Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Memorial weekend has come and gone, rain bracketed the weekend, more Monday than on Friday, and a windy Saturday afternoon didn’t make for the easiest of fishing.

Unfortunately, the cool temps continued for most of the weekend (Sunday afternoon was great) and the predicted “hot” Crappie action did not materialize for most. Water temps did crack into the 60’s on 5/26, but dipped again with Monday’s cool rain.

Crappies: Good (but not good enough!) – With the exceptions of some smaller, shallower lakes where the Crappies have committed to their spawning areas and won’t leave, most lakes are seeing Crappies hanging out in 7-10’ tall cabbage as if waiting to move in. Sadly, many probably won’t, as they missed their “time”. Don’t be surprised to catch Crappies with eggs in July that were not laid, but are being absorbed. Anyway…did well on Gapen Fresh Water Shrimp below small slip floats fished 5-6’ down in 7-10’ cabbage. Minnows also working in same.

Musky: Good – Anglers reported seeing and catching in shallows using small twitch baits (6” Cranes, Jakes), bucktails in the smaller sizes (Rizzo Tails, 500 series Bucher bucktails) and swim baits. Lots of sightings as Musky spawning occurring (Females followed by 1-2 males)

Northern Pike: Good – Jigging chubs or suckers, as well as floating same under floats. Casting spinner baits, 4” twitch baits and 3½-5” swim baits above and through 6-10’ cabbage also working. Good #’s of mid 20” fish, tops a 36” C&R on Friday.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Work shallow weedy areas of 4-8’. Wacky Worms, Ned Rigs, twitching #8 Husky Jerks.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Staging in 8-14’. Anglers using jig: creature, tubes and Ned Rigs finding pre-spawn Smallies to 20”. Water temps need to come up to see these fish come to shallows.

Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Finding better Perch (8”+) working weeds of 6-9’. Fish not schooling, but working 1/32 oz jigs tipped with medium fats or medium leeches producing. Perch full of dragonfly larvae (thunderbugs), fish this bait where you can find it, on #8 thin wire long shank hooks under small floats. Perch love this bait and from what I’ve seen in fish house, are gorging on it…

Bluegill: Fair – Maybe not warm enough, probably like with Crappies and Bass, cool water holding Gills out in deeper weeds. They love thunderbugs also, so try some or small leeches.

Walleye: Fair – Bite has still been spotty. Deep wood 14-20’, on flowages. Weeds of 8-14’ using medium or large leeches on 1/16 oz weed less jigs.

Not sure if it’s the volume of water (we are full), cool nights, amount of rain or general regression of my skills, but this May has been just so-so! Forecasted highs in 70’s may cure some of that this week, but after having my hopes and predictions dashed like a Browns fan (I’m not), I’m somewhat jaded about the next week.