Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 8/14/23

Starting to show some signs of a mid-August cool off. Water temps dropped into the low 70’s and certain weeds are just starting to fade. Patterns seem to be holding with some day-to-day changes relating to cooler nights and wind directions. Overall, should not be seeing much of a change with a warm spell on the way for the weekend, into next week.

Smallmouth Bass: Very Good-Good – Drop-shotting craw and 3” minnow imitations along coontail edges of 14-18’, as well as rock/gravel humps in 18-26’ producing well for Smallies in the 15-20” range.

Largemouth Bass: Very Good-Good – Heavy cabbage in 8-12’ during the day using Wacky Worms has been outstanding. Top-water action has slowed with cool mornings, still good in evenings. Warm up this weekend will improve top-water bite.

Bluegill: Very Good-Good – Work weed tops in 6-12’ with small tubes, Mini-Mites or switch to small leeches. Nice Gills of 7 1/2 – 9”+ this past week.

Yellow Perch: Good – Bite cooled off with drop in surface temp, but still good in heavy cabbage for nice 8-10”+ Perch or 1/2 crawlers/beavertails.

Musky: Good-Fair – Bucktail action best mornings and evenings, along with top-water. Cooler mornings slower, try twitchbaits or slower moving swimbaits.

Crappie: Fair – Finding fish hardest part. Work tall narrow leaf cabbage with small spinners or twister tails to locate fish. Work back with live minnows to entice reluctant fish.

Walleye: Good-Fair – Slight drop in water temp, changing wind brought building good bite to a halt mid-week. Best reports have been anglers using Shiver Minnows in depth of 22-30’ of soft mud along hard bottom breaks. Crawlers on spinner rigs drifted/trolled along same deep mud.

Northern Pike: Fair-Poor – “In the summer, Pike lose their teeth and don’t bite”! Old (fishermen’s) wife’s tale I’m starting to believe! Few reports.

The early part of this week has seen a continuation of late last week’s cool down. Bass seem to be OK with it, but other species off. Heat by weekend (temps to hit high 80’s to 90’s+) should improve some bites for most game fish. Rain this week is needed, low levels on most lakes and the Flowages.