Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 7/18/23

The cool/hot weather pattern for the summer of 2023 continues. This week…cool. Air temps at night in low 50’s has cooled lake surface temps into low 70’s to upper 60’s. Fishing somewhat affected, but not overly.

Largemouth Bass: Very Good-Good – A bit of a drop in action, smaller Bass on average, less willing to commit (like most males)! Smaller Wacky Worms (4”:3”), as well as a simple crawler or leech below a slip-float. Cool mornings tough, but evenings better for top-water action on plastic frogs and spiders in calm shadows.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Off-shore gravel/rock humps topping at 14-22’. Ned rigs, drop-shotting and football jigs with plastic creatures or craws. Also finding Smallies along outside weed lines of coontail in 14-18’ taking big leeches.

Bluegill: Good – Active in 8-10’ weeds. Typical worm/small leeches. Tiny jigs tipped with waxies also productive!

Yellow Perch: Good – Better mid-morning on. as water warms a bit. Finding nice Perch of 8-11” in cabbage of 8-12’. Beavertail (small night crawler) under slip-floats best. Medium fats also working.

Northern Pike: Good – Working chubs or suckers on jigs with wire leaders through dense weeds on cool mornings. As temps rise, casting spinnerbaits and chatterbaits over same weed tops best.

Musky: Good-Fair – Bucktails over cabbage beds mid-morning on. Top-water towards dusk.

Crappies: Fair – Scattered through tall curly leaf cabbage in 10-14’. Tiny twister tails, Charlie Bees and Crappie Thumpers working to locate. Finish up with small minnows fished at weed top level.

Walleye: Fair – Night time trollers on deep clear lakes using deep diving (14-20’) cranks. Lighted slip-floats over gravel humps baited with crawlers or leeches. Redtails along weed edges of 10-14’ in the early AM.

The “cool” has slowed some early morning action, but the overall bite is not bad. If fishing early, slow down size bait/lure to induce bites.