Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Mid summer weather has certain species setting up in typical patterns for this time of year.
Other species not so much.
Large mouth Bass: very good. Providing the best overall action for our summer visitors.
A myrid of tactics from simple wacky worming, to Carolina rigging, to crank baiting and top wet or buzz baits
And plastic frogs. If one method isn’t working, move around. While most Large mouth anglers work shoreline docks
And inside weedlines – deep edges of coontail in 14 – 17’ due holding plenty of fish.
Musky: good. The warming temps have improved musky action. Evenings best on top water baits. Fast moving buck tails
Over deep weed beds and along deep weed edges. A 48 ¾” was best of the reported muskies caught this week.
Bluegills: good. Best on less windy days. Nice gills of 7 ½ - 9” plus on small leeches, beaver tails below small slip floats around
Cabbage beds of 8 – 12’. Small beetle spins will attract attention, drawing fish in to take live bait on float rigs.
Smallmouth Bass: good. Not up to normal action for this time of year, but picking up. Drop slotting craw and pin minnow
Imitations working well over deep rocks. Early mornings cast shadow raps along shorelines for crushing smallies.
Walleyes: good. While weed bites still giving up fish to early riser anglers on crawlers and jigs, some deeper rock fish starting to show on big leeches.
On cloudy days with wind, try lipless cranks over weeds of 6-10’ adjacent to deeper water.
Crappies: good- fair. Warmer days best in deep weeds on small minnows / rigs or bleded spinner jigs such as Charlie bees.
Northern Pike: good – fair. Casting spinnerbaits over weed flats of 8-12’ BEST. Live chubs: suckers on jigs on below floats also effective.
Yellow perch: good- fair. While sandgrass flats best for quality ( 10-13”) using frozen soft shells, weeds of or 8-12” and wood cribs
Providing better action of 8-10” perch on ½ crawlers.
It’s been a some what disappointing week at times, but in some cases, changing lakes and searching different locales
From your favorite standbys has produced some nice catches.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport