Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Winter, Summer, Fall! That’s the New World Order according to Mother Nature (forget you ever heard about Spring!)

After a week of record highs brought our lakes to near boil, a cool down has corrected water temps to bring averages into high 60’s to low 70’s.

Bluegill: Excellent - Either bedding or pre-spawn, lots of great reports of Bluegill action with lots of above average fish (8”+) being caught. Thunderbugs and small leeches under tiny floats for the live bait enthusiast. 1/100 – 1/80th oz jigs with hair or plastic, wet flys behind clear casting floats or, towards evening, poppers as waters warm.

Largemouth Bass: Excellent – In a bit early due to warm up last week, but lots of reports of pre-spawn and spawning Bass! Plastic creatures, Ned worms and Wacky worms for mornings. Twitch baits, Pop R’s on warming afternoons.

Smallmouth Bass: Very Good – Despite mis-reporting most were done (1st time wrong ALL SEASON…yeah), large lakes still have Smallies, mostly males, protecting beds. 3” Wackys, X-Raps, and Torpedos effective. Lots of action, not as many large fish as earlier.

Northern Pike: Very good – Working 3 ½-4 ½” swim baits over existing 4-8’ cabbage flats. Chatter baits, Meps #3’s, Comets, spinner baits all good.

Yellow Perch: Good-Very Good Thunderbugs, medium leeches and fatheads. Work 5-9’ weeds or around drowned wood.

Crappie: Good – Work out over narrow leaf cabbage in 6-10’ using small minnows, Mini mites or Gapen Fresh Water Shrimp under small floats. Suspend bait/jig just at weed tops.

Musky: Good – Best later in day as water warms. Small bucktails, spinner baits and top-water.

Walleye: Good-Fair – Mornings tough early ‘til chill (steam) off water. Leeches, large fatheads for weed Walleyes in 6-12’. Deep lakes use chubs, suckers of 3 ½ - 5” on Lindy rigs

That warm stretch pushed spawning ahead, so don’t be surprised that Crappies (done) and Smallmouth (almost done) are already being replaced by Largemouth Bass and Bluegills in the bedding shallows of many lakes

Bugs hatching, a few reports of small Hex hatches, will list as confirmed.