Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 4/18/22

A month ago, never believed we’d be worried about ice out for the opener, but here we are 20 days prior with 24-26” of ice to go! Past week did not help with night time temps in upper teens and few daylight hours of temps enough to melt the NEW snows we’ve been getting. Cold winds and iffy access kept anglers off the ice most days this past week. Despite having over two feet of ice on the lakes, its getting to the safe ice that can be a limiting factor.

Crappie: Very Good – Working 7-9’ weed edges with tip-downs tipped with small rosies or Crappie minnows made for quick action despite the wind Saturday. Slow dropping jigs with plastics or waxies also effective (just difficult with the high winds). Lots of 10-11” fish reported, plus enough “slabs” (12-14”) to make things interesting!

Bluegill: Very Good – Tough conditions due to wind most of the week. But when possible, #3 tungsten jigs tipped with waxies 1-2’ off bottom in 7-9’ of water. While Crappies were found higher up (2-4’ down) the Gills seemed to prefer hanging just below.

Yellow Perch: Good – Not as many reports, but nice Perch moving up to weed edges as their time to spawn will be quick once (if) ice goes!

With almost no sub-freezing temps forecasted for this week, highs from upper 30’s to upper 60’s by Saturday and rain four of the next eight days, we could be looking at the last week of ice fishing, mostly due to shoreline ice lost, but I’ll believe it when I see it!