Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 7/9/24

Into the summer we go!  Warmer temps, but still too much rain, has water temps in low 70’s and many species setting up into summer patterns.

Largemouth Bass:  Very Good – Setting up in heavy cabbage of 8-12’.  Using Wacky Worms, Ned rigs and Jig/Sweet Beavers.  Top-water action on Whopper Ploppers, Jitter Bugs and Lunkerhunt Spiders hot!  Fly rodders using large poppers also scoring.

Crappie:  Good – Setting up at tops of narrow leaf cabbage taking small jig spinner combos, 2” plastics on 1/32-1/16 oz jigs and tiny hair jigs (Gapen Freshwater Shrimp).  Fish the top 2’ of the 8-12’ cabbage.

Bluegill:  Good – Action on small leeches, worms or Mini-Mites under small floats in 6-9’ of broad leaf cabbage.  Poppers or dry flys on top towards evenings.

Smallmouth Bass:  Good – Drop-shotting and Ned rigging coontail edges of 14-18’.  Some rock/gravel humps starting to produce.  Twitching #8 or #10 X-Raps and Husky Jerks in minnow patterns also working on Smallies targeting schools of surface feeding bait fish (works on Largemouth also).

Walleye:  Good – Best outside weeds edges of 14-20’ where sandgrass can be found.  Large to XL leeches, full crawlers under slip-floats or worked on 1/8 oz jigs.  Reports of anglers finding Walleye on rock humps of 22-30’ using redtails or crawlers on 1/8-1/4 oz jigs.  Drop-shotting live bait also a good way to present bait.

Northern Pike:  Good – Mepps spinners, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits over weeds of 6-10’.  If slow, work back over using chubs or suckers on weedless jig with weed guard.

Yellow Perch:  Good – Not many reports, not many trying.  Still nice eaters in heavy cabbage taking ½ crawlers or beavertails in 6-10’.

Musky:  Fair-Good – Timing, as always, important!  Overcast days, warm evenings and early mornings for best action.  Top-water coming into play more over weeds with Fat Bastards and Whopper Ploppers working well.  #8 bladed bucktails, especially twin blades, also moving fish.

Lots of traffic on the water through last Saturday (7/6) of the holiday week.  Still dealing with passing rain/storms.  Lakes settling down and water temps slowly rising (70-72 degrees avg.).  With forecast climbing into 80’s for the weekend, expect both Bass species, as well as Musky action to pick up.