Minocqua Area Fishing Report

With temps going from bitter cold thru last Saturday morning (Jan 6 = 20 below) to the twenties and even above freezing by Monday, anglers started flocking out on the ice to take advantage of the “warmth”!

Despite a few reports of localized “poor” fishing (time, place?) fishing good overall. Conditions for travel on ice near excellent with ice averages of 14-17” (though a few reports of only 9-10” in certain places)

Walleye: Good-Very Good – Best last hour of light through first hour of dark. Walleye suckers, large fatheads and large rosies over mud, sandgrass flats in 18-32’. Jigging #5 - #7 jigging Raps, Hyper Glydes producing well. On lakes with less depth chose medium river or golden shiners along cabbage edges of 9-12’.

Northern Pike: Good-Very Good – Good Pike fishing using large golden or river shiners, black chubs and larger suckers.

Yellow Perch: Good – Getting best reports from anglers following perch out to deep mud flats of 18-30’. Wigglers, red spikes on Hali jigs, with warmth tip-downs with small rosies also working. Anglers working shallow weed flats of 6-10’ finding single “roamers” from time to time, though these fish typically nice average size of 8-11”.

Bluegill: Good – With warmer temps anglers moving a bit more catching gills on Moon Glos, Fiskas and Flirty Girtys tipped with moussies or waxies. A few anglers reporting bigger Gills in deeper water using #2 pimples tipped with waxies in 16-24’ mixed with Crappies.

Crappie: Good-Fair – Anglers looking for Crappies in typical Flowages locations having tough time. On lakes, deeper better for mid-day action (18-25’) but a weed bite in 10-12’ occurring hour before dark as larger Crappies moving in for bite.

Largemouth Bass: Poor-Fair – Improving with warmth. Medium shiners, jigging Shad Raps, Rippin’ Raps and #3-#4 pimples working. Tip with a minnow head for flavor.

The good ice we have hopefully will hold dry with the coming snow. Our area is on the edge of Thursday’s storm, the amount we get will determine if ATV use will still work or if it will be all truck and snowmobile use soon.