Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 12/30/25

Kurt Justice
24 minutes ago
3 min read

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Last report of 2025…Looks like the easy stuff is over for a while! Last week’s mild temps and lack of snow on the ice coupled with a 7-10” ice thickness average (some up to 12”-others still in the 5-6” range) made for great fishing and catching! Biggest concern was staying upright. The warmth and rain made it critical to have creepers on the snowless ice – but that should end by the time this report gets out! Lots of warm snow will most likely create a slush layer between ice and snow. The snow will insulate the slush, even with the subzero temps following the snow storm, so have your warm, waterproof boots ready!

Walleye: Very Good – Anglers using medium golden or river shiners scoring on tip-ups in 8-12’ weeds towards dusk. Jigging Raps, Shiver Minnows and Two-Faced spoons (the later tipped with a fathead head) scoring well. Been a good week by most reports as Walleyes have been active and hungry!

Northern Pike: Very Good – Action and nice size! Big baits with lots of action on tip-ups rigged with bladed wire sets to call ‘em in and keep ‘em on. 6-12’ depths.

Yellow Perch: Very Good-Good – Seeing good action from 17-20’ mud flats as Perch taking wigglers and red spikes on Hali spoons or Kastmasters with chained hooks. Some weed Perch also, but not as consistent.

Crappie: Good-Very Good - Resident fish in weeds a tougher bite, but still catchable using plastics and slow dropping on tungsten jigs in 8-12’ cabbage. Traveling basin fish over 25-30’ mud taking tip-down rigs tipped with rosies or small spoons tipped with waxies or white spikes. The coming cold will probably mean putting tip-downs away until weekend (holes freeze fast) but shouldn’t hurt deep Crappie bite.

Bluegill: Good – Action in weedy bays for the most part on 3mm tungsten jigs tipped with waxies or plastics. Hole hopping has been effective, coming cold may limit angler access until things warm up. Depth of 6-10’ with plenty of green.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Medium shiners in the cabbage. Jigging small raps tipped with waxies or minnow heads. Most anglers don’t target Largemouth at this time of year, but they are a fun incidental when fishing for Pike of panfish.

Most ice reports prior to current snow storm (12/28-12/29) coming in at a solid 10” average. Not enough for truck travel on most ice, but plenty for quads, UTV and snowmobiles. Still use some caution as reports of ice only 4-5” still coming in. Expect that slush layer-even with subzero temps. We received about 14” of snow cover. Looks like having a tracked vehicle will help immensely.

All the best to you for 2026!!

Pic of the week

Trevor of Conover with a 28 ½” Walleye!

Harry with a nice Walleye

Alexis Vargas with a 29 ½” Northern Pike!

Jon Loth with a nice Walleye

Ice Fishing Tournaments

January 10^th – 1^st Annual Birchell Family Ice Fishing Contest – Pike Lake (Sponsored by Big Dipper and Nick Janssen)

January 10^th– 75^th Annual Rib Lake Ice Fishing Contest

January 10^th – 18^th Annual NCO - Lake Nokomis

January 17^th– 11^th Annual “Ice Holes of the North” (Sponsored by Team Retreat Musky Club)

January 17^th – Battle on St. Germain Lakes