Minocqua Area Fishing Report

What can be said??? Our mild(ish) winter keeps flexing its muscle, putting cold and snow all over our spring and hopes for a good opener!

Temps below zero (it’s April ?!) and a fresh blanket of snow have slowed fishing. Signs of stress on our smaller lakes due to lack of sunlight has hampered angler success.

Bluegill: Fair – To be fair, few anglers were venturing out due to weather. Stay clear of the smaller lakes (low oxygen?) while larger lakes and mid-sized lakes with access to depth or moving water best.

Yellow Perch: Fair – Snow cover pushing most perch back out a bit deeper for now (10-15’+). Wigglers, rosies best.

Crappie: Fair-Poor (for this time of year) – Bite lethargic. Tip-downs with minnows typical, but when fish tight lipped, work small #10 rockers tipped with small plastics to pry open some lips.

A warm up by mid-week (4/11) should knock snow down some, but more cooler weather by weekend will hold up the ice melt.

Average ice reports are running anywhere from 24-34”, we need the snow cover to leave to address the ice melt.

No one knows for sure, but as of right now, don’t bury your tip-ups for opener, you might need them.