Minocqua Area Fishing Report
Memorial weekend provided lots of great fishing opportunities for those that got outside to spend some time on the water. The early weekend this year coincided with an important warm up in water temperature, which got fishing interesting.
Musky: Very Good – The season opened up on Saturday with lots of action as anglers reported multiple fish days of 4, 5, 6, and even 7 Skie days! Small bucktails with the Rizzo Wizz (Now Wizard), #5 Mepps, 500 series Buchertails, 5 and 6” Cranes and small Smity jerks accounting for a lot of fish. Even small and medium sized suckers produced well. Reports of lots of 36-42” being boated with the largest C&R a 49” by a Walleye angler. Its rare that Musky takes top billing in our multi-species report in May, but this weekend was exceptional!
Crappie: Very Good – Timing is everything and the Memorial Weekend anglers hit it just right! Crappies moved in to pair up and bed and provided great action for anglers. Gapen Fresh Water Shrimp below tiny floats and small minnows on a small thin wire Aberdeen hook with no weight below the float scored lots of action. Small leeches also worked well when fishing snaggy areas as they stay on the hook better. Casting tiny tubes, Mini Mites and Pinkys for those who prefer to fish bobberless did their share of catching.
Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Cruising the warm shallows. LMB taking 3-4” Wacky worms, square bill cranks and spinner baits. Some top-water action reported on the warm afternoons. Lots of Bass taking baits meant for Crappies.
Northern Pike: Very Good – Swim baits, #3 Mepps, spinner baits, and chatter baits all producing. Jig and chub combos worked through 5-9’ cabbage a great start.
Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Still staging, but up next as water temps climb. Lipless cranks and suspending twitch baits best over 10-14’ staging areas, just off the spawning sites. Leeches on a 1/16 – 1/8 oz jig working well. Just remember, its catch and release only until June 20th.
Walleye: Good – Post spawn feeding going on. Target green cabbage using light jigs to offer leeches or dace. Casting stick baits over and through same areas at dusk very productive.
Bluegill: Good – Lots of Gills warming in shallows. Thunderbugs, small leeches and worms, but also small plastics effective on these active fish. Use small, but weighted bobber to make long cast into 2’ shallows.
Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Most reports from anglers picking up incidental catches while
Walleye, Bluegill or Crappie fishing. Medium fatheads and leeches best.
Lots of anglers on the lakes this weekend, boat landings were over flowing and fish biting. Remember to practice selective harvest! It’s been a difficult past couple of months, but not the end of the world! Look towards the future and release fish to ensure good fishing for the next time up.