Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Following two weeks of brutally cold weather, anglers are gearing back up to head onto the ice. With only two weekends left of the inland gamefish season, its nice to see some good weather and great ice to get out on!

Northern Pike: Good-Very Good – Warm up has helped get tip-up anglers going, holes not freezing up so fast (not to mention fish pulled from the ice). Mid mornings to late afternoons on the big baits (shiners, suckers, frozen smelt). Reports of some nice, heavy fish caught this past weekend to 34”.

Walleye: Good – As more anglers getting out, more reports. Fishing off shore humps using suckers (supplies of this bait getting low), river shiners or medium goldens. Large rosies and large fatheads using #12 trebles also good. Upswing in action as anglers using jigging Raps, Shiver Minnows, Hyper Rattles and Tikka Minos reporting better action. Working the 17-28’ depths seem best.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Jigging spoons tipped with minnow heads in 7-12’ depths. Tip-ups with medium shiners.

Bluegills: Good – Action has improved as weather turned and anglers moving about. Wind of late cause for use of tungsten jigs to hold baits (mousses, waxies, beaver tail) in place.

Crappies: Good – Best over deep mud flats. Fish suspended 3-5’ off bottom taking waxies, small minnows on glowing jigs, spoons. Best action occurring 2 hours prior to and 1 hour after dusk.

Yellow Perch: Good – Mud flats of 22-34’. Hali jigs, Clam Pinhead and Kastmaster chained spoons with wigglers (very tough to find) or red spikes best.

Anglers targeting Ciscos and Whitefish having some success on pimples tipped with waxies.

Temps in the 20’s – low 30’s this week will allow for comfort. Ice of 20-34” great for travel. Some slush, but not enough to slow down travel on most lakes.