Minocqua Area Fishing Report
After Friday and Saturday’s spring-like temperatures, Mother Nature gave us a reality check Sunday night into Monday in the form of snow. The further east you go from Minocqua received the brunt of the storm. Rain Monday morning should help pack down the snow on lakes making travel by ATV, snowmobile and foot still easy for this time of year. Though caution is still advised with ATV and snowmobiles in some areas around creeks and aerators. We still can’t recommend truck travel as most lakes reporting 8 to 12” of ice. This past week’s weather brought a lot of anglers out on the ice with many reports of excellent fishing.
Walleye: Very Good – Tip-up action has been great, from 4 in the evening to 7 at night, and pre-dawn to around 8 in the morning. Suckers seem to be the minnow of choice rigged on a glow or red hook. Jigging has been successful as well, in the 12’ to 18’ depths. Jigging Raps, HpyoGlydes, Flutter Spoons have all been producing well.
Northern: Very Good – These fish have been hungry and aggressive the past week. Try working tip-ups along the 8-14’ weed edges. Large shiners and suckers have been taking some good fish, with a few reports of 30”, to mid 30”, fish being caught.
Largemouth Bass: Good – Most of these fish are being reported taking shiners under tip-ups when fishing for Pike. Along with anglers targeting Gills and Crappies using small jigs and a grub.
Crappies: Very Good – This past week’s weather has been great for tip-down fishing as holes wouldn’t freeze up on you. 11’ to 13’ of water has been the desired depths with a small fathead or rosie. Jigging has been great too using slow dropping spoons tipped with a waxie or minnow head. Size #4 tungsten jigs tipped with a bright colored plastic has been taking a lot of fish too. Crappies have been biting well throughout the day, but 4 to 7 in the evening has been the hot bites.
Yellow Perch: Good – Fish are coming over mud flats using jigging spoons like pimples, Venom Cores and Kastmasters tipped with spikes, wigglers or a minnow head. Fish are coming on weed flats as well, try using large baits to keep the little ones off.
Bluegills: Good – Fishing for Gills has been good this week. A lot of fish being caught, but a lot of smaller Gills mixed in. Try using a small tungsten jig with a piece of plastic (red, motor oil or purple seem to be the hot colors), tight to the bottom to get the larger fish. Cabbage weeds in 6’ to 10’ of water is the best bet.
Midweek looks to be cool with high in teens and single digits for lows. This should help firm up slushy areas left by the snow and rain. Get out, be safe and good luck fishing!