Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Heat, wind, rain and rising water, bout all some lakes can handle!
Despite all the weather, some good reports from anglers out on the water between weather
Bluegill: Very Good – Warming water (reports into the low 70’s some afternoons) has Gills very active. On calm afternoons/evenings poppers on fly rods or used behind clear bobbers lots of fun. While still available, Thunderbugs can’t be beat. Also wet flys, ants, small leeches, leafworms and waxworms. Some bedding reports on small lakes, going to be a lot more as week goes on.
Smallmouth Bass: Very Good – Anglers working “jerk” style baits, either hard or soft plastic, working well. #10 X-Raps, Husky Jerks as well as Slug-go style baits scoring lots of good action on nice post spawn fish.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good – More signs of bedding fish. Top water has been fun using Skitter Pops, Jitterbugs, Lunker Hunt Pocket Frogs, Whopper Ploppers and even the smallest Savage Suicide ducks! Evening best for top water. Swimbaits in the 3 – 3 ½” size of Kietech, Matzou Rainbu Swim Shads and Storms 360 GT have been hot. Wacky Worming Creature and K.D. Custom Brush Jigs with Jack All Cover Craws also effective. Live baiters scoring best on large leeches.
Walleye: Good – Have to keep an eye on the water. Some lakes have had hexagemia hatches already. The hex hatch takes one item off the menu, making targeting Walleyes a bit easier. On these small to mid-sized lakes (1,000 acres and less) and Flowages, Walleyes will relate to forage such as young perch, minnows, crayfish and leeches. Focus on weeds and wood that this prey utilizes. Redtailed chubs, crawlers and leeches on weedless jigs. Casting Shallow shad Raps in Perch, Firetiger and Hot Steel working on the dark waters of the Flowages. The Scatter Rap Husky Jerk Deeps also working well at, and after dark in natural colors on clearer lakes.
Northern Pike: Good – Spinnerbaits such as Boonies, Reed Runners and Booyah as well as lipless cranks such ass Rat-L-Traps, Rattlin Rats and Anashi Vibes. The 4 ½” swimbaits have also been very effective.
Crappie: Good – Fishing 8-12’ weeds using 1” Gulp Alive Minnows, 1” & 2” twister tails and Charlie Bees as well as Mini Mites tipped with a waxie or just a good ol’ bobber and small fat head.
Yellow Perch: Good – Best reports from flooded wood where thunderbugs, ½ crawlers are helping anglers lure nice catches out of the snags!
Musky: Fair – Despite a few reports of some nice fish of 44-47” being caught, overall some disappointing reports. Yet of the anglers doing well, bucktails have been by far the best – but the recent heat is getting some action on top water
Water temps have risen with the water levels. Clear lakes have darkened a little with Sunday’s rain (near 8” in some areas). Look for the Largemouth and Bluegill fishing to explode.
Smallmouth opens this Saturday -- Remember to take your dad fishing this weekend.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
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