Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 7/8/25

July bringing some normalcy to the Lakeland area.  Weather in 70’s to low 80’s (Not the 90’s we aren’t used to).  Most (but not all) mayfly hatches are over.  Conditions looking very “summery”!  Despite some high pressure and full moon period this week, conditions overall not bad.

Largemouth Bass:  Very Good – Great top-water action with a strong resurgence on Jitterbugs!  Whopper Ploppers, Hula Poppers, Chug Bugs, Frogs, Spikers all coming “into season”!  Mid day work plastic craws in heavy cabbage beds of 7-12’.  Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and pre-rigged plastic worms also good choices during mid-day also.

Bluegill:  Very Good – Gathering in tall cabbage taking small spinners, beetle spins, 1” twister tails or small leeches.  Evening on top-water using dry flys or poppers.  Nice action and size.

Smallmouth Bass:  Very Good-Good – Mornings and evenings on top-water (Whopper Ploppers) mid-morning through afternoons Ned rigs and tube jigs along deep weed edge and showing up on rocks in 14-20’ of water.

Northern Pike:  Good-Very Good – Actively taking #3:#4 Mepps, chatterbaits and Boonie Baits (spinnerbaits).  Chubs or suckers under floats in cabbage pockets or worked with a wire leadered weedless jig also effective.  Nice #’s and size this past week.

Yellow Perch:  Good-Very Good – Cabbage flats of 6-10’.  Medium leeches or fatheads.  ½ crawlers good, but small Gills likely to worry bait off your hook before getting down to Perch.

Musky:  Good – Keep in mind, when water temps crest 78 degrees, fighting a musky is hard on these fish.  Best to find cooler water or fish cooler times of day.  Bucktails have proven best as has top-water action on Fat Bastards, Dr. Evils (calmer mornings) and Whopper Ploppers.

Crappie:  Good-Fair – Setting up in taller narrow leaf cabbage on small beetle spins, 2” twister tails and similar plastics.  Flowage Crappies in wood of 12-16’ on plastics and small minnows.

Walleye:  Fair-Improving – Deep cabbage and coontail edges dropping to sandgrass using jigs or slip-bobbers to deliver large to Xtra large leeches tops.  Redtails work, but tough to keep alive as bucket water and lake water many times almost 30 degree difference (48-78 degree +).  Crawlers on spinner rigs also picking up Walleyes on slow trolled bottom bouncer rigs.

With lake surface temps cracking 80 degrees by the 4^th, mid-day fishing got tough…plus hard on fish.  Cooler mornings past couple days pushed temps to 75 degree average, still warm, but a bit easier.  With crazy spring weather, mayfly (hexagenia) hatches unpredictable.  Check surfaces for skins and locator for clouds half way up in water column.  Thought most would be done, but got caught by surprise last week on the tail end of one.

Pics of the Week

Hunter (12 years old) with a 19” Smallmouth on a Whopper Plopper and also an 18 ½” Largemouth on a Jitterbug as his buddy Nathan looks on

Eric Heiting with a 32” Northern Pike (C&R)

Shae (12 years old) with a 26 ½” Northern Pike