Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Now its Fall!

Cold nights, wind, rain and some color in the trees!

Lake surface temps have fallen from a high of 75 degrees two weeks ago to an average of about 57 degrees this weekend.

It’s Musky time, and that has shown in the reports of Musky hunters throughout.

Musky: Very Good – Despite the cooler temps, top-water action has been hot and will remain so until the lakes turn. Whoper Ploppers, Pacemakers and Top Raiders have produced well on these cloudy, windy days. Action on big bladed bucktails and spinnerbaits as well as jointed cranks and twitch baits. Multiple fish days being reported, with the beginning of a sucker bite building.

Northern Pike: Very Good-Good – Mepps spinners in #4 & #5, spinnerbaits and even some top-water action over cabbage beds in 4-10’ of water.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Work gravel/rocks in 18-28’. Drop-shotting minnow, sculpin imitations. Ned rigging in the shallower humps (18-22’). Some big Smallies reported, nice fish of 14-18” but up to 21’s, when weather allowed.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Fair – Fewer anglers pursuing these green bass. Still working Senkos and dingers in weeds with success.

Crappie: Fair-Good – Wind made fishing tough, but a few reports on calmer days of Crappies taking white jigs (hair) tipped with minnows around drowned wood in 14-20’.

Walleye: Fair-Good – Some hot reports on certain days as anglers found action on jig/minnow combinations along shallow weeds and wood on lakes not prone to turn-over. On lakes with depth (over24’) mud flats outside gravel humps in 18-28’. Jigging Rap lures good choice for the more aggressive fish, jig/crawlers for when bite slows.

Bluegill and Perch reports few and far between.

More rain predicted for this week, can affect the flowages the most with rising water levels.

Watch night time temps! With surface water just above the critical turn-over stage (52-54 degrees) another cold snap could put some mid-sized lakes into the flip-flop. Look at water clarity before launching.