Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 8/6/24

The new moon and heat of the end of July combined for some very good fishing this past week.  While sunshine and lack of wind inhibited some mid-day action, those willing to fish early and late had very good results.  Water temps hit highs of over 82 degrees on some waters, which is not common for us “Northerners”.  Most hovered with an average surface temp of 78 degrees.  Expect that to drop with the new cool front that has moved in.

Walleye:  Very Good-Good – Bite heated up along with the water for those willing to get out early (or fish late).  Live bait, (Crawlers, leeches or red tails) out on gravel/rock humps in 22-28’ on 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs, slip-bobbering or drop-shotting these live baits all working well.  Anglers finding transitional fish (fish suspended, traveling from hump to hump?) being targeted by search lures with crawlers.  Some very good reports of Walleye in heavy weed growth as shallow as 6-9’ using red tails on 1/16 oz weedless jigs.  These fish showed signs of feeding heavily on 1 ½-2” Perch.  Fish accordingly!  It was nice to give something other than Bass top billing for a change.  The current cool front may slow these bites, we’ll see.

Smallmouth:  Very Good-Good – Early and late, some hot top-water action on Spooks, Torpedos, Jitterbugs and Whopper Ploppers.  Out over rock bars Ned rigs and Drop-Shot rigs best.  Along weed edges (yes, at times they seem to be everywhere) tubes and Wacky Worms are fantastic.

Largemouth:  Very Good-Good – Like their bronze cousins, Largemouth action good early and late on top-water.  Frogs, Spiders and buzzbaits working best.  Out over weeds, pre-rigged plastic worms, lipless cranks and square billed cranks for the more aggressive bites.  Wacky Worms and light tube jigs for the “denser” fish.

Bluegill:  Very Good-Good – Fired up in this heat!  Lots of action on Gills from shallow dock cover to outside coontail edges using tiny jigs tipped with waxies, worms with floats or the smallest Beetle Spins or Charlie Bees.  Towards evening, fly rodders scoring using poppers or ants around shallow pads.

Yellow Perch:  Good-Very Good – Most all reports from anglers fishing heavy weeds of 6-10’ using ½ crawlers or beavertails to catch nice 9-11” Perch scattered throughout cabbage flats.  A few falling for Ned jigs or small Wacky Worms in orange/Brown colors (most likely due to crayfish match).

Crappie:  Good-Very Good – Tickling the tops of narrow leaf cabbage in 9-14’ using 1/16 oz underspin jigs (Crappie Thumpers, Charlie Bees or Road Runners) or jigging small plastics up high in the canopy producing nice Crappies of 10-12” with plenty of 13 up to 14” slabs included.

Musky:  Good – Early morning and late evening top-water on tail baits (Pace Makers, Whopper Ploppers and Fat Bastards).  Bucktails also bringing fish to the net.  Mid-morning on, open water action working rubber baits where the Ciscos roam best.

Northern Pike:  Good – Chatterbaits, spinnnerbaits and 4-5” swimbaits.  #4:#5 Mepps also helping anglers cash in on Pike action.

With lows in the 50’s and highs only in the 60’s Thursday, Friday and Saturday, expect a little push back from the activity we had been getting.  Surface temps will drop and fish will need some time to adjust their patterns.  Looks like a warm up from then (8/11) onwards, so shouldn’t be too severe of a change.  Leeches coming to an end of the supply.  Fish will still eat, but expect fewer to be available.  Weeds and water still above average, hope to see both stay up for August.