Working weeds of 7-10’. Very light tubes, Gapen Freshwater shrimp and 1’ twister tails. Nice 10-13” fish being reported. Questions about crappies still having eggs? Those fish missed their opportunity and will reabsorb those eggs- the changing temps this spring messed up the crappie spawn in some places.
Northern Pike: Good-Very Good. Loving the moving targets. Spinnerbaits (Boonies, Booyah) Chatterbaits, Swimbaits (3 ½-5”) and twitch baits (Rattlin Rouges, X-Raps, Husky Jerks and Shadow Raps). The more relaxed type are reporting good success on suckers (5-7”) under floats.
Walleye: Good-Very Good. Surprising with hatches going, but high winds helping anglers find actively feeding fish in relatively shallow water of 2-8’. Leeches and smaller redtails have led to nice catches of eye with quite a few slot fish (20-24”) being released.
Twitch baits also producing: X & ShadowRaps!
Perch: Good. Perch catches picking up. Mixed in with walleyes in wind-blown weeds, smaller chubs, ½ crawlers producing some very nice 9-11” fish for those willing to spend the time out in the rough.
Musky: Fair-Good. Best action on smaller bucktails (RizzoWizz’s, #500 Buckertails, and 7” Twitch baits (Cranes) and top water towards evening.
With the Hex hatches past the mid-way point and some stable, warm weather moving in expect summer patterns to begin. This could mean some tough fishing on “nice” blue-bind days for some species (Walleye, Musky) but fishing only late and cloudy, windy days should help.