Minocqua Area Fishing Report
A February record temperature for Saturday (52 degrees) unfortunately did not set any records for fish catching.
As been the case on most of our nicer weekends, great weather did not equate to great fishing.
Maybe it was the number of anglers, maybe the high barometer at times. While certain lakes produced well, others that had been improving suddenly went quiet. Still, enough anglers had catches of fish to rate the entire weekend fair – good.
Walleye: Fair –Good. What started out not so good mid- week picked up by the weekend. Evenings best with anglers having success jigging with Raps, Rippin Raps, RPM’S and Slender Spoons tipped with a minnow head worked over off – shore humps and along breaks in 18-28’ of water. Tip –up anglers did best using 3-4” sucker minnows or large fatheads. While no reports here of monsters- nice catches of 14-22” fish from the larger lakes.
Northern: Fair – Good. Pike action slowed compared to last weekend, though some anglers found pockets of good action on tip – ups baited with big shiners and suckers. By the looks of their bellys these fish are feeding heavy to help with egg production.
Largemouth Bass: Fair- Good. With the warm up came the bass action. Tip – ups baited with medium shiners scored best, but anglers targeting crappies and gills using small minnows or teardrop jigs and waxies inadvertently caught more than a few bass.
Yellow Perch: Fair – good. Deep mud flats (18-28’) are best. Mayfly larvae (wigglers) and red spikes on Hali jigs, Pimples, Flash Champs, Chandeliers and Perch Talkers best. These mud fish relating to invertebrates and don’t seem interested in minnows. Small windows of activity as seen on Saturday when bite is good early A.M., followed by hours of no interest, till minor bite mid – afternoon.
Bluegill: Fair – Good. Good bites scattered. Anglers finding pockets with small numbers of gills willing to bite for short periods. Small dark colored tungsten jigs (black, red, dark green) tipped with mousee on spike in 7-9’ best.
Crappies: Fair. Flowage bites shut down, while anglers working lakes with standing weeds in 10-12’ enticing bites using plastics (this weekend motor oil and root beer were best). Some tip – down / minnow action early and late in the day. Some success on Lethal Cecils tipped with waxies as well as Rembrandts and Purist tipped with spike.
The gamefish season ends March 6th at midnight. With averages of 14-18” of ice on most lakes we should see a few weeks of good March pan fishing. Not much snow cover as of now means the ice could go quickly if we get any prolonged warm spells. Forecast for this week looks mild – shouldn’t lose any ice, probably won’t make any.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop