Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Finally some good early fall weather. Night time temps dipped to the low 30’s ((high 20’s in some low areas) and water temps are starting to drop along with air temp. Thursday’s forecast is for a high of 80 degrees, but after that we are back to the highs of 60’s.
Crappies: Very good. Depending on barometer, crappies are being found high up over deep weed beds in 10-14’ taking Charlie Bee’s, Mini-mites, 1 and 2” twisters and small beetle spins on the natural lakes during cloudy days. Down at the weed bases, suspended 3-4’ off the bottom on high pressure days taking minnows. On the flowages, wood is key to holding big slabs, though traveling, suspended fish on slip-floats and minnows over 12-18’ mud.
Perch: Very good. Shallow water of 4-7’ producing nice eater perch of 9-11”. Half crawlers on 1/16oz weedless jigs best. Fish are scattered, so it takes some searching, but a nice mess of perch available for those willing to move around.
Largemouth Bass: Very good. Active along deeper weeds on jig/pig, Carolina rigging 7” worms. Smaller, yet active bass are up in shallower water on 1/8oz jig and 4” Powerworms. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits on cloudy days finding bass moving out from dock cover.
Pike: Good. Most action on live bait with chubs/suckers of 4-6” length on jig/steel leaders to prevent bite off. Spinnerbaits as well as #3 and #4 Mepps also productive for fish to 32” this week. Only place pike action is slow is on the flowages.
Smallmouth Bass: Good. Gravel humps holding sculpin producing good catches of nice smallies to 19” this past week. Drop-shotting 3” Senkos, 2 ½” Craw Papis, jigging creature baits all productive. Crawlers and frozen soft shells also doing well.
Musky: Fair. Bite is still off. Some fish being caught, but not a lot of action. Recent drop in water temps should improve things once surface temps drop below mid 60’s mark. While bucktails and twitch baits are typically best at this time, don’t put away the top water until after turn-over. Temps in the low 60’s this week should get the sucker bite going.
Walleye: Fair. Reports of scattered catches. Still best on crawlers. Dusk best time or after dark on lighted slip-floats.
Bluegills: Fair-Good. Not as many anglers targeting bluegills, but some nice catches using small leeches, waxies in 8-10’ weeds.
With most lakes seeing surface temps of 68-70 degrees over the weekend, the recent pair of cold nights should spark some activity, especially among the musky and walleye.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop