Minocqua Area Fishing Report 2-22-25

Time to crawl back out from hibernation for a bit! temps down to -19° last week has gave way to nice balmy temperatures as high as upper 30s maybe the 40s this Monday. Combine that with a new moon period and Fishing has picked up dramatically!

  Walleye: Very Good

  Bite windows remained about an hour and a half long on average. Mostly just before sundown, but also pre-dawn. Walleyes moving up to the weeds of about 8 to 16 feet of water,( depending on the lake type), taking suckers and shiners on tip ups, as well as back to aggressively, smacking, Ripping Raps, Jigging, Raps, and Tikka Minnows. Just about a week left to the season, best to take advantage of this hot bite!

Northern Pike:   Very Good

  Warm-up has helped. Pike action has improved and the bite is window starting earlier in the morning and lasting throughout the dusk versus last week. Take advantage of big active baits with rigs sporting blades for the added attraction!

  Crappies: Good-Very Good

    Action picking back up over basins of 18 to 28 feet of water. Small spoons with some noise such as Rattling Kast Masters or jointed Pinheads or those with flash such as Tikka Flash or Northland Slim Spoons to pull in roaming schools of crappies. Tip with waxes or minnow heads. Weed fish moving up from holding tight to the bottom. Slow drop and light fluttering jigs tipped with light colored plastics best.

Yellow Perch:Good-Very Good

  Mud flats of 14 to 18 feet of water, using fast dropping spoons to deliver red spikes or wigglers, if you can get some. A few larger perch on small shiners under tip ups meant for walleyes and weeds. Find pockets and heavy cabbage and lower medium fatheads hooked lightly through the back on a number 14 travel to target larger perch in these weeds. Nicer weed  perch also hitting #2 jigging Raps as well !

  Largemouth Bass: Good

  While missing for a week or so – back on the charts due to the warm-up. Jigging while targeting gills using waxes or butter, worms, or setting tip ups with small to medium shiners are best! Jigging with spoons or wraps if your bass is your main target is also a good method.

Bluegill :Fair-Good

  Action and reports improving as anglers targeting gills following the cold and wind. They kept most people off the ice. Small plastics, waxes were butter, worms, and number 3 mm tungsten jigs and 8 to 12 feet of weeds. Some nice gills are also being caught roaming the open water of 14 to 20 feet by perch, crappie anglers. 

  Gamefish season officially ends March 2 at midnight. Looks as if weather won't be too bad with temperatures in the 20s for the most part the mid week temps in the 30s plus will make things very comfortable.

  Ice conditions are very good with averages 22 to 30 inches in most spots. The one report of 17 inches on a private lake raised a few eyebrows.

   With this much ice and the mild forecast ahead, it looks like a good month of panfishing through the ice is in store for the rest of our month of March.