Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 12/23/24
Merry Christmas to ALL!
Ice conditions in and around the Lakeland area are good, but not great. With ice thickness varying from 5-10” (with 6-8” being comfortable average), most ice good for walking, ATV and snowmobile use. With another report of a truck breaking through down in Newbold, just can’t stress enough to keep cars and trucks off the ice until we get a good 14-16” minimum! While access and conditions on the ice have been great (only about 2” of snow on ice as of this report- creepers still a good idea). fishing has been good, but not as great.
Walleye: Good-Very Good – Still a post dusk/pre-dawn bite for the most part. Jigging Raps (#5), Shiver Minnows (2.5:3), Hyper Glides (#5) and Rippin Raps producing nice fish worked in 6-10’ weeds. Tip-ups with medium shiners, river shiners and Walleye suckers strategically set up on weed edges prior to dusk bite best call. Plenty of good eaters (15-19”) but also reports of “over” fish in the 20-24” range.
Northern Pike: Good-Very Good – Big shiners and suckers hanging just above weed tops or along weed edges of 5-10’. Adding a small blade to give wired rigs some flash seems to be “tipping” odds in tip-up anglers favor. (Get it?...tipping/tip-ups. I’ll be here at the bait shop all week folks, there will be a two minnow scoop minimum! Haha)
Crappie: Good – Reports starting to pick up as anglers venturing out to more areas as ice conditions improve. Still a tall weed bite using tip-downs and Crappie minnows/small rosies in 10-14’ narrow leaf cabbage bays. Others finding suspended Crappies taking Tikka Flashes and small Kastmasters tipped with waxies in 14-20’. These roaming schools take some drilling to find, but nice fish in the 9-11” range on average with some 12-14” slabs reported.
Bluegill: Good – Slowed a little from previous week, but more high pressure days and some southwest winds at times may have been biggest turn-off. Otherwise, bays with good weeds in 5-10’ holding Gills. Small jigs tipped with waxies, spikes or plastics producing. Mid-mornings through late afternoons on most lakes. Reports from small, hard to reach lakes have best bite at dawn to 9 AM using #3:#4 dark colored tungsten jigs tipped with red spikes in 12-18’ basins. These small out of the way lakes produce quality Gills, but can’t sustain much harvest, so be gentle.
Largemouth Bass: Good – With most daytime temps above 20 degrees (and forecasted for 30 degrees after Christmas), Largemouth have been active taking medium shiners meant for Walleye, but also jigs and waxies meant for Gills and Perch. Weeds of 5-10’ best, same as being targeted for Gills.
Yellow Perch: Fair-Good – Reports picking up as anglers working a bit deeper (10-14’). Just outside weed edges in mud flats where jigging spoons, such as Northland Forage Minnow Spoons, Buckshot Spoons and Clam Leech Flutter Spoons tipped with waxies, spikes or minnow heads producing. Tip-downs with small to medium fatheads working well in the mild weather where holes not freezing up.
With the coming of the New Moon period after Christmas and through New Years, I’m liking the outlook for some great ice fishing during the holiday week. On the less optimistic side, days with temps peaking in the 30’s (possibly 40’s on 12/28) plus some rain will make things slippery and messy. Be sure to bring cleats and waterproof boots out on the ice. While the warm up will hurt making more ice, it shouldn’t be enough to lose much of what we have. Always be cautious.
Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!
Ice Fishing Tournaments
January 4th – 74th Annual Rib Lake Area Fishing Contest – Rib Lake
January 11th – 17th Annual NCO Club & AMVETS Post 724 – Lake Nokomis
January 11th – 31st year - Rainbow Ice Jamboree – Rainbow Flowage
January 18th – Kurt’s Minocqua Madness - WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain
January 18th – 10th Annual Iceholes of the North – Sponsored by Team Retreat Musky Club – Various lakes
March 1st – KISS - WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain
