Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 9/18/23

Mid-September, early fall and so far, very typical of early fall. Lows in the 40’s highs upper 60’s to low 70’s. Surface water temps had dropped quickly last week from low 70’s to low 60’s, but have settled now into averages of 61-65 degrees.

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – While most anglers reporting Smallies over rock/gravel bars in 20-30’ on drop-shot rigs, tubes, coontail edges with sandgrass lawns in 16-20’ also holding cruising Smallies. Some reports of very shallow, 3-8’, Smallies hitting X-Raps and Husky Jerks on overcast days.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Nice fish in heavy cabbage taking chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and shallow cranks.

Bluegill: Good – Large Gills this week (to 10” measured) taking 1/2 crawlers, small minnows and Mini-Mites in 7-10’ cabbage and drowned wood. Not summer numbers, but fewer and larger average.

Musky: Good – While mostly action on bucktails and top-water, some reports of gliders and jerks like Suicks and Smity Jerks with tails. Shallow water, 3-8’, for most action. Not a lot on suckers yet, water temps averaging 65 degrees, so that bite best once water cools a bit more.

Yellow Perch: Good – Nice Perch on medium fats or 1/2 crawlers on 1/16 oz weedless jigs around cribs and drowned wood.

Northern Pike: Good – Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and 4-5” swimbaits over 6-10’ weed beds producing nice Pike as they start to “fatten” up. Jig and chub/sucker combos also effective.

Walleye: Good-Fair – Frustratingly spotty at times. Fishing gravel/rock humps or 18-30’ using Shiver Minnows (2.5-3) and Jigging Raps (#7-#9) great way to pick up active fish. Work areas back with 1/8-1/4 oz jigs tipped with large fats, medium chubs or crawlers to pick up light biters.

Crappie: Fair – Surprisingly missing from most reports. Anglers targeting suspended Crappies finding fish drifting slip-bobbers with medium fats and trolling small cranks. Others targeting fish relating to drowned wood in 8-15’ reporting small jigs with 1-2” twister tails on soft minnow baits picking up fish.

This coming week’s forecast shows lows in low to mid-40’s but temps into mid-70’s for highs. Water temps probably won’t move much this week so I don’t expect a lot of change in fishing activity.