Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 1/5/26
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
I hesitated a day to see what the effects of the forecasted snow of Jan 4th would do to the lake ice…turns out, the 6-10” forecasted never landed! Bad for snowmobilers, but good for anglers as this week’s mild temps may help mash down the slush a little, we hope.
Northern Pike: Very Good – With the largest reported at 38 ½” this week ad lots of good reports on action and size. River shiners and gold shiners in the large size as well as 5-6” suckers fished in 8-12’ weeds this past week.
Walleye: Very Good-Good - Still seeing some good mid-afternoon action, though most is closer to dusk. Along weed edges of 10-12’ for most lakes, though some reports of fish migrating to mid-lake humps of 18-22’. Weed fish on shiners (golden, river) off-shore hump fish preferring suckers. Action very good on jigging raps and shiver minnows.
Yellow Perch: Good – Mud flats of 17-22’ taking Hali jigs and small Bull spoons tipped with wigglers or red spikes. Mild temps good for tip-downs using small rosies.
Crappie: Good – Better basin action than bay (weed) fish. Basin fish in 18-30’. Small Kastmasters tipped with waxies or spikes. Weed fish taking plastics. Should be a good week for tip-down action using small minnows.
Bluegill: Good – Most anglers targeting in weeds of 6-9’ using small dark jigs tipped with dark plastics or red spikes. Waxies also working. A few reports of larger Gills suspended out over 14-18’ weed edges. Most of these are of the larger (8”+) variety.
Largemouth Bass: Poor-Fair – This will improve this week as they seem to respond best once temps crest 20°. Small to medium shiners on tip-ups, large fats on tip-downs and small jigging raps tipped with minnow heads.
Despite a pretty cold New Year’s weekend and a Full Moon period as well, fishing remained solid! This coming week will see lows in 20’s but highs in the mid to upper 30’s, making fishing pleasant. Lakes are slushy and that won’t go away any time soon. But it could get a little better with less snow on top as the week goes by.
With most lakes reporting 10-12”+ of ice (even reports from Trout Lake having 10”+), the amount of light getting through the ice should also bode well for activity levels of fish below!
Pic of the week
Cooper, 3 years old with his first Northern Pike
Kinsley, 5 years old with her first Northern Pike
Cameron with his Walleye. He caught a few nice Northern too
Arnie Newbauer with a beautiful 37” Northern Pike
Ice Fishing Tournaments
January 10th – 1st Annual Birchell Family Ice Fishing Contest – Pike Lake (Sponsored by Big Dipper and Nick Janssen)
January 10th – 75th Annual Rib Lake Ice Fishing Contest
January 10th – 18th Annual NCO - Lake Nokomis
January 17th – 11th Annual “Ice Holes of the North” (Sponsored by Team Retreat Musky Club)
January 17th – Battle on St. Germain Lakes
February 14th – 25th Annual Plum Lake Ice Fishing Tournament (Sponsored by Sayner-Star Lake Lions)
