Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 3/7/22

The inland gamefish season closed with little fan fare once again.

Very icy conditions made travel dangerous, so few anglers traveled much less got out on the ice. Those that did had some success, but participation was low.

Crappie: Good - Nice fish up to 15” this weekend with anglers finding suspended Crappies anywhere from 16-28’ taking minnows on tip-downs and waxies on jointed pin minnows (CLAM) or tungsten Kastmasters (ACME). In cabbage of 8-12’ working vinglas and pimples 1-2’ off bottom working for those fish in shallow. Bulk of the action deeper though.

Bluegill: Good – Mostly working cabbage of 8-12’. 3mm tungsten jigs in dark colors (black, purple, red) tipped with mousses or waxies. Plastics in similar dark colors with red and brown (motor oil) best. Nice Gills in 7 ½ - 8 ½” range. Best morning until noonish, then again hour before dark.

Yellow Perch: Good – Mud flats of 18-30’ using Halis, small PK tungsten spoons and Kasmasters to get wigglers, red spikes down to mud bottoms. Pound lure into mud, then raise 1-1 ½ ’, shake then hold still. Aggressive fish will rise 4-6’ to chase down (up) bait. Some weed Perch taking minnows or Northland Fry jigs loaded with waxies.

Some nicer Pike were caught on this past final weekend of the gamefish season. Fish to 35”, few Bass and even fewer Walleye it seemed.

Shout out to the Wausaukee High School Ice Fishing Team who, despite bad weather, competed and took first (and second) place in the KISS Tournament this weekend.

Conditions on the ice are not good for travel. With added sleet/rain over weekend, slush conditions worsening. Use tracked vehicles (snowmobile, ATV’s) for any distance travel. Stick to packed down areas for limited truck travel. Shorter distance walking using packed trails also advised. Temps from 0 degrees to mostly upper teens/low 20’s until Sunday mean little for improving conditions.