Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 8/2/22

A few cool mornings to end July (low to mid 40’s), put the brakes on some of the fishing this past week. Yet once mid-mornings warmed, the action returned and overall, it was a good week of fishing.

Smallmouth Bass: Very Good – Still at the top of our list and for good reason. Lots of action this past week with lots of big fish to boot. Reports of anglers with PB of 19-21” including a first timers 22” beast! Narrow leaf cabbage and coontail edges of 10-14’. Tube jigs, Wacky Worms, drop-shotting and Ned Rigs using TRD’s and Crawz all working. Live baiting with crawlers and leeches also effective. Forecasted heat this week should help even more.

Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Prodding weeds with heavy jigs and Sweet Beavers, Ned Rigs and Wacky Worms all good. Great top-water bite on calmer evenings on Frogs, Buzz Baits, Whopper Ploppers and Jitter Bugs. Swim jigs with 3” paddle tails on inside weed lines in early AM for “Curisers”!

Bluegill: Very Good – Besides the typical “dock” variety, off shore schools suspending off deep weeds providing best catches for anglers suspending leeches, worms or Mini-Mite jigs tipped with waxies.

Yellow Perch: Good – Best to drift Lindy Rigs with floating crawler harnesses over sand grass in 14-18’. Anchor up and set out some slip-bobbers to suspend ½ crawlers 9-12” off bottom. Some nice eaters found fishing shallow tobacco cabbage weeds in 5-8’ also.

Musky: Fair-Good – Cooler mornings with clouds have been good. Clear and cold not so much. Working outside wild rice edges using large spinner baits and Colorado bladed bucktails best. Gliders with “tails” worked rather quickly also producing (Smity Jerk).

Crappie: Fair-Good – While some very good fish have been caught the past couple weeks (True slabs to 15 ½”+) the bite has slowed a bit, could be cold mornings. Afternoons best over deep cabbage using small jigs (Gapen Fresh Water Shrimp, Mini-Mites).

Walleye: Fair – Varied reports, one day good in weeds of 12-16’ using crawlers; next day out on gravel humps jigging leeches. Found some in shallow cabbage of 5-8’ for a very short time one afternoon. Windows of activity seem to be small.

Northern Pike: Fair – Personally forgot what they look like! Best reports from anglers using chubs and suckers in 8-12’ weeds.

Warmer nights through the weekend should help us early risers. Lakes seem a bit less busy (outside of the Minocqua and Manitowish Chains). As we found out Sunday, don’t give up till you’ve tried all situations – you may be surprised where you find them.

Mark your Calendars

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