Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Cold and clear skies met weekend anglers, slowing what had been a very good ice fishing season so far.

Yellow Perch: Good-Fair - Best chance for a meal is to work mud flats of 18-28' using VMC Flash Champs, Halis and Pimples tipped with wigglers or Red Spikes. Warm forecast for weekend would allow for tip-down use with small rosies.

Walleye: Good-Fair – Definite slow down over weekend. Bite more sporadic, probably due to barometer (though Flowages not affected same as lakes). Suckers in the 2 1/2 - 3 1/2" range best.

Crappie: Good-Fair – As with Walleyes, flowages better option on high sky days. Warmer weather this weekend should improve tip-down bite.

Northern Pike: Fair – Bite slowed, some deeper water fish over sand grass should improve with warm up.

Bluegill: Fair – Tighter lipped fish need to be finessed with smaller darker jigs tipped with dark (red, black, purple, brown) plastic and red spikes or mousses.

Largemouth Bass: Poor – Look for bass action to pick up over weekend with warm up. Use medium shiners.

A definite drop off in action over past weekend can be attributed to high pressure and cold (-28 degrees Sunday, Jan 14th). This week things should improve as temps slowly rise by weeks end, mid-week clouds should help till then.