Minocqua Fishing Report
Gorgeous weather moved into the Lakeland area this past week, warming up the waters and improving the fishing immensely.
Lots of much needed sun; very little- if any wind and temps in the 70’s brought about a lot of great fishing to the area.
Crappies: Very Good. It was “that” weekend. Water temps warmed into the low 60’s bringing the stalled crappie bedding/spawning to a peak. Anglers filled the lakes with buckets of crappie minnows on board to catch, in many cases, limits of crappies. Fish were being found in as little as 1-3’ while others were done, or just staging outside. The cold nights (temps below freezing) helped to stretch the spawn out, but surface temps in the low 60’s are being found on most lakes and the spawn won’t last much longer with that.
Walleye: Very Good. Good catches on redtails, Dace, Fatheads and leeches. Some lakes still holding fish in 14-18’ depth over wood, rocks. The cloudless skies have kept the shallow bite curtailed, but early morning anglers and after dark using lighted slip-bobbers with large leeches are doing well. Also, after dark casting shallow running stick baits over newly emerging weeds, producing nice walleyes (though many in protected slot). Cloud cover should make for some good daytime walleye fishing as we move away from this full moon period.
Smallmouth Bass: Good to Very Good. (Catch and Release Only!) Smallies moving into shallower water to stage as their time is next. Low to mid 60’s prime for smallies Twitch baits (ShadowRaps, ShadowShads, X-Raps) as well as top water Pop-R’s working well in 3-6’. Nice smallies of 17-20” this weekend C&R pitching jig/minnow combos in shallows for early morning walleyes.
Largemouth Bass: Good to Very Good. Cruising the warm shallows. Twitch baits, plastic worms, lizards, craws as well as top-water hand baits. The warm water is bringing lots of small bluegills, minnows and bugs to the shallows. Opportunistic bass following.
Bluegills: Good to Very Good: Flooding the shallows to warm up (not spawning till waters in low 70’s). Thunderbugs, wrigglers, small leeches and worms below tiny floats won’t soak long! Make long cast to not spook fish. Tiny 1” tubes also good to target larger gills. 11” monster brought in Sunday. Small minnows also good big gill bait!
Northern Pike: Good. Not as much attention with walleyes and crapppies as main focus. Chubs on jigs as well as #3 Mepps, 212 Roostertails and Small Daredevils working anywhere some green weeds are developing.
Yellow Perch: Fair-Good. Not being targeted much. When some make way to the fish house, finding dragonfly larvae (Thunderbugs) is heavy part of their diet.
The weather had been a plus (Though some clouds would be nice) and much needed chance of rain mid-week is supposed to give way to more nice weather for the Memorial Weekend.
-Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop