Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 5/28/24

Weather could have been kinder for the Memorial Weekend, we just had winds on Saturday that made for some challenging fishing.  Wind shifts and threats of rain along with some advancement on the fish spawning calendar disappointed some anglers. While giving rise to others up for the holiday weekend. 

Smallmouth Bass:  Very Good-Excellent - Somewhat earlier than usual, Smallies are up and bedding on many lakes.Season not open, all catch and release, but reports of hot fishing in the shallows using Wacky Worms, Ned Rigs, and Tubes.  If you only could find the Lee side of the lake, top-water action is a blast.  Lots of reports from anglers experiencing 30 to 40, and 50 fish days.

Walleye:  Very Good - Weeds being key, depth varies.  Finding Walleyes along 22' breaks in sandgrass, taking black chubs and red tails.  Working into weeds (tall, narrow leaf cabbage) of 10-14' also producing.  Jigging chubs or setting up slip floats with large fatheads or large leeches.  Casting stickbaits over weed tops of 10-14' just along breaks into deeper water producing well using Rattlin Rouge Perfect 10's.

Crappies:  Very Good-Good - Most spawning is done, though some lakes still have bedding fish.  Most consistent bite using small plastic, swimbait twister tails on 1/32oz jigs, through 6-10' weeds.  Mini Mites or Crappie minnows under small floats, rocking in the wind also producing.

Largemouth Bass:  Good-Very Good - Action in 6-10' weeds using wacky worms, tube jigs and #8 Husky Jerks.  Pre-rigged plastic worms slowly retrieved through some areas and a real "do nothing" approach that’s been deadly.

Northern Pike:  Good - Most reports came from Walleye anglers jigging chubs or Musky anglers working swimbaits and smaller musky bucktails.  A couple of reports from anglers targeting using #3 and #4 Mepps.

Yellow Perch:  Good-Fair - Prior to wind, anglers finding Perch taking medium fatheads in green cabbage of 6-8'. Slip bobbers in pockets working best. Worms and leeches always seem to work when Perch are around.

Bluegills:  Good-Fair - Probably more due to wind and rain than anything.  Many Bluegill anglers prefer nicer weather.  Gills found from 2-8' of water, not bedding yet, but taking advantage of warmer waters and shallow bug hatches.

Musky:  Fair–Poor - Wind on opening day was brutal for boat control, and seeing what reports I could gather (my boat struck out!).  Few fish seen and even fewer caught. I’m sure I will hear (and see) more as this week progresses.

Water temps that had been into the mid-60s, (64–65 degrees) early last week dropped into the upper 50s (58 average).  May have been the rain and hail, yet Smallies have moved in and Largemouth won’t be far behind if temps get back into the mid-60s.  Forecast for cool mornings mid-week but nice days with temp pushing 70 degrees.  Unfortunately, rain is forecasted for the weekend, but I'll believe it when I see it.  Rain forecasts have been unreliable as far as the intensity the past week.