Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 2/26/24
Just one week left to the inland gamefish season here in the Northwoods. Lines out of the water at 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 3rd!
Thanks to a couple more single digit mornings last week, we may have some of the best ice we’ve had all season, reports and personal measurements are ranging from 10-15” with 11-13” the most common. Even had a report of 11” on South Trout! Last week at bat for gamefish so we will start there…
Walleye: Fair-Good – Tough with high pressure, but evenings picked up by Sunday night (2/25). Jigging Raps, Tikka Minnows and Slab Raps produced fish in the upper teen to mid-20” range. Tip-ups with suckers seemed best after dark. Most reports from off shore humps and sand bars, though weed edges in 9-14’ also picking up evening traffic.
Northern Pike: Fair-Good – Following a slow down of action, Pike activity also improved as of 2/25. Big baits to deter smaller Bass and Pike preferred. Pike suckers and large shiners. Mornings still slower (could be single digit temps) but improve as things warm.
Largemouth Bass: Fair – Action best on warmer days. Medium shiners on tip-ups, but a #3 pimple loaded with waxies will also work. Anglers using tip-downs with small minnows also reporting catching Bass – try small golden shiners if Bass are your target on tip-downs.
Bluegill: Fair-Good – Like everything else, action came late in the weekend. Anglers reported hardest part keeping lines in the water. Nice Gills (7 ½+”) in weeds of 5-9’. Others finding Gills over basins of smaller lakes (less than 500 acres) using tungsten to get (and keep) waxies, spikes or mousses down to the fish.
Yellow Perch: Fair – Most reports from anglers fishing weeds of 5-12’ for other panfish scoring on nice “eaters” of
8– 9 ½” on jigs with waxies or deadsticks and minnows. Get just outside of the weeds into mud and lots of little ones. Deeper mud flats (20-30’) providing some nice fish on spoons with wigglers.
Crappie: Fair – Best over basins of 22-34’. Be patient as schools seem to be on the move. Small, flashy lures to attract – Tikka Flash, Jointed Pin Heads and small Kastmasters, then a more subtle approach at times to trigger shy fish.
A few Burbot being caught by night time Walleye anglers. Not much on Whitefish. Nothing on Bullheads.
Forecast: I had down 58 hours of temps above freezing and 72 hours below through Saturday. Aboves in 50’s at times, lows in single digits (one 17-hour stretch) bracketed by temps in teens mid-week to firm things up. Dare I say ice should hold through the weekend, but if we don’t get more cold snaps in March, it may not last long.
Upcoming Events
Mar 2nd – KISS Annual High School Ice Fishing Tournament – Lake Minocqua
Comments