Minocqua Area Report – 2017

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 7-05-17:

After another week of cold and at times rainy weather we’re finally getting some sun and warmth. Following an end to June that felt like October, afternoon highs in the upper 70’s to low 80’s are starting to draw water temps up to closer to summer time norms.

Largemouth Bass: Poor-Good – Cold clear mornings put a clamp on even this species. Action just starting to pick back up. Live bait in the form of mud minnows or large leeches were necessary to squeeze out some action. Small 1/8 oz jigs tipped with 4” worms, smaller creature baits and the ever popular Wacky Worming best. Pre-rigged plastic worms and a return to some top-water evening action on smaller plastic frogs also good.

Bluegill: Fair-Good – Warming temps motivating bites. Thunderbugs, small leeches, leaf worms. Poppers on these lately warm evenings. Small jigs, (Mini mites) and wet flys also working well.

Northern Pike: Fair-Good – While typical jig and chub/sucker fair working well, Pike not as adverse to the cool weather. Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits (Boonies, Booyah) and swimbaits in the 3 ½ – 5” sizes working well. Daredevils and Johnson Silver Minnows with a 3-4” plastic twister trailer also effective.

Musky: Poor-Good – Finally some Musky action working up with some top-water action (Whopper Ploppers, PaceMakers) and some bucktail and swimbaits (Savage Gears Burbot) scoring fish. A 52” giant was boated over the weekend.

Yellow Perch: Fair-Good – If not along drowned wood feeding on small crayfish (1/2 crawlers, medium leeches or frozen soft shells working here) try broadleaf cabbage beds in 6-8’ using small minnows.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair – Warming water temps should get these fish moving. Best in late mornings to late afternoons patrolling outside coontail edges in 12-16’. Use twitch baits in small #6 or #8 sizes in silver, white patterns to mimic schooling mimic shiners (makes sense).

Walleye: Poor-Fair – Bug hatches just don’t seem to stop on some lakes. Trollers doing best on suspended Walleyes 7-14’ down working clouds of emerging Hexigenia. If this continuing food source ever quits it will help the jig anglers and lure casters.

Crappie: Poor-Fair – Some scattered/incidental fish being caught. Crappies seem to be finicky with unsettled weather. This should improve as stable warm weather raises water temps.

It was a rough June fishing wise. First couple of days in July no great shakes, but outlook is promising with forecast of temps in 70’s to low 80’s.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 7-10-17:

While the rain still arrives from time to time, at least temperatures have warmed up enough to get us back closer to normal.

Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good – Warmer temps bringing back some good top-water action. Lipless crankbaits over weed tops scoring well. Jig and creature baits during the clear days. Fishing plastic worms, either Texas Rigged or Wacky Style, won’t disappoint.

Bluegill: Fair-Good – Improving as weather warms. Evening producing nice action on poppers. Wet flys, Mini Mite jigs and tiny jigs tipped with Gulp Alive or small leeches also good choice.

Yellow Perch: Fair-Good – These fish love to eat crayfish. While illegal to have live crayfish on board, frozen/dead softshells (when available) hard to beat. When not, a ½ crawler on a jig will do nicely.

Northern Pike: Fair-Good – Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, 4-5” Swimbaits and 4-5” Stickbaits all producing. Pike holding in 6-10’ cabbage flats.

Musky: Fair-Good – Improving as water warms. Top-water action picking up with tail baits (Pace Makers, Whopper Ploppers and Tally Wackers) doing their thing. Swimbaits, as well as bucktails, also effective.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair-Good – Early morning cast X-Raps, Husky Jerks along inside weed lines for cruisers. Later, drop shot craw imitations along coontail edges. Tubes also doing well, actually versatile enough (but weight change required) to fish both locations.

Walleye: Fair-Good – Still going through a mayfly hangover it seems. In most bodies of water relating to mud bottoms or suspended where trollers working small cranks through remaining clouds of emerging bugs, suspended 7-14’ down are scoring. Past due, but soon this gravy train for Walleyes will slow and the weed bite will return.

Crappie: Fair – Not many strong reports except from anglers fishing along pilings and boat houses, flipping tiny plastic tubes or small minnows.

Bullheads: Very Good – On flowages in 14-18’ using night crawlers or mud minnows – catch’em while they’re hot!

Hopefully we’ve seen the last of the overnight lows in the 40’s that drug the water temps down into the 60’s. As water temps climb and remain in the 70’s, typical summer patterns will emerge and make fishing more predictable.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 7-18-17:

Hopefully this is the start to a real summer for our anglers. Some stable, summer-like weather will hopefully start putting fish more into their typical summer patterns.

Crappie: Good-Very Good – Anglers finding good numbers and very good sized Crappies (a 15”er topped the charts this weekend) using 2” ripple shad on 1/32 oz jigs or 2” twister tails worked over weed tops of cabbage in 8 – 12’. Boathouses near deeper water producing Crappies on minnows, tiny tubes and mini-mites. In Flowages, work drowned timber of 14 – 18’ with medium fatheads.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – Enjoying the warm up. Small leeches, thunderbugs and tiny jigs tipped with waxies. Gills active from mid-morning on, top-water action on poppers and dry flys towards dusk.

Northern Pike: Good – Best on 3 ½ – 4 ½” swimbaits as well as lipless cranks over cabbage flats of 6 – 10’. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits also working in these areas. On cold mornings (47 degrees at launch 7/17) chubs or suckers of 4 – 6” on jigs or slip-floats best choice.

Yellow Perch: Good – Showing up with some quantity and quality along coontail edges with a sandgrass “lawn”. Soft shell crayfish (frozen), ½ crawlers, medium fats under slip-bobbers or on Lindy style rigs.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Hard to beat Wacky worms in and around the weeds. Small spinnerbaits with nickle blades and gold or silver/blue skirts over coontail tops. Tube jigs down the sides. Jig and creature combos in morning hours. Return to top-water frogs, Pop-R’s at dusk.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Working same coontail edges/sand grass flats as larger perch. Drop shot craw imitations, 3” Senko’s or 3” Gulp Minnows. X-Raps and Husky Jerks on inside weed lines in the A.M.

Musky: Fair-Good – Fish starting to be “seen” more. Bucktails bringing best overall action but smaller 6 – 8” swimbaits and twitch baits also moving (and tagging) fish. Top-water action heating up as Whopper Ploppers, Pace Makers and Suicide Ducks producing.

Walleye: Poor-Fair – Tough summer so far. Even trollers struggling. Best has been deeper 16 – 28’ dragging Lindy rigs. Big crawlers, XL leeches and 4 – 5” red tails

With a week of highs in the low 80’s, water temps should stabilize into the mid 70’s, top-water action will dominate the evening Bass and Musky action. Largemouth are already being spotted feeding on schools of mimic shiners over coontail beds. Crappies filling in summer haunts finally!

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 7-25-17:

What’s become the norm for the summer of 2017 continues, weather changing almost daily with rain every 3 days or so followed by high Skies cool nights and warm days. Luckily the warmth has come often enough to bring water temperatures up some.

Crappie: Good-Very Good – Lakes better than flowages. Tall weeds of narrow Leaf cabbage and Coontail in 8 – 14’ of water. Boathouses adjacent to deep water. Tube jigs, ½” twister tails and small hair jigs twitched over weed tops. Gapen fresh water shrimp excellent choice. Nice crappies of 10 – 12” average.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Water temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70’s by afternoons bringing surface bites up. Plastic frogs, small Whopper Ploppers, buzzbaits and Spooks getting good evening action. Spinnerbaits such as Boonie Baits and Booyah as well as lipless cranks as Rattlin Raps, Rattle Traps and pre-rigged Plastic worms worked over weed tops during day. Swimming jigs and sweet beavers worked along boathouses and Wacky Worming about everywhere!

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Work the mid-summer haunts of deep gravel humps drop-shotting 2 ½ – 3 ½” Gulp Alive minnows, 3” Senko’s and plastic craws. Nice 17 – 2″ fish coming from 17 – 23’ deaths.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – Action heating up with water temperatures. Suspend a small to medium Leach 8 – 10’ down the side of 14 – 18’ coontail edges with a slip float. Mini mites, 1” Twisters on 1/80th jigs and leaf worms deadly. Top-water action on poppers towards dusk.

Northern Pike: Good – Best on bladed bait such as Boonies and chatterbaits shallow cranks with the erratic action of scatter rap scoring well.

Yellow Perch: Good – Can’t get any more soft shells for season so stick to ½ crawlers over 14’ Sand grass under slip floats.

Walleye: Fair-Good – Bigger Lakes best. Low-light times. Red Tails when available, otherwise big leeches and crawlers. Weed lines of 14 – 18’ best towards dusk.

Musky: Fair-Good – Day to day top. Top-water best at dusk. Pacemakers, Whopper Ploppers, Suicide Ducks, large bladed bucktails and smaller rubber baits. One day fish moving… High Skies they’re done.

Overall fishing is improving not up to its typical mid-summer bite, but better than what we have been seeing.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 8-01-17:

Summertime patterns forming, late, but better late than never.

Largemouth Bass: Very Good-Excellent – Action, size and lots of variety for fishing style. Square lipped and lipless cranks as well as spinnerbaits over weed tops. Pre-rigged plastic, chatterbaits and 3” swimbaits also working in same areas. Heat has increased top-water activity with very good plastic frog action as well as tail baits (sm. Whopper Ploppers) and prop baits. Wacky Worming, Dingers and Senkos also doing well.

Smallmouth Bass: Very Good – Summer haunts, deep gravel/rock humps and deep coontail edges. Tube jigs, drop-shotting and Carolina rigging creature baits. Some very nice fish in the 19-21” range.

Yellow Perch: Very Good – Loving the heat. Sand grass flats and drowned wood. ½ crawlers, medium leeches and medium fatheads.

Crappie: Good – Weed tops of narrow leaf cabbage in 10 – 12’. Two inch twisters on 1/32 oz jigs, small beetle spins, #0 Mepps worked just at weed tops.

Bluegill: Very Good – Work suspended Gills along deep coontail edges using tiny 1” tubes, Mini-Mites or just a small leech or worm. Nice Gills with reports of 7 – 9” common.

Northern Pike: Good-Very Good – Fast moving blade baits (Boonies, Booyah) as well as chatterbaits. Swimbaits worked quickly in the 4 – 4 1/2 “ size.

Walleye: Fair-Improving – Deep bites best at dusk on humps of 18 – 28’ using big crawlers and leeches. Lighted slip-bobbers after dark with the biggest leeches you can find.

Musky: Fair-Good – Mixed reports on top-water baits as well as big bladed bucktails.

With surface water temps cracking 80 degrees (84+ on some Flowages) metabolism on fish high. Fish will chase now, so don’t be afraid to fish fast!

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 8-08-17:

So much for our “hot” summer weather. With night temps dropping to low 50’s to even upper 40’s, and day time highs in the mid 70’s, water temps dropped, and along with it some of our “hot” fishing.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – Nice catches with some nice Gills of 9-10” included. Tiny tube jigs, small hair jigs and Mini Mite jigs tipped with waxies, as well as small leeches, fished along Coontail edges of 14-18’. Gills suspending in top half of edges.

Crappie: Good – Tall narrow leaf cabbage patches holding Crappies, as well as pilings and boat houses near deep water. Deep, drowned wood on Flowages in 14-18’ producing big slabs to 14” on medium Fatheads and the shiners found in mixed bait.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Top-water action surprisingly good despite cooler temps. Prop baits such as Torpedos and small Whopper Ploppers. Creeper baits also producing. Afternoons for chatter baits and spinner baits. Texas rigging creature baits and Wacky worming a given.

Northern Pike: Good – While spinner baits such as Boonies and chatter baits always good, top Pike of week came on a Johnson Silver Minnow. Four inch swim baits also productive.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair – Just as action heating up, this species took a dive. Some decent action on tubes along deep Coontail edges and over sandgrass flats.

Yellow Perch: Fair – Shallow bite died off by weeks end. Still, some nice 9-10” fish using ½ crawlers on outside cabbage beds of 9-12’.

Musky: Fair – Bucktails best choice right now. Fluted blades that will raise bait over weeds. Big spinner baits also good.

Walleye: Fair – A few bright spots when weather worked in our favor. Jig and crawler/leeches best. Some success on minnows as waters cool.

Looks to be a week of stable weather. Nights in mid 50’s, days mid to upper 70’s. Hopefully, this will bring about some sustained patterns.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 8-15-17:

Cooler than forecasted mornings and more rain greeted anglers on a less than spectacular week of fishing. Lake surface temps dipped to the 69-71 degree mark. The few warm afternoons were replaced by mornings down in the upper 40’s again.

Yellow Perch: Good – Relating to weeds, mostly cabbage in 8-12’. ½ crawlers, medium fatheads and medium leeches under slip-bobbers. Nice 9-11” fish.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Working heavy weeds best. Using plastics such as Creature baits (Sweet Beavers, CHOMPERS, Skirted Grubs) to work deep in cabbage beds. Wacky worming along 8-12’ edges. Some good lipless crank action on warmer afternoons.

Bluegill: Good – Lots of suspending Gills off Coontail edges. Small leeches best, they stay on the hook so you catch multiple fish on one leech.

Northern Pike: Good – Spinner baits, Chatter baits and 4-5” Swim baits over cabbage flats in 6-10’. Shallow running Stick baits such as Rattlin Rouges also producing.

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Fair – Some very nice Smallies this past week in the 17-20” range over deep gravel/rock humps. Drop shotting 3” minnows, Wacky worms and craw imitations. Big leeches and crawlers for the live bait crowd. Check all isolated humps of hard substrate in 14-28’.

Crappie: Good-Fair – Fewer reports. Best over deep wood on Flowages using medium fatheads.

Musky: Fair – Few reports. Bucktails best choice as cooler temps have slowed top-water action

Walleye: Fair – Changing water temps and levels seem to be having negative affect on Eyes. Night anglers having best results using slip-bobbers and large leeches or Red-tailed chubs

The mid-August cool down is here. As the waters cool, watch for certain weeds to start to pull back. Crappies, Smallies and Pike should start to pick up. Keep watch for a three day span of warming weather to lift Largemouth action.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 8-22-17:

Earliest reports trickling in show no signs of a super major fish feeding period during the Eclipse Monday (but if you had otherwise, I’d like to know so I can set my calendar for 30 years from now). Warmer temps helped raise surface temps into the low 70’s, bringing about a bit of a bump in action.

Northern Pike: Good-Very Good – While some slower presentations than usual for Pike worked best (namely jig and chub combos) casting spinner baits, chatter baits and swim baits accounted for nice Pike this past week up to 38”.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – Suspended Gills off coontail edges in 14-18’ of water 6-8’ down. Drift Mini-Mite jigs tipped with a waxie or 1/32 oz jigs and small leeches. The warm weather has brought back a top-water popper/dry fly bite.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Working plastics – creatures, tubes and Wacky worming best. Some good lipless crank action over weed tops in 8-10’. As with Gills, some anglers picking up evening action on top-water frogs, buzz baits.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Working drop shot rigs over gravel humps over 18-28’. Tossing tubes along coontail edges also producing.

Crappie: Good – Small twister tails over cabbage beds as well as medium fats over drowned wood.

Yellow Perch: Good – Deeper coontail edges producing nice perch (9-11”) on 1/2 crawlers and medium leeches.

Musky: Fair-Good – Bucktails and medium sized rubber baits along cabbage flats during the day. Work over sandgrass flats in the evening using large rubber baits (New Savage Burbots hot!)

Walleye: Fair – Starting to find some fish over gravel humps on deeper lakes. Flowages hit or miss on shallow weeds one day followed by deep wood the next. Wind is key, the more the shallower.

Things can usually get a little tough during late August. Changing weather from cool nights one day to warm humid nights the next.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 8-29-17:

It’s been a slow summer for musky reports, but things started kicking into gear this past week as good reports came flooding in. Not only for the big fish; walleye ,bass and crappie action also picked up. Water temps are slowly cooling, most reports are of lake surface temps in the 67-68 degree range.
Could be the corresponding moon phase, but it was a nice pick up in action all the way around.

Musky: Good-Very Good – Hair and Blades providing the best action. Finding fish up in 7-12′ weeds. Some good top-water reports on Whopper Ploppers. Nice fish including a 50″ that took top honors in the World Musky Hunt!

Crappie: Good-Very Good – Big slabs being found in among deep wood, deep transition breaks and suspended. Jig and crappie or medium fatheads. 2″ twister tubes, trollers on Flowages using small hot in tots.

Walleye: Good – Work deep gravel humps during low light – mud flats and transition zones during daylight. Use 1/8- 1/4 oz. jigs with large fats or 1/2 crawlers. In Flowages, still Eye’s working deep wood, as well as, some in wind swept weeds on small chubs.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Some good spinner bait bites as well as plastics worked over weed tops in the form of pre-rigged worms. Some top-water action on the warmer days. Wacky worming, as usual a good back-up plan.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Smallies working on gravel humps feeding on remaining crayfish and sculpins. Tubes and creature baits such as chomper skirted grubs. Drop-shotting also scoring well.

Northern Pike: Good – Nice action on spinner baits, spinners and Chatter baits. Jig and live chubs or 4 1/2″ swim baits.

Yellow Perch: Good – Weed edges of 8-12 feet. Also deep wood, 1/2 crawlers and medium fatheads.

Bluegill: Good – Still finding suspended fish outside coontail edges of 14-18′. Tiny jigs tipped with waxies, small leeches and small Gulp-Alive waxies.

Speaking of Leeches, very hard to find, pick up any you can find as supplies are scarce. A little weather mid-week but outlook good for weekend. Temps good for active fish, good time to be casting artificial baits.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 9-05-17:

Despite one nice, warm, sunny day – Labor Day Sunday, water temps starting to drop. Cooling temps a good thing as we get into fall mode.

Musky: Good – Still best on bucktails and big spinner baits. Seven inch twitch baits, small jerks and top-water still effective. Action down from last week, but still good reports. Fairly shallow, 8-12’ depths best for action. 18-26’ sandgrass for larger fish.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Cooler mornings slowing down bite. Wacky worming and Texas rigging worms; creature baits best. Mid-afternoon showing some life on stick baits (Husky Jerks, X-Raps) and spinner baits.

Bluegill: Good – When weather permitted, good catches of Gills on leafworms, Mini-Mite tipped w/ waxies. Still suspending. Use a 1/16 oz jig tipped with a 2” twister tail to draw schools to your boat, then bait up and game on!

Northern Pike: Good – Chubs and suckers accounted for most reports. Anglers casting Storm Wild Eye, live panfish replicas scoring also.

Crappie: Good-Fair – Best over drowned wood in 14-18’. Some anglers finding suspended fish along coontail edges 10-14’ down in 14-18’ water. Night bite around docks picking up using lighted bobbers and small fatheads.

Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Some impressive catches of 10-12” perch on Flowages using ½ crawlers in weeds.

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Fair – Hot bite on gravel humps slowed for those drop-shotting.

Walleye: Good-Fair – At a time action should be heating up. Reports earlier in week better. Deep wood using fatheads, small chubs. On deeper lakes, mud flats of 19-28’ on brighter days. Jigging Rapalas also effective along with Lindy rigs and minnows.

Changing weather, some rain and lightening didn’t help weekend. Surface temps running 62-66 degrees as of Monday, 9/4.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 9-12-17:

High pressure and cloudless skies could be to blame for some of the tough fishing this past weekend. Yet for certain anglers and certain species windows of opportunity existed.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – Despite some “dead” zones, good reports on some very nice fish. Anglers finding most “good” fish in 12-16’ of water. 1/2 crawlers, leaf worms or waxies placed on small 1/32 oz jigs or suspended on #6 Aberdeen hooks below slip-floats.

Musky: Good – At times very tough, but windows of opportunity arose (as they tend to) and the anglers on the water at those times did extremely well. Several reports of anglers with fish of 45-50” reported. Bucktails, spinner baits, soft baits and even top-water towards dusk. Not a lot on suckers yet, but with many lakes having surface temps of 62-64 degrees, that shouldn’t be long.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Good reports of anglers working outside weed edges with 7” worms Carolina rigged, tubes and drop-shotting 3” Wacky Worms or Texas rigging Sweet Beavers and other creature baits.

Northern Pike: Very Good-Good – Spinner baits best over weed tops in 8-12’. Chatter baits and 4 ½” swim baits also effective.

Crappie: Good – Working deep (14-18’) wood or coontail edges. Small minnows, Mini-Mites tipped with waxies and 1/16 oz Slo-Poke jigs with a 2” Paddle Tail swam along edges very effective.

Yellow Perch: Good – Numbers of perch in and along cabbage flats of 8-12’. Drowned wood a good draw. 1/2 crawlers best bet.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Drop-shotting 3” Gulp minnows or 3” Senkos over 22’ gravel humps. Tube/jigs along 14-18’ coontail edges also effective.

Walleye: Good-Fair – High pressure took its toll on decent bite. Gravel humps of 14-24’ using 1/8-1/4 oz jigs tipped with large fatheads. Some deep sandgrass action using Walleye suckers on Lindy rigs.

Morning had been cold, (low 38 degrees) now just cool. Daytime highs in upper 70’s this week. Redtails unavailable still, substitute with blacks or Walleye suckers. Water levels still high, but Flowages down a little. With surface temps in lo-mid 60’s but daytime highs in upper 70’s, don’t expect much change in water temps.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 9-19-17:

Warm temps moved water temps on our area lakes from the 62-64 degree range up to the 70-72 degree range by Saturday (9/16). A short cool down brought temps back into the 60’s, but forecast for the coming weekend with highs in the lower 80’s will inevitably drive water temps back up!

Largemouth Bass: Good–Very Good – Possibly due to their wide spread populations, LMB’s found in shallow weed flats (6-10’ on spinner baits, chatter baits and pre-rigged plastic worms). Out in deeper weed beds/edges Wacky worming, Carolina rigging and Texas rigging Sweet Beaver/creature baits effective.

Bluegill: Good-Very Good – The flying ants were out, giving Bluegill anglers clues to where to find Gills. In calm bays Gills found slurping ants off the surface. Nice catches using dry flys or small jigs 1-2’ below the surface.

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Real whoppers this past week, fish of 19-21”. Tubes, drop-shot rigs best along 14-18’ gravel humps. Some anglers took advantage of warming temps to get in on some great top-water action come evenings.

Musky: Good – Fish moving, but not always taking, on bucktails. Warm weather causing fish to move, investigate. Some reports of fish out away from weeds while some up shallow as pointed out by Walleye angler (C&R) a 48” from weedy shallows.

Crappie: Good – Maybe not the numbers expected in September, but BIG slabs, many 13-14” with some 15”. Use medium fatheads, jigs with flash around flooded timber in 14-18’. Deep coontail edges of similar depth also producing. Night time with lighted slip-bobbers up by docks, boathouses and pilings effective.

Walleye: Fair-Good – Working lots of locations, finding fish one day means looking somewhere else the next. Despite the spotty action for most anglers, guide Greg Bohn scored an incredible 33”, 13#+ Walleye (C&R) on a slip-bobber and fathead this week.

Northern Pike: Fair-Good – Like the water a little cooler. Still decent action on spinner baits and swim baits in slightly deeper water of 8-12’.

Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Not as many reports. Nice fish of 10-11” but not the #s.

Unseasonably warm weather (avg 10-15 degrees above normal) in forecast. Will help the Bass and Bluegill anglers, may hurt the rest. Should be great time to be on water though.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 9-25-17:

With a weekend of weather that seemed more like mid-July than late September, air temps in the 80’s this past week brought water temps back into the 70’s. Some places as high as 74 degrees – quite a rise from the 62 degree marks the week before. The summer-like temps took their toll on anglers looking for the typical “fall” patterns. Some good catches taking place, for others things all mixed up.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Some deep water bites (as deep as 35’) on the deeper lakes, while shallower lakes and Flowages finding fish as shallow as 3-6’. 3-4” suckers, chubs and mud minnows best. Drop shotting working best on the deep fish. Good reports of 19-20”+ fish.

Walleye: Good – Flowages producing some good catches on suckers, black chubs and muds. Play shallows early, move to deep wood mid-morning. On natural lakes, deep gravel humps and gravel/mud transitions of 18-35’ using 1/8-1/4 oz jigs on Lindy rigs with large fatheads.

Musky: Good – Heat means speed, bucktails and spinner baits. Some good top-water reports. Weed flats to outside edges of 8-14’.

Northern Pike: Good – #4-#5 Mepps spinner baits and fast moving 4-5” swim baits (GT360). Lots of “action” fish mostly low 20”ers.

Bluegill: Good – Tough to locate at times. But once found (search 12-14’ weed edges – 6-8’ down) good to go.

Largemouth Bass: Good–Fair – Sort of lost the edge. Lots of reports of anglers missing out on bass bite. Wacky worming doing best.

Yellow Perch: Good – Some very good catches of 10-12” Perch on ½ crawlers. Search out shallow weed flats or drowned wood that holds insects, minnows.

Crappie: Good-Fair – Usually a great time, except for some below dam action, best reports by trollers pulling small flicker shads and Hot ‘N Tots on Flowages.

Rain and storms due in today (9/25) that look to bring temperatures back into upper 60’s/low 70’s. Color at only 20% or so. Looks to be a drawn out fall, surface temps need to get into low 60’s, upper 50’s for Musky bite to heat up.
Red tailed chubs and Musky suckers in short supply.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 10-03-17:

Following a weekend of record highs, temps mellowed out only to be rising by this past weekend. After todays (10/3) highs of nearly 70 degrees, the next two weeks look to be in the 50’s – 60’s. Good news for musky anglers.

Walleye: Very Good-Fair – Early in week Walleye catches were great with lots of lake limits being caught. Once located in shallows, Walleyes preferring larger baits suck as chubs, suckers and mud minnows. Even on the larger, deeper lakes where reports of bites along coontail edges of 12-14’ and rocks of 24-28’, lots of “eaters” (15-19+) with good numbers of slot (20-24”) and larger fish (26-28”) released this past week. Action slowed in shallows by weekend, but deeper lakes still producing.

Musky: Good – Despite warm air temps, the bite has largely been on suckers of late. Fish following bucktails and spinner baits passing on the hardware for the live stuff.

Crappie: Good – Starting to show up again. 10-12’ depths on natural lakes along coontail edges. Small minnows, jigs with tinsel on slip-bobbers.

Northern Pike: Good – Liking the live bait (usually meant for Walleyes) but also responding well to spinner baits, #4 Mepps and 4” swim baits.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Some surprisingly good shallow action producing larger fish in the 18-20” range. Pitching creature baits and 3-4” swim baits along wood flooded in 3-7’. On deep lakes work gravel humps of 22-36’ using drop-shot rigs.

Yellow Perch: Fair – Gone absent from locations two weeks ago. A few pockets in flowages giving up fish.

Largemouth Bass: Fair – Most action on Wacky worms, 4” worms on 1/8 oz jigs.

Bluegill: Fair – Wind kept most anglers from targeting this species. Few reports.

Following a spike in water surface temps of 70-74 degrees the weekend prior, surface temps back into low 60’s now. Good time for surface musky action prior to turn-over. Suckers and red-tailed chubs still in limited supply.
Trees only about 25-30% turned.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 10-10-17:

Lot changed in a week. Some cooler nights brought the colors out on the trees. Nearing peak, yet still some green. Fishing wasn’t quite up to the standards of past first weeks of October. Could be the added volume of water and the warm September has lake temps a bit above average for this time of year – or it could be the moon, not sure. Whatever it is that kept the bite off this past weekend will pass, with the promise of better October fishing to come.

Walleye: Good – Bite moved a bit deeper as surface temps cooled. A stronger swing towards minnows has been noticed. Deep humps on natural lakes, deep wood on Flowages.

Largemouth Bass: Good – While overall size hasn’t been great, some nice fish in the 18-20” size range caught by anglers casting big spinner baits for Musky. Overall, drop-shotting with 3” Craws/minnow plastics and Wacky worming cabbage pockets best.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Drop-shotting deep gravel humps of 22-38’ producing. Some Flowage fish up shallow on large chubs, spinner baits in browns, gold and orange. Some shallow big Smallies on spinner baits in shallow clear lakes, like all old spawn areas.

Musky: Good-Fair – An overall disappointing weekend (typically the best “ACTION” weekend of October). Saturday’s ultra low pressure followed by a high pressure Sunday could have had some effect. With not a lot of chasing of bucktails, twitch bait, suckers brought in the most action. Almost all reports to shop were of fish of 40-46” this past week.

Crappie: Good-Fair – Picked up during week, ended with weekend weather.
Trollers on Flowages reporting some fish on small Hot N Tots, Flicker shads. On live bait, minnows along deep coontail edges, suspended 4-6’ up and around piers and piling in 12’16’.

Yellow Perch: Fair

Bluegill: Fair

Surface temps running 58-60 degrees as of 10/9. Could be dropping as last nights air temps in freezing range. Watch for signs of turn-over (mis-colored water, floating dead leaves/weeds) before you launch!

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 10-16-17:

Some real fall weather reached the Northwoods! Cold nights, some wind, rain, as a result – some falling water temps.

Musky: Good-Very Good – Not a great season for numbers, but some very nice fish. While suckers have accounted for the majority of fish, artificials, especially jointed cranks (48”) and 8” twitch (45”) have popped some nice fish.

Walleye: Good-Fair – One day good, next day UGGHH!! Daily changing weather seems to be changing the bite. Base of drop offs best using 1/8-3/8 oz jigs to vertically present large fatheads to medium chubs and suckers. Depths of 22-35’ best.

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Start by working gravel bases drop-shotting 3” Gulp Alive Minnows, as well as, 4” chubs and suckers. On some wind swept shores anglers finding Smallies as shallow as 3-6’ using large Colorado Bladed spinnerbaits.

Northern Pike: Good – Some above average sized Pike on large spinnerbaits and medium sized twitchbaits meant for Musky along 8-12’ weed beds.

Crappie: Good – Showing up deep near sunken wood in 18-26’. Medium fatheads working over wood piles/roots best.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Fair – Best on subtle plastic presentations.

Yellow Perch: Fair

Bluegill: Fair

Water temps fell into the low 50’s on many lakes. A few reports of turn-over on lakes north of the Lakeland Area. Unfortunately, the forecast for this week calls for temps to hit upper 60’s – to low 70’s, this will put a temporary halt to the cool down, but the new moon period should help the bite.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 10-24-17:

It’s starting to look a lot like late fall! Leaves coming down, temps dropping, water cooling.

Fishing spotty, but in some cases turnover has occurred – in other cases dumb fish wouldn’t bite!

Musky: Fair –(Good if you caught one!) – Odd bites (or NO bites) reports of Musky mauling (teething) on suckers, but not taking. Reports of follows on twitch and jointed cranks with few takers. Sucker action modest. Personally, a tough fall, most days with one or none. Nicer average, but not a lot of action.

Walleye: Poor-Great!? – Tough weekend followed by an incredible Monday, too many over fish (20”+) up to 28”. Chubs, redtails especially if you can find them, in 22-28’ on 1/8 – 1/4 oz jigs or split-shot and #2 colored hooks. Watch water color and temp. 53 degrees and lower, clear, good to go.

Crappie: Fair – Deep wood with medium fatheads best.

Smallmouth Bass: Good – Deep rock humps. Drop-shotting 3” Gulp Alive Minnows or large fatheads.

Few other reports of note. Cold, wind and rain today and most of the week should keep lakes cooling. Musky anglers to keep up on the sucker use, gliders, big twitchbaits and jerkbaits. Walleye anglers – go easy on those big girls – that’s our future.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 10-31-17:

Cold weather has brought temperatures down quick! Reports have water temps from highs of 49 degrees to as low as 41 degrees! The cold, wind and snow……yes Snow, kept a lot of anglers off the water.

Musky: Fair – But mostly due to lack of participation by anglers due to weather. Sucker fishing best and easiest way to fish.

Walleye: No reports

With the water cooling into the forties, fishing action will slow, but not stop. Fewer, but larger fish is typically the norm. Lots of piers out, so bring your tall neoprene or rubber boots for launching. Jerk, glider, twitch and rubber for Musky along with suckers. Chubs, fatheads and suckers for the Walleye.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 11-07-17:

A firm cold stretch with some snow and wind mixed in has marked the arrival of Novemberrrrr!

Skim ice on small ponds is showing and water temps continue to fall. Large to mid-sized lakes reporting surface temps of 41-46 degrees. Smaller lakes below the 40 degree mark.

Musky: Good – Action on suckers always best at this time of year, but deep cranks accounting for some nice fish, as well as, gliders and jerks. Most fish found along outside weed edges of 18-26’. Working windward shorelines of gravel where Ciscoes and Whitefish to be spawning also good locations.

Walleye: Fair – The few anglers vying for a last minute Walleye meal doing best on Jigging Raps or vertical jigging gravel hump bases in 22-38’ of water, some deeper. There is usually a decent bite on smaller lakes that don’t have depth up in the shallows at this time of year. Fish the wind and soft bottom shorelines.

Rut in in full swing, as long as you’re not in a “wolf” zone, deer movement has been good.

This week’s cold will continue to push temps down, highs in low 30’s with lows in low 20’s. Next week highs are forecast for low 40’s, but night time temps may neutralize any day time gains.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 11-14-17:

It will be touch and go for a while on the ice fishing. As in, “touch” the ice with your chisel, if it cracks “GO”! Get off of there!!!

Daytime temps in the low 30’s with night time temps in the mid 20’s to upper teens by next week will mean ice making conditions will be tenuous at best. Where ice is available (2-3”), fishing good. Open water dominates the lakes, but getting to the open water due to ice in launches limits availability.

Musky: Good – Season open through Thurs, November 30th. For the few still venturing out, action good for November. Suckers helped a few stalwarts to some 46”ers this week. Gliders such as Smutly Dogs and Mantas have been effective.

Walleye: Good – Where safe ice, fish as shallow as 3-7’ on tip-ups.

Yellow Perch: Good – Same locales as Walleyes, nice perch on Crappie minnows to medium fatheads.

Deer activity very good, nice bucks including recent 9 and 11 pointers arrowed past couple days. Gun deer opener looks better than last year.

Kurt
Island Sportshop
Minocqua, WI

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 11-21-17:

While most outdoorsmen’s (and women) focus is on deer season (pretty quiet out there), Mother Nature has been toying with the ice anglers for the past two weeks. Just enough ice forms on some bays and small lakes to lure anglers out, then one day in the 40’s or strong winds blow it all out. A few areas have held enough ice for anglers to safely fish (3-4”) and the results have been good. But caution is necessary. Make sure to take safety spikes, creepers and rope if you go.

Walleye: Very Good – Where anglers finding 3-4” of ice over 5-7’ of water good #’s of eaters (15-19”) at dusk on suckers, chubs and mud minnows.

Yellow Perch: Good-Very Good – Similar areas as Walleye, but more daytime action on Crappie minnows, medium fatheads or grubs. Nice eaters of 8-10” reported.

Norther Pike: Good-Very Good – Not as many good Pike areas safe, but where ice runs thick enough for tip-ups, Pike taking big chubs, suckers and shiners.

Musky: Fair – Season runs through November 30th, few reports, boat landings a bit icy, bring some sand and choose shallow sloping landings.

Lakes trying to freeze, but as mentioned, one warm afternoon or a day of high winds making it tough.

Our 8th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza – Dec 1st and 2nd, two days only! Deals on shacks, boots, gasoline augers, to name a few. Raffle prize to win a free Striker Predator Suit. Give aways with VMC jig purchase or Stormy Kromer purchase. Meet Pro-staffers from Ice Force, Eskimo, Marcum, Striker, 13 Fishing and Acme Tackle.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 11-28-17:

Weather just can’t make up its mind. Temps keep dipping above and below the freezing mark making things difficult for both ice and open water anglers to figure out what to do.

Musky anglers still heading out (Season open thru Thursday 11/30) but not a lot of success. Some landings either froze in or too slippery to launch, but enough opportunity to keep plugging away.

Ice anglers enjoying success where they can find safe ice (3-5” in some bays) Walleye and Perch making up bulk of reports. Some Pike reports. Little on Bluegill or Crappies yet.

We won’t gain any ice this week, but also won’t lose much. This tease – going on three weeks now – has anglers antsy to get on ice. Use caution! Creepers, flotation, ropes and a buddy are highly recommended if you feel the need to try. Otherwise, wait for the next cold snap, water ready to go, just need some cold and a little calm.

Or spend this weekend at the Ice Extravaganza Friday and Saturday only at Kurt’s!!!

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 11-28-17:

Continued warm weather (for late Nov/early Dec) and wind has been keeping ice anglers at bay waiting for things to get safe. An example: the Bay of Minocqua, across from the shop, has now froze over…and opened up, for the 5th time this season.

The near future looks good as Monday’s (12/4) highs in the 50’s, dropped 30 degrees over night with even colder temps to come. Bays that remained ice covered during warm spell will only improve this week, and once wind lays down for even just a little while, lakes should see fishable ice by the weekend.

Those that were able to find safe ice reported good fishing for Walleye and Perch so far.

Look for an ice update Thursday 12/7.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 12-07-17:

ICE UPDATE!
Despite temps in the lower teens to upper single digits, it’s the wind that hasn’t let up enough to allow lakes to freeze.

Some bodies opened up even further during cold/high winds. Fortunately, overnight winds dropped enough to allow some ice formation.

The hourly wind forecast looks as though our best chance to see lakes lock up will be Friday night. If we could get just a couple of hours of windless conditions nearly all lakes should skim over. No temps above freezing in forecast, yet some snow, overall should be in for some good ice making condition in the week ahead.

Phone has been ringing off the hook for ice reports. Best bets – south end of Big Arb, west end of Carrol, Sweeny and portions of the Rainbow Flowage. Lost Lake in St. Germain is also reported as having safe ice, as are some smaller lakes in the Boulder Junction, Presque Isle area.

Use Caution! Take creepers, rope and flotation and a friend!

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 12-11-17:

A little taste of things to come. Enough ice in places for anglers to get out on ice, but caution still advised no matter where you go.

Walleye: Very Good – Anglers using tip-ups baited with river shiners, Walleye suckers on medium golden in fairly shallow water (5-8’) at dusk, after dark. Early ice aggressive fish hitting jigging lures such as Raps, Hyper Glides and Rotating Power Minnows. Nice catches of eaters with 29 ½” topping the bragging list!

Northern Pike: Very Good – Larger baits (suckers/shiners) on tip-ups. Weedy shallow flats of 3-7’.

Yellow Perch: Very Good – Fish Shallow flats in bays with 3-5” of ice over 3-8’ of water. Medium fatheads, forage jigs loaded with waxies best.

Bluegill: Very Good – Fish shallow. Tipping jigs with bright plastic or spikes/moussies best. Lots of Gills with good #’s of eaters (7”+) reported.

Crappie: Fair – Not a lot of strong reports. Don’t find as many shallow and better haunts over deeper water not supporting decent ice.

Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Few anglers target through ice, but plenty being caught by anglers using medium shiners on tip-ups.

Despite some ice making, cold, lake effect snows covering lakes will slow ice production. Foot traffic recommended at this point. Ice thickness ranging from 2-5”. Wear creepers (snow very powdery), carry rope, floatation and spud your way out to test ice.

Forecast for lows in single digits with highs in teens to low 20’s will add to ice. Looks much better by weekend.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 12-19-17:

Snow has created problems here in the Northwoods as the insulation and weight of winter’s blanket has shut down the ice making abilities of even the coldest of nights.

Caution and high waterproof boots are required for fishing the ice right now. Areas of good ice are being fished heavily as access and ice thickness are NOT good everywhere.

Walleye: Very Good – Thin ice and some mild temps of late are bringing in some shallow action at dusk. Lots of eater (to 20”) fish with some trophy fish of 27–29 ½” again this past weekend. Suckers and chubs have been tops on tip-ups while jigging Raps, Slab Raps and Hyper Glides have produced large aggressive fish even in water as little as 4-6’.

Northern Pike: Very Good – Big, lively bait producing larger than area average Pike of 30-39 ½” this past weekend. Weedy flats of cabbage in 4-8’ best. Rigging big shiners on Finicky Foolers or Danglers so as to get the Rod/Reel experience has been fun.

Bluegill: Very Good – Numbers are good, but for those willing to search out some off the beaten path lakes big Gills have been very good. Tungsten Fly’s and #3 or #4 Fiska’s tipped with moussies or small plastics. Reports (and photo evidence) of honest 10”+ Gills, including a 11 ¼” over the weekend.

Largemouth Bass: Very Good – Taking medium golden shiners on tip-ups. Also being caught on jigging Raps meant for Walleyes and small jigs meant for Gills.

Yellow Perch: Good – Shallow bites in flats of 4-8’ using small-medium fatheads or 2-3 waxies bunched on Northland Forage Minnow jigs.

Crappie: Fair – Very few reports so far, anglers with cameras seeing few fish.

Ice thickness reports are running from 2-7”. The snow from last week is keeping ice from building and causing slush. Can’t recommend anything but walking and spudding your way around right now. If the snow doesn’t arrive and we get the cold that’s forecasted for next week, we should be good. Keep your fingers crossed.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 12-26-17:

Dodged the forcasted big snow last week and while nobody is liking this weather now (-21 below at open this morning), this super cold is making some great ice for the season to come! Fishing overall had been good, though ice conditions have not. Ice thickness of 3-7 inches of past weekend should improve drastically now that most areas have little snow left on the ice (caution should be used on western shorelines though).

Walleyes: Very Good > Reports through out the weekend had good catches of eaters in the 15-19″ range on jigging raps, hyper glides and hyper rattle baits . This shows good aggressive action by walleyes still responding well to the early/thin ice. Tip-up anglers reporting good results on chubs and suckers. Several big fish of 25-28″ this weekend were caught and released. Nicely done!

Bluegills: Very Good > Still very nice sized average as is typical for early ice, most action coming in 5-9′ of water, but watch for that to change deeper as ice thickens with this cold. Ice fly’s by VMC and Northland tipped with spikes or moussee’s best. #3 Fiska’s tipped with purple, red or black plastic also producing well. Lots of 7 1/2″ – 8 1/2″ gills with more than a few 9-10″ers reported.

Northern Pike: Very Good > Some very good fish in the 30″ + size . Big shiners and suckers best. A few actively jigging large Slender spoons and Pimples. Best in 5-9′ range.

Yellow Perch: Very Good – Good > Not great numbers, but nice sized fish in shallows on medium fatheads or 2-3 waxies bunched on a Northland forage minnow jig.

Largemouth Bass: Good > This species likely to slow down with recent cold. Prior to, lots of fish on medium shiners on tip-ups.

Crappie: Fair – Good > Starting to get some reports from anglers venturing out over a little deeper water. Best to use grubs or plastics from reports as not getting very aggressive bites in 12-16′ of water.

This extreme cold should add 1-2 inches of ice easily per day. High forecasted for Friday of 14 will be warmest of week. Great travel conditions should be here by then.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
Like us on FaceBook
Minocqua, WI 54548

Mark