Minocqua Area Fishing Report 6-3-14
Spring was short!
Jumped right from late ice out to summer time temps in a matter of 2 1/2 weeks.
Lake surface temps shot through the 60's on smaller lakes and flowages right into the mid 70's. Larger lakes recording temps of 64-69 deg. Recent rains bring temps down some,
but warm temps of the past week have accelerated spawning of Crappies, Muskies and Smallmouth bass.
Smallmouth Bass: Excellent. Smallies bedding. Great top water action on Pop R's, Chug Bugs, Zara Puppys and Skitter Pops. Plastic Lizards and Creature baits also very effective. Catch & release only till June 21st.
Walleye: Very Good. A bit of a lull mid-week brought on by high pressure, but as barometer dropped, walleyes really kicked in. Jig & minnow as well as jig & leech combo helping anglers to lake limits during the day. After dark, casting Scatter Rap minnows along shorelines scoring big walleyes to 30" this past week. Lighted slip bobbers suspending big leeches in 6-8' of new growth weeds also top tactic.
Crappies: Very Good. Spawn all but done on most lakes, but good catches of big slabs floating small hair (Pinky), tinsel (Gapen Shrimp) or plastic (Fall's minnows or mini-mites) below small floats outside of areas where spawning occurred. Big fish to 14 1/2" this weekend. Rain should hold these fish shallow for a while.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good. Top water action Hot! Anglers working Torpedoes and other prop baits having 30-40+ evenings on fish. Big fish showing up with a 21", 5 1/2# taken before the weather came in on Sunday night.
Bluegills: Very Good. While not ready to spawn, gills very active taking poppers on the surfaces well as small jigs, plastics and live leeches. Once thunder bugs are available gills cant pass up these bugs.
Northern Pike: Good to Very Good. Lots of pike action on Chubs & Suckers in the 5-7" range on Slo-poke jigs. Slip-floats also good way to suspend bait near weeds. Casting #3 Mepps Aglias and Comets and smaller Daredevils also hot.
Musky: Fair- Improving. Following the spawn, recovering fish starting to show up. Small twitch baits (Cranes, Shallow Raiders 5-6" long), #5 sized Mepps Aglia and Buchertails as well as 3/8oz. and larger spinnerbaits fished in shallows best. With water warming so quickly, top water action should pick up. One reported 48 1/2" on a Mepps this week from small, weedy lakes.
Yellow Perch: Fair. A few incidental fish on the Flowages by anglers targeting walleyes or Crappies. Medium fatheads best.
Weed growth is still behind even as water temps climb Mosquitos have been on a rampage looking for dragon fly hatches to help curb the clouds of biters at the boat landings. Load up on bug spray and such before you depart.
Thanks,
Kurt
Island Sportshop, Minocqua Wi.