Minocqua Area Fishing Report
The Northwoods may finally get the ice fishing conditions us anglers have been waiting for. Good ice making temperatures and little to no precipitation has produced some great early ice fishing!
Walleye: Excellent-Very Good – Sure that the New Moon period is helping, but accessibility and for the most part great conditions have put lots of anglers and Walleyes on the ice! Shallow (2-8’) water with green weeds are seeing good bites on medium shiners and suckers with some anglers reporting bites starting at 2-3 PM, others out past mid-night still scoring. Aggressive Walleyes also being caught on Jiggin Raps, Rippin Raps and Shiver Minnows.
Crappies: Very good – Lots of good reports from anglers using minnows on tip-downs. Also slow-dropping waxies on plastics on rocker jigs or Lethal Cecils! Depending on weather Crappies of 10-14” being caught tight to bottom all the way up to 2’ under ice in 7-12’.
Northern Pike: Very Good - Popping flags in bays with good green weeds of 6-10’. Big lively bait in the form of shiners and suckers best.
Bluegill: Very Good – Anglers presenting mousses and waxies on VMC tungsten fly jigs and Kenders Akua jig flares having good action. Reports with photos of fish over 10” (up to 11 ¼”) coming in!
Yellow Perch: Good-Very Good – Anglers targeting fish in shallow weeds catching nice Perch on Northland Forage Minnow Spoons and small buckshot spoons loaded with waxies!
Largemouth Bass: Good – Good reports from anglers using medium shiners on tip-ups or jigging Slender Spoons tipped with waxies or a minnow head.
Conditions on the ice have really improved following two consecutive nights of lows below 0 degrees to single digits. Expect to find ice thickness of 8-9” on many lakes by the weekend.
Reports of an ATV that broke ice on a smaller lake (no one hurt) means caution still required. Lack of snow means slippery conditions (ice skaters are loving this!). Be sure to wear creepers when venturing out, safety spikes, rope still important.
With little to no precipitation in forecast we should have great ice barring any unforeseen weather through the new year