Minocqua Area Fishing Report - 9/25/23

Good fishing or poor, this is the time to be here in the Northwoods. The colors are getting prettier (never used that word in this report before) every day. Forecast for lows in mid-50’s to highs in mid-70’s will make for a great week to be outdoors.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Nice “green” Bass hitting spinnerbaits and chatterbaits for anglers targeting Pike. Cabbage flats holding best action. Typical plastic tactics using creatures and Wackys picking up fish along edges of weeds.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Nice fish off gravel humps in 14-26’. Ned rigs, drop-shots and tubes. Still some BIG Smallies relating to inside weed edges taking top-water (Whopper Ploppers, etc.).

Musky: Good – With water temps in mid-60’s and forecast as stated above, bucktails and top-water relatively shallow (4-10’) best. This bite will remain until water cools to mid-50’s (turn-over) so keep those blades a turnin’ for now!

Walleye: Good – Action very dependent on daily conditions (Thursdays high skies – Ouch!). But overall fish being caught jigging large fats or 1/2 crawlers on 1/8 – 1/4 oz jigs or #2.5 - #3 Shiver Minnows over gravel humps. Some days, when gravel not producing, scale back to 1/16 oz weedless and hit outside weed edges to find eater Walleyes and Perch mixed.

Northern Pike: Good – Chasing down spinnerbaits, Mepps Aglias #4 or #5’s and chatterbaits over cabbage flats. Clear days pick through the weeds with jig and chub on wire leader.

Yellow Perch: Good – Very nice Perch relating to wood and weed pockets in 5-8’. 1/2 crawler 1st choice, but medium – large fats picking up Perch to 12” this past week.

Bluegill: Good – Nice Gills continue to show up, with measured 8-10” not uncommon. Can’t beat a crawler/bobber combo in 6-10’ where good green cabbage or drowned wood available.

Crappie: Good - Fair – This one really depends on who you talk to. Some decent catches reported, but not to the typical “fall” standard. The bobber/minnow crowd picking up some success, but other anglers fan casting small spinners, beetle spins finding fish suspended 5-8’ down over 20-25’ outside weed edges. Start up (where fish are typically active) and work down until you find biters!

Except for some early week rain, looks like a great week of consistent weather. Great time to enjoy the Northwoods.