Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 3/11/25

The 10” of snow that was part of the storm last Wednesday (3/5) has now been reduced to near nothing due to the recent warm snap!  Water and slush remain on the ice, 3-4” at most.  Ice thickness has held up (17-30”) so far, but without that padding of snow to protect it from sun and warm winds, we will expect to lose ice from this point forward.

Crappie:  Excellent – Anglers experiencing some of the best action of the season as melting snow running down the holes brings oxygen and energizes life below the ice.  Basin bites are still going strong, with anglers preferring Jointed Pin Heads, Tikka Flashes and Rattlin Kastmasters tipped with waxies or spikes.  With the warmth and the Crappies feeding like they are, tip-downs and Jaw Jackers are scoring, fished with Crappie minnows or rosie reds.

In conjunction with the melt, shallower water action has heated up!  Fishing plastics by slow dropping jigs amongst narrow leaf cabbage in 8-12’ as well as tip-downs in the same areas have been working very well.  A few reports of anglers catching Crappies right under the ice in lakes with shallower weeds of 4-8’

Bluegill:  Very Good – Gills working weeds, sometimes just under the ice like the Crappies.  Slow dropping 2.5-3mm tungsten jigs on windy days or old-style lead tear drop jigs to lower dark plastics, live waxies, spikes or butter worms providing great action. 

Yellow Perch:  Good-Very Good – Tip-downs with medium fatheads or Northland Rattling Spoons loaded with waxies or spikes over mud flats of 14-20’.  Some nice Perch to 13 ½” this past weekend using the tip-downs.  Anglers also reporting nice Perch mixed in with lots of smaller Perch in 6-10’ weeds.

The effects of the sun, wind and forecasted rain (possible 3/15) will definitely take its toll on the uncovered lake ice.  We should be good for this coming weekend.  The following week (16th-20th) temps drop and ice melt will slow (highs in 30’s, lows in 20’s) that should give us one last weekend of safe fishable ice through the 23rd.  But Mother Nature will have the final say.

Stop by the shop for lots of end of season discounts, while supplies last

Rods, tackle, augers, shacks, clothing…

All boots are 25% off with the exception of LaCrosse (Ice Kings, Cold Snaps and Hunt Pac only – 50% off)