Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 3/10/26

Ice still holding on here in the North.  Despite some warm temps melting down the top layer, most lakes still holding on to 18-24”.  The top 6” or so is punky.  Melt has worked its way down, causing the top third of the ice to be white and porous.  Below ice looks good.  Lots of water on the top layer, but that should seep through and firm up with some coming cold (single digit) nights.

Yellow Perch:  Very Good – Be mobile or patient!  Schools roaming in 15-30’.  Tungsten or slender fast dropping jigs/spoons so you’re ready when they move through.  Get down quickly to try to keep their attention.  Bug Bites, Halis, Rattlin Kastmasters tipped with wigglers or red spikes.  Good time to use tip-downs to spread out your baits, using small fats, rosies or lake shiners.  Try a second hole next to your tip-down hole so you can score an extra fish or two on a jig pole once you find ‘em.

Crappie:  Very Good-Good – Tip down time both in weeds of 8-12’ and over basins of 14-24’.  Some real dandies (Check out your Briar’s 15 1/4” Super Slab in photos).  Minnows tops on the tip-downs.  Also slow dropping plastics on light jigs and spoons.  We’ve had some sunny days, so evening have been a bit better when sun is at a lower angle.

Bluegill:  Very Good-Good – Nice Gills in 6-10’ cabbage on dark jigs tipped with waxies or blue spikes (in our mixed spikes).  Plastics in motor oil, black, purple, red or blue also working.

We were spared the rain last weekend that put a hurt on the ice from Wausau on south.  Accesses good and ice still drivable with trucks for now, but getting close.  Even with 24” on some lakes, keep in mind its not all black ice so doesn’t have the consistency or strength.  So start being cautious.

Picture of the Week

Briar Schneider (5 years old) with a 15 ¼” Crappie caught on a tip down in the early afternoon

Henry Pluister (8 years old) says the Crappies are biting in 26’ of water on minnows.