Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Summer vacation time is over, the next two months are for anglers!

Water temps for Labor Day a bit low (63-65 degrees avg).

Certain weeds dying back, but where good green narrow leaf cabbage and brown broad leaf cabbage found, so are fish. A very nice weather weekend for the holidays. Lots of people on the water, reports were overall slow, a few bright spots here and there.

Northern Pike: Fair-Good – Most reports of smaller Pike action, especially around shallower weeds.

Jig/minnow combinations meant for Walleyes and lighter spinner baits (1/8-1/4oz) producing.

Musky: Fair-Good – Continue to work inside weed edges with top-water baits. The more subtle lures such as Flap tails and Creepers seem to be more productive. Big bladed spinner baits and shallow running Swim & twitch baits also moving fish.

Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good – When the Muskies roam the inside weeds..... go outside for Largemouth.

Jig and trailer combos and fishing Sweet Beaver along outside edges and pockets.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair-Good – Didn't get alot of feedback, but anglers working off stone gravel humps with drop-shot rigs scoring big fish. Oddly enough, some big fish being found very shallow on spinning baits and by anglers casting top water for Muskies.

Crappie: Fair-Good – Numbers not exceptionally high, but nice Crappies. Haven't seemed to gather too tightly yet, very scattered. Medium fatheads around drowned wood is best.

Yellow Perch: Fair-Good - In Lakes without algae blooms and good green cabbage, good Perch catches in 5-8'. Medium fatheads on 1/16oz, jigs or 1/2 crawler or medium leeches working.

Bluegill: Fair-Good – Deeper weed edges and suspending away from coontail edges. Small jigs (Mini Mites etc) with waxies or small leaches.

Walleye: Fair – Depending on lake types, some deep gravel fish using 1.4oz jigs with minnows or 1/2 crawlers. Jigging Raps also productive. Also finding Walleyes, when conditions allow (cloud, wind) in shallow green cabbage working jig and leaches or minnows.

The end of summer algae blooms are effecting some lakes. Big Arb., Little Arb and Rainbow Flowage to name a few. High water on flowages seem to be affecting early fall "patterns". Maybe just a lot of traffic on lakes, time will tell.