Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Leading up to a late Labor Day weekend, a windy and wet weekend kept participation down on the water this past week. Good fishing was had by those finding the place and times.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Look to thicker cabbage flats and wok with jig/creature combos, Wacky Worms or Neko rigs. Swimming a 4” worm or swim bait also working when Bass “in the mood” to chase. Top-water action remains good on the warmer, calmer evenings.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – Where and when possible (due to wind and rain) nice Gills of 8-9” (with a few honest 10” ers) reported in weedy bays on Mini-mites, small jigs and even small crappie minnows. Best in the lee sides of lakes where sun warmed water a few extra degrees.

Northern Pike: Good – Still best on spinner baits and chatter baits over cabbage beds of 6-10’. Live chubs or suckers on cooler mornings, snake through heavy weeds on weedless jigs and light wire leaders.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Most relating to coontail edges, though reed edges also pulling off some good action as well. Drop-shotting 3” minnow/worms, as well as Ned rigs. Also action on lipless cranks (Rattle Traps/Rattlin Raps) along same edges. Some rock bites, but not hot.

Musky: Fair-Good – Most action past week in shallower water on bucktails, spinner baits and gliders with “tails”. Should see action pick up as waters start to slowly cool off.

Crappie: Fair-Good – While not being found “bunched up”, some anglers finding fish in thick, narrow leaf cabbage of 8-12’. Slip-floats and small minnows best for neutral fish, but twitching small, tinsel tailed jigs through tops of same weeds fastest way to produce once fish on feed.

Yellow Perch: Fair – Not a lot of reports. Most from anglers finding Perch in heavy cabbage picking off small crayfish, this is where ½ crawlers on orange or brown 1/32 oz jigs shine.

Walleye: Fair – Mixed reports from deep wood, some on rock to #’s of small fish up in weed edges. Crawlers and redtails top choices, a few row trollers reporting fish starting to drop down in water column for those after suspended fish.

Week’s forecast looks good for Friday and Saturday, clouds and light rain should mean good Sunday until evening. Drop in temps for Monday could be start of next stage into early fall, anglers can’t wait!!