Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Time to pack up the tip-ups. Inland gamefish season has ended ‘til May 2nd. Great weather (in like a lamb) for the final weekend with some good Pike and Walleye reports to finish up with.

From here on ‘til ice out, it will be panfish and some whitefish. Ice conditions are some of the best we’ve seen all winter, with good-excellent travel conditions, 20-24” of ice on average and just a little soft slush from the mild temps of the afternoons making for a wet top.

Crappies: Very Good – Anglers finding Crappies in varied locations depending on lake or flowages. Bite in narrow leaf cabbage of 10-12’ on 1/32 oz Forage Minnow spoons, Lethal Cecils and rockers tipped with waxies or Beaver tail. Deeper water (17-28’) and Flowages anglers doing best on tip-downs with rosies or jigging with glow or gold colored jigs tipped with waxies or minnow heads.

Yellow Perch: Very Good – Most reports of anglers “pounding the mud” in 18-26’ using pimples, Flasch Champs and Leech Flutter spoons to carry wigglers down to the Perch. Also, surprisingly, anglers reported Perch in 8-11’ weeds taking K-Rips tipped with waxies.

Bluegills: Good – Small #3 tungsten jigs tipped with single spike or moussee effective worked close to bottom (within 1’) in 8-12’. On Flowages, big Gills found in 12-17’ suspending 3-4’ off bottom taking Clam Dingle Drops tipped with a waxie.

Without much snow cover the two feet of ice we have may not survive the entire month of March. Overnight temps below freezing will help firm things up for morning travel, but afternoons of mid 30’s to low 50’s forecasted will soften the top and erode accesses. Be careful! While ice thickness is very good, it could go bad quickly. Great time to be on the ice, enjoy!