Minocqua Area Fishing Report 4-22-2013
This crazy April just won’t quit! Following low temps in the single digits Saturday (4/20), overnight temps into Monday morning were a full 30 degrees warmer. An afternoon of driving and drilling the lakes of this area (LDF, Minocqua, St. Germain) found that truck travel is done. It’s not the ice thickness that is the problem, but the access. The little warmth we have had at times combined with the rain run off has made nearly every landing I visited too brittle for trucks. Many would be fine for ATV (though two landings I broke through on foot).
Things in the Lakeland area are slushy on top (though reports from Lake Gogebic in the U.P. have very good travel). Measured ice ranges from 23-26”. A lack of anglers during the week due to bad weather limited reports, but Saturday and Sunday anglers did get out.
Crappies: Good. Not the reports you would expect from this late on the ice. Anglers willing to walk out on some of the lesser known crappie lakes catching nice slabs to 14”. Tip-downs a favorite, tipped with regular crappie minnows or rosie reds. For those not wanting to haul as much equipment, just dipping Little Cecils, Rembrandts, smaller Russian Spoons tipped with waxies, Chena or white plastics doing very well in 7-10’ weeds. At times, crappies just under the ice. On windy days, a 4-5mm tungsten jig is needed to keep bait in water. Tip with a Wedgee plastic in white or glow. Orange has been hot at times.
Perch: Good. Getting to them is half the battle. Nice perch of 9-11” out over mud flats taking wigglers on pimples or crappie minnows on tip-downs.
Bluegills: Good. Hot action at dawn, then again at dusk. Smaller tungsten jigs tipped with spikes, waxies or plastics in red, purple or black. Northland’s Impulse plastic shaped like small insects have been hot! Typically mixed in same areas crappies are found. Some very nice catches of 7-8” fish with a few anglers reporting 9-10”ers from some of the lakes less traveled.
While a forecast for rain Monday afternoon may eat down the slush, scattered rain/snow reports will probably keep conditions status quo through Thursday. Forecast for temps in the 50’s and 60’s starting Friday (4/26) will make conditions for the opener a day by day call. For now, keep your tip-ups handy.
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com