Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 9/29/25

Might be one of my least favorite Septembers!  Weather swings with heat (too much), cold (not enough) wind and rain!  Water levels higher than normal, but the kicker is surface temps, still hovering in the mid- 60’s.  Don’t see much for change this week, though the start of the next (10/5) looks promising (but weather promises are made to be broken!).  Had some personal lows on the water this week, though salvaged Sunday afternoon after much searching and some much-needed wind.

Musky:  Fair-Good – Most reports from anglers casting (swimbaits, tubes, bucktails and top-water).  Not much on suckers as of yet from reports I’ve received.  Warm surface temps still have Skis shallow.  Keep baits riding high over weeds of 4-10’.

Crappie:  Fair-Good – Catches improved with surface temps coming out of 70’s from last week into mid-60’s.  Should only improve as Crappies school up.  Plastics, minnows and even ½ crawlers twitched on jigs in 12-16’ over wood or along deep weed edges.

Smallmouth Bass:  Fair-Good – Best reports from anglers working deep water for suspending Smallies on twitchbaits (X-Raps, Husky Jerks).  Bite windows small but good.  High pressure seems to have “lifted” this fish up-chasing schools of mimic minnows and small Perch.

Largemouth Bass:  Fair-Good – While numbers were down some dandies were caught.  Tops a 23”er by Steve Jung of Arlington Heights on a Whopper Plopper.  Decent weed and dock bites on Wacky Worms.

Yellow Perch:  Fair-Good – Mud flats of 14-18’ using ½ crawlers on floating jig heads.  Drift or slow troll to cover flats ‘til schools found.

Walleye: Fair – Started picking up last week, but warmth seemed to shut down some.  Redtails, crawlers and jigging Shiver Minnows or Jigging Rapalas picking up fish on gravel reefs of 20-34’.

Northern Pike:  Fair – Cool snap would help.  Some action on jig/chub combos and 4” swimbaits in shallows of 4-9’.

Bluegill:  Fair – While still some dandies being caught (10+”) on ½ crawlers and jigs, not a lot of angers targeting Gills.  Cribs and drowned wood in 12-18’ for larger Gills and Pumpkinseeds!

One way to look at another warm September is that it should push the typical bite for this month into October.  Seems as if lately our Octobers and early Novembers are warmer than usual.  Extends the season for those who just can’t put the boats away.

Picture of the week

Briar Schneider (5) from Oshkosh WI got a 26" walleye from an area lake Friday morning