Minocqua Area Fishing Report 12/22/15
These reports are hard to write when given the conditions we have here. Just enough (3-5”) ice to get out on in some areas, while most lakes remain open. Our one chance of real ice making cold (6 degrees on 12-19) was mixed with just enough wind to keep new ice from forming. Places that did have ice made more, but most lakes don’t have safe ice.
Typically I don’t like to name lakes on these reports. My thinking is to give information to help anglers know what is working and what to look for. The rest is up to them to apply that info to the lakes of their choice. Unfortunately there are not a lot of choices right now, so I’m naming lakes where fishable ice can be located and is being used.
Stacks Bay- Lake Minocqua: 4-5” of ice. Good pike, bass, bluegills and crappies (walleyes must be released.) Nice gills to 8 ½”, crappies to 12”, pike to 32”, and bass to 15”.
Big Arbor Vitae: South Bay up to Milky Bay. (Open water beyond) 3-5” walleyes at dusk, crappies, gills, sunfish, perch.
Little Arb: Blue Island Bay via snowmobile trail from parking lot. Crappies, gills, few pike, perch, walleye.
Sweeney Lake: Numbers of small pike, crappies, perch, gills.
Rainbow Flowage: Bay off boat landing by Hwy J (Snowmobile Bridge) and over Swamp Creek. Nice crappies, perch. Walleyes more under (15”) than over. A few nice pike to 30”.
Pickerel: West end from boat landing by Hwy J. Up to 7” in some places, most 3-5” avg. Pike, crappies, gills, bass.
Buckskin: Open water across from landing by nearest island. Ice fishable up on North end. Crappies, gills, numbers pike, some perch.
Big Lake (Hwy k west of Boulder Junction): Papoose Bay, enter at State Campground. Crappies, walleyes.
Alder Lake: South end Manitowish Chain: Good ice of 4-6”, walleyes, perch, crappies.
A few lakes typically good (but not right now for safe ice) – Carrol, Madeline, Squirrel, Bearskin.
Please use caution no matter where you go. Temps may hit 40 degrees with rain Wednesday. Take flotation, rope, spikes and a friend wherever you go.
Fishing has been good, but no fish is worth unnecessary risks.
Colder weather forecasted for Dec 30th and beyond. Keep eye on our website for updates.