Minocqua Area Fishing Report

In case anyone needed a reminder of what winter can be like…in March!  Blizzard conditions Sunday and Monday (3/15 & 3/16) completely shut fishing (and nearly all other) activity down.  While we didn’t get the 30”+ like the did from Wausau east, the 12-14” on top of the 8-9” on Friday (3/13) was enough.  Fishing reports from the break on Saturday (3/14) were few, but encouraging.

Yellow Perch:  Good-Bad (Bad being shut down) – Schools or more like small “pods” of Perch in numbers of 4-6 fish roaming quickly over mud flats of 17-28’.  Wigglers best on fast dropping tungsten spoons as the pods don’t linger in one area for long.  Nice eaters of 8 1/2-10” with enough to 12”ers now and then to keep things interesting.

Crappie:  Good-Bad – Saturday’s fishing was good until low pressure system pushed suspended Crappies to bottom and just shut bite off completely.  Prior to that (and hopefully coming back around) tip-downs were catching actively moving Crappies on minnows.  Weed related Crappies in 8-12’ taking plastics slow dropped.

Bluegill:  Good-Bad – Suspended Gills taking #4 Tungsten jigs tipped with waxies or spikes over 17-24’.  Many times beating the Crappies that are suspended below them to the bait.  Weeds of 7-12’ holding Gills taking grubs or dark plastics on #3 Tungsten jigs.

As of this writing weather still cold (-1 at open), tough little wind.  Ice thickness measured Thursday (3/12) ranged from 18-24” after warm up last week.  Friday’s (3/13) snow ran about 8-9” of wet snow.  The Sunday/Monday snow was light and blew right off the lakes into my parking lot (seemed like).  Expect to find 14-18” of snow on lakes, though temps in 40’s this Wednesday through Saturday should push snow down and make travel better each day.  Shorelines still good, but as snow melts, need to watch for ice recessing from shores.

Pictures of the Week

Gunner (5 yrs old) of Minocqua with a SLAB Crappie – 13 ½”

Gavin (7 yrs old) of Minocqua with a HUGE Crappie – 13 ¾”

Devann Gumieny and Bailey of Arbor Vitae with a pair of Jumbo Perch

Samatha Gillich of Arbor Vitae with a SLAB Crappie

Samantha Gillich with a rare winter Smallmouth