From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 01-06-25:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Welcome to 2025!!!
A new year and positive outlook for ice anglers. Following the warm up and rain that took the snow off the ice on the lakes, bitter cold has moved in to build our ice base unimpeded. A couple light dustings of snow have all but blown off with the recent winds. Creepers are a MUST!! Our local emergency room reportedly had 90 cases of people falling and being hurt in one day! Be very CAUTIOUS!!
Fishing took a bit of a dip from the previous weekend, but not surprisingly. Last weekend was a new moon period PLUS very warm (averages above 35 degrees). Cold (sub-zero) plus wind (really sub-zero) has thinned out the ice crowd for the time being.
Crappie: Very Good-Good – Best over basins of 18-23’. Roaming schools taking waxies on Rattlin Kastmasters, Tikka Flash. Minnows on tip-downs (tough in single digit weather). Lots of catches reporting 9-11” eaters with slabs to 14 ½”. Some Crappies in weeds mixed with Gills, but these fish seemed to be reluctant to bite. Best on tiny jigs (#12-#10) tipped with pink/bubble gum plastics.
Bluegill: Very Good-Good – Deeper weeds of 8-12’. Waxies or plastics (red, purple, browns best) on #3 & #4 tungsten jigs. Subtle colors best when they need “convincing”. Some Gills being found suspended out away from weeds in 14-20’ taking wigglers and spikes fished 3-5’ off bottom.
Walleye: Good-Fair – Action slowed and reports of light biters picking up tip-up bait, moving a bit then dropping, sign that smaller bait such as small shiners, smaller sucker or large fatheads on #12 trebles would be better set-up. Despite that, still some very nice Walleyes being caught, many in the slot to be released (20-26”). Cold snap may have had a lot to do with recent reluctance.
Northern Pike: Good-Fair – A little slower and deeper. Still nice Pike in the low to mid 30” range. Suckers and shiners as per usual along deep weed edges of 10-14’.
Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Getting a few more reports of Perch working mud flats adjacent to weeds taking wigglers on Hali jigs and #2 Swedish Pimples. Also, some action in 5-8’ weeds on medium fatheads or a couple waxies on Northland Forage Minnows.
Largemouth Bass: Fair – Action slowed as temps dropped. Still a few anglers catching Bass on jigs tipped with waxies meant for Gills or Perch in weedy flats.
Whitefish: Not a lot of reports. But the few anglers catching Whitefish on #5-#6 Swedish Pimples tipped with waxies or a minnow head.
With ice thickness reports of 10-13” and building (the lakes are “BOOMING”), this coming weekend should provide even better access. Snowmobiles, ATV’s and UTV’s are fine, should have safe truck travel once lakes reach 14-15” of ice. Little snow in the forecast and mild temps in the mid 20’s for the weekend.
Ice Fishing Tournaments
January 11th – 17th Annual NCO Club & AMVETS Post 724 – Lake Nokomis
January 11th – 31st year – Rainbow Ice Jamboree – Rainbow Flowage
January 18th – Kurt’s Minocqua Madness – WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain
January 18th – 10th Annual Iceholes of the North – Sponsored by Team Retreat Musky Club – Various lakes
March 1st – KISS – WIFA Highschool – Minocqua Chain
Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
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Minocqua, WI 54548
Mark