Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 12/9/25
- Kurt Justice
- Dec 9, 2025
- 2 min read
OK, It’s getting started!!
Not all lakes yet! Trout, Fence and parts of similar large, deep lakes still not iced. Yet enough 3-6” of good walkable ice to allow foot traffic on many of the popular, easy access ice season favorites.
Walleye: Very Good – Shallow weeds of 4-8’, especially after dark, using medium shiners in standing cabbage. Fish of the short week – 27 ½” caught and released by Even of Newbold, caught during the middle of the day!
Bluegill: Very Good – Shallow weedy bays holding good Gills and Pumpkinseeds. Small Bull fly jigs tipped with spikes or waxies doing the trick. Nice panfish to 9”+!
Crappie: Good-Very Good – Seems like it has to be the right day. High barometer, slow bite. Low pressure or low light times are seeing better action.
Yellow Perch: Good – Up in the shallow 5-8’ weeds on medium fatheads or chock full of waxies.
Northern Pike: Good – Large sucker minnows (4-6”+) producing well in heavy cabbage of 5-8’.
Most anglers playing it safe using their chisels to check ice. Watch for snow humps (drifts) these areas insulate the ice, not letting it form as well. If you see a rise (drift) walk around it. Looks like some more snow, though hopefully light enough to blow off. Continued cold (sub-zero’s some nights) should just keep making ice safer as we look ahead.
Pics of the week
Evan of Newbold with an early ice Walleye (27 ½”), caught & released
Flashback to open water…Edward Blotnicki’s grandson Joseph couldn’t wait to try out his new Whopper Plopper this fall and had swift success with a 14” Largemouth and a nice Rock Bass just a few minutes later. He is looking forward to next season to keep working the Whopper Plopper.
Upcoming Events
Headwaters Chapter of Walleyes for Tomorrow Meat, Gun & Rod/Reel raffle, this Saturday, December 13th from 4–7 PM @ Meggies in Manitowish Waters. Help support our Portable Walleye Hatcheries!
Ice Fishing Tournaments
January 10th – 1st Annual Birchell Family Ice Fishing Contest – Pike Lake (Sponsored by Big Dipper and Nick Janssen)
January 10th – 75th Annual Rib Lake Ice Fishing Contest
January 10th – 18th Annual NCO - Lake Nokomis
January 17th – 11th Annual “Ice Holes of the North” (Sponsored by Team Retreat Musky Club)
January 17th – Battle on St. Germain Lakes
