Minocqua Area Fishing Report 06/28/16
The weather didn’t follow the forecast exactly. Some rain, lots of wind, but overall, fishing remained good.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good. Lots of numbers on a variety of lures and baits (makes them all the more fun to fish for). For plastics, YumDingers and Yamamoto Senkos fished wacky style and staple. Spinner baits by Boonie, Booyah and Northland working over weed tops, as are Chatterbaits. When the wind allows, the lakes mid 70⁰ surface temps are prime for top-water frogs and walk the dog style Zara Spooks. Big Leeches and Crawlers on a 1/16 oz. weedless jig- always a good back up.
Northern Pike: Very Good-Good. Bladed bats such as Boonies and Chatters are a great choice. Swim baits in the 3 ½ - 4” range as well as stick baits such as Husky Jerks and Rattle Rouges worked over weed tops. Lots of interest in 5-6” chubs and suckers for pike bait this past week.
Bluegills: Very Good- Good. With most spawns over, next available cover, (mainly weeds, some wood) holding lots of willing bluegills. Small leeches, worm, waxies, and even small crappie minnows are doing well. Tiny tubes, Gulp crickets, mini-mite (red, purple tops) and wet flies. With flat evenings- poppers on the top are a blast.
Smallmouth Bass: Very Good- Good. Shadow Raps and Shads in the A.M. shallow. Move out deep to drop-shot off shore humps of 18-20’ using JackALL cross tail shads, Gulp 2 ½ minnows and ½ killer crawlers as well as 3” YumDingers and 3” Senkos.
Walleyes: Good. Best very early or late, or during high winds (how fun!). Winds bring action shallow using 1/16 oz. slo-poke jigs tipped with small redtails or ½ crawlers. Lipless cranks worked over 3-6’ weeds in wind also effective. Deeper weed edges, off-shore humps later mornings/brighter conditions- 1/8-1/4 oz. jig with X-Large leeches. After dark- lighted slip-floats with big leeches; also casting Rattlin Rouges, and X-Raps.
Perch: Good. Up in 7-10’ weeds using ½ crawlers and medium fats on slip-floats. Anglers using frozen soft-shelled crayfish scoring over sand grass flats of 14-22’.
Crappies: Good. Finding crappies taking small 1-1 ½ tubes, Gapen Freshwater Shrimp and small 1” twister tails through top 1/3 of standing cabbage.
Musky: Fair-Good. Best bet has been evenings on top-water baits such as Pace Makers, Tally Wackers and Whopper Ploppers.
Despite not being able to trust the weather people, fishing overall has been good. Traffic on the water has been lighter than usual, giving more room for those to show to try new places.