Minocqua Area Fishing Report

Reports have been quiet lately due to slush and snow continuing to hold anglers back. Warm weather and sunshine later this week finally look promising. Crappie: Good. Fish being caught in water depths of 6-15 feet and beginning to move up higher in the water column; best times being early to mid-morning and then again late-afternoon-dusk. Tip downs with crappie minnows and rosies, as well as plastics beginning to work well. Rockers and shad darts tipped with waxies also starting to produce fish. Perch: Good-Very good. Cold temps are still holding fish over deeper mud flats of 15-30 feet. Tip downs with rosies and crappie minnows are producing larger fish. Tungsten jigs tipped with wigglers and waxies are catching fish. Bluegills: Good-Very Good. Shad darts and gill pills tipped with waxies and chena bait working well. Spikes are also working for less active fish. Anglers are targeting depths of 6-12’ with dense vegetation. Crossing our fingers for the 40 degree weather and sunshine projected for late this week to pack down some of the snow on the ice so lake travel becomes much easier.

Kurt put up a couple of reports from our area and I thought it was great to see, so I am going to post them for him. Here was the opener report:

Snow on May 11th!!! Woke up to white on the 12th. Fishing conditions have been terrible (cold, wind), but the fishing has been terrific! Not often we get to fish the walleye spawn and close post spawn. Lots of active fish.

Walleye: Excellent. Despite cold, wind, sleet, rain and snow, the walleyes have been very active. Lots of lake limits (due to 2 fish bag limits), but by moving to different lakes, 4 and 5 walleye catches have been relatively easy (and moving lakes is a nice excuse to get out of the cold for a while). Daytime anglers doing extremely well on jig/minnow combo. Examining the stomachs of kept males of 16-18″ showed that while they are being cuaght up tight to gravel/rock shallows, there must be some forays to mud as mayfly larvae and leeches were in their bellies. Gravel/rock by for the best. If any wood in the same areas…even better. After dark, thats when the big girls are being caught. Casting gravel flats and Slowly retrieving Rattling Rouges, Floating Rapalas and Flat Raps has produced walleyes of 11 and 12#s this past weekend. Please consider releasing these big girls to spawn again.

Crappie: Very good. Check out sheltered bays with drowned trees where these fish are congregating in the warmer water. Casting tiny 1/64-1/32oz jigs of hair or plastic around wood to locate active fish. Scented artificial minnows and insects from Gulp Alive and Northland’s Impulse have also been very effective. Minnows under pencil floats can’t be beat. Lots of fish in the 10-11″ class and smaller, but, I few slabs reported this weekend.

Pike: Very good. Spawn over and pike feeding. Chubs best (though hard to find). Large fatheads or even shiners working. Casting light jigs with plastic minnows over shallow weeds also working.

Smallmouth: Very Good. It is catch and release only, but nice smallies inhabiting rock/wood shallows trying to find warmer water and food. Most of these fish taking jig/minnow combos meant for walleyes.

Largemouth: Good. Again, catch and release only. They are holding tight to cover over dark soft bottom areas. Will take any sort of jig/minnow or jig/soft plastic combo.

Perch: Good. While not being targeted, nice perch or 9-11″ being caught while fishing walleyes. Many of these fish with slack bellies meaning they have already spawned so should be hungry.

Bluegills: Haven’t really heard any reports.

We still have a few lakes with ice (Trout, Fence, Big Crawling Stone). Most others that were closed such as Big Arb, Squirrel and Tomahawk are now open.

Fishing was fantastic as at the top of the report. Live bait is still an issue with anything wild such as redtailed chubs, black tails, dace and leeches very hard to come by.

With the cold of the weekend stretching out the walleye spawn, expect good fishing this week.

Mark

To help Kurt out, I have copied for your reading pleasure, plus I am sitting out a few T-storms right now:

Due to everything being late this year (thanks to late ice out, cool weather, lots of rain) expect to find something if you are coming up this week that would normally be over with or nearly done by now. The big hexagemia hatches have NOT occurred on most lakes. When they hit expect poor walleye fishing for 3-4 days on those lakes.

Largemouth Bass and bluegills, usually bedding by now, have not even started on many lakes. As lake temps move up to the 70’s this week, look for more of this action to start.

Walleye: Very good. With the exception of Monday, bite has been very good with lots of larger fish (21-27″) moving in to feed along 14-20′ weed edges. Crawlers, big leeches and chubs (when available) have all produced with cloud, rainy and windy conditions. This hot bite could shut off with high skies or Hex hatches.

Perch: Very good. Big perch to 13″ on crawlers, crayfish tails working scattered weeds in 6-8′ muddy bottomed areas. Perch are feeding on small minnows, insects, leeches and crayfish and as the waters warm by late morning, these fish biting better.

Smallmouth Bass: Very good. Bedding is over. Fish moving in shallow in early morning hitting twitch baits (X-Raps, Husky Jerks), then switch to tubes as fish work out deeper. Big Smallies to 21+”, 5 1/2#s this past week.

Largemouth Bass: While some have started to bed, most didn’t due to cold mornings last week. Moving in to set-up now. Plastic craws and lizards as well as Chug Bugs and Jitterbugs up top.

Bluegill: Good to very good. Weather hasn’t been helping, but fish starting to move in. Poppers and sponge spiders as well as Gulp crickets proving deadly on warm, calm evenings. Some big gills to 10 1/2″ this past week.

Musky: Good. Small bucktails (Rizzo Wizzs, #5 Comets), 6-7″ Cranes, Shallow Raiders. Also had success on Alien Eels. Most action from low to mid 30″ fish in 6-10′ weeds.

Pike: Good. Best on spinnerbaits (Boonies) and Chatterbaits. With pike sized live bait (chubs, suckers) hard to come by, cast minnow/fish imitations on 1/8-1/4 oz jigs over cabbage in 5-9′. Jointed swimbaits also effective.

Crappies: Fair. Fewer reports than previous week. Key in on 10-14′ weeds using small minnows/jig-spinner combo.

Water temps in upper 60’s to low 70’s by afternoons. Live bait has been difficult to get. Suckers due to winter kills in Dakota’s and Minnesota. Chubs due to high water. Large fatheads spawning right now. Leech supply is fair, but even this bait not trapping like usual. Time to use more artificials.

Kurt’s Island Sports Shop
Kurt Justice
Web Site: http://www.kurtsislandsports.com

Thanks Mark I bet Kurt and everybody else is glad to see the road back to normal (4 lanes open) I know I am.

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Thanks Mark I bet Kurt and everybody else is glad to see the road back to normal (4 lanes open) I know I am.

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.. and you can get in there with the boat in tow again!!!

Mark

I will be going up to the Minocqua area next week to visit some friends that that just moved up last fall. I have never been fishing in that area before. He tells me that you can not troll in that part of the state. Is that true or is he pulling my leg. I was hoping to troll for walleyes.
Thanks

Depends on the lake or river, or even sections of lake or river, check the regs and read the boards at the landings. While the class A musky lakes will not allow trolling there are other lakes and rivers in that area that do. The Wisconsin River comes to mind though it does not run through Minocqua. Trolling on the Willow is acceptable I believe. Check the regs!

thanks for the post reply

current break:

The only two bodies of water in Vilas and Oneida counties that are trollable are the Willow and the Rainbow. Both are flowages and the fishing can be outstanding on both. Also to the west of town is the Pike/Round chain, which I believe is trollable.

Where is he living and perhaps I can help you with any other questions… Fishing continues to be pretty good as the water temps are staying cool enough to keep fish shallow and close to shoreline weed and rock structure.

Mark

Mark that is what I like to hear, going to the in-laws on Nokomis July 5-8. Maybe hit Mohawksin. Any reports from that area? Daughter is home from college and she wants me to take her out

This week’s report from Kurt:

We knew it was coming! Wish it wasn’t! The big (hexagenia ) mayflies are hatching! This major hatch-coming to a Northwoods Lake near you- is a killer for the walleye bite on your favorite lake for 3-4 days after it happens. Usually finished by the 2nd-3rd week of June, this year’s late ice out and cool weather had prolonged the inevitable. Go chase something else for a while. .

Smallmouth Bass: Good. Saw some still on beds last week (late). Not moving to deep rocks yet. Mostly in 8-14’ gravel, some cruising shorelines in early A.M. hitting small x-Raps. Otherwise key on those 8-14’ depths using tubes, senkos, leeches or crawlers.

Musky: Very good. Lots of movers, some takers. Bucktails, swimbaits best. Work outside and over weed beds. Muskies and pike are unaffected by the Hex Hatch.

Crappie: Fair. Action- but small. Lots of little (6-8”) in 6-8’ weeds on small minnows, small Road Runners Mimic Fry, Charlie Bees just tickling weed tops.

Northern Pike: Very Good. As waters hover in high 60- low 70 degree range, pike have been very active chasing Boonie Bait Spinnerbaits, Chatter Baits, Mepps #4 spinners and Live Forage Swim Baits. Work any cabbage beds of 5-9’. With large chubs/suckers hard to get, most anglers turning to artificials and doing very well with many fish this past week in the 30-37” class- one of near 42”.

Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good. Should be better mostly smaller fish. Pre-rigged plastic worms, #3 Mepps, 1/8 oz spinnerbaits. Some slop action on frogs (plastic) towards dusk, need to see warmer temps.

Walleye: Poor-Fair. After such great bites last week, tough
to take now. By weekend, lakes hatching should be cleared for take off- with mayflies gone, one less item on a walleye’s menu.

Perch: Fair-good. Slowed from last week. Mud bottoms with wood best in 8-12’. ½ crawler or medium fathead minnows. Drift slip-floats or lindy rigs to locate, and then anchor up.

Bluegill: Fair. Should be great. Cool weather and storms keeping larger fish from setting up beds in many areas. Those that have bedded staying put. Sponge spiders, mini mites and gulp alive crickets scoring.

Water temps sitting fairly constant (69-71 degrees), storms last week added to already high water levels. Summer patterns behind, but should be kicking in.

Kurt’s Island Sports Shop
Kurt Justice
Web Site: http://www.kurtsislandsports.com
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bigpike:

Those lakes are probably seeing the last of the bluegill/LMB spawn. Hex hatch should be winding down and water temps probably a little higher than Kurt’s report. Water level should/could have you thinking about current breaks and full pool scenarios as they are not letting much water out to help out the monsoons down south.

Also been hearing good reports about the Willow, though have no info regarding locations.

Mark

Thanks again Mark, I am gonna fish the in-laws lake. Nokomis – its full this year and I like the old gal when she is full. Gonna try small jigs and leach / crawler combos around weeds close to deeper water and see how it goes. Back to packing as soon as I am done pluncking here

heading up north to fish! we are staying on little carr lake in tom. any info on little carr wouls be greatly appreciatd! also if anybody has any hot spots that are accessible from shore those would be nice to know too! anything within 30 min from minocqua

a & d:

Have you left yet???

Mark

no heading up the 18th through 24th!!

From Kurt’s Island Bait:

Late October in July! This cold (and I DO mean cold with windchill) while not fun to fish in, didn’t actually shut all fishing down. It threw us some surprises, but fish were caught. Water temps have dropped sharply, some lakes that were in the upper 70’s are now in the mid to upper 60’s.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Very good. Top water action is out due to cold. Work in the heavy weeds using creature baits, worms on jigs or Texas rigged. Live bait (crawlers, leeches) will work bass out.

Walleye: Good. Surprisingly hitting shallow running crankbaits on weed flats of 5-8’ towards dusk. Work deep breaks of 14-22’ using crawlers during daylight hours on 1/8 – ¼ oz jigs on Lindy rigging – bites are there, but very light.

Pike: Good. Spinnerbaits, Rattle Traps over weeds of 5-10’. Slow work chubs on 1/16oz Slo-poke jigs on a light wire leader.

Musky: good. Slow down the retrieve using Medussas, Alien Eels.

Panfish: Fair-Good. Weather has made all panfish tougher to fish for. Prior to cold, crappies taking minnows along weed tops of 10-12’. Wind and cold shutting bite down. Have to fish in the weeds to score any panfish.

Smallmouth Bass: Poor-Fair. Bite shut down on rock and gravel bars. Finding some fish up in weeds taking slow moving plastic craws.

As week progresses, temps should improve some. The worst is behind us, but with end of July water temps in the 60’s, we will have to see how this October blast in the summer affects us into August.

Going to check it out for myself here in a bit!!!

Mark

a & d:

Good, I’ll get you some shore spots to work!!! Gotta run first though!!!

Mark

okay! anytime before the 18th is fine, if you have to DM me thats fine too!

a & d:

Here are some shore spots that you can try… Not sure what you are loooking for or how far you are wanting to drive, but in the Minocqua proper:

The causeway north of Kurt’s bait shop, both side of Hwy 51 > panfish, bass northern and occasional musky and walleye

The fishing pier on the northeast corner of the Lake Minocqua Hwy 51 bridge > same species

Tressel over Lake Minocqua thorofare east of Hwy 47 > panfish and some bass/pike

Outlet from Lake Kawaguesaga > panfish, bass and musky

Rainbow Flowage dam > walleye, panfish, pike and musky

Wisconsin River east of St. Germain > SMB, walleye and panfish

Pick a boat landing anywhere and you can fish from the dock…

Back country lakes > offer exploration and some exceptional panfish and bass fishing, can also be duds…

There’s a start for ya… Let me know if you have any questions. Within 30 miles of us there are many more opportunities.

Mark

wow great info,if little carr lake doesnt produce i know at least one of these spots will,last time we were up north we fished on the highway, and did pretty well, caught about a 3 pound bass, and a small walleye, all within about in hour, we also have always tried the lake kawag dam, the first year we came up we slayed bass and northerns, but last year it was usually tiny rock bass, small perch and the occasional bass, any extra info on what to fish and where to fish there would be appreciated, below the tressel sounds like an intriguing spot that we will definetly give a try! thanks for the help!

a & d:

Ahhh the word on Little Carr… I have fished it a couple of times, but only during the winter. There are some nice panfish in there, but a fair amount of sorting needs to be done to find said nicer panfish. I am assuming that there is some nice LMB in there as well. I have also heard that there are some musky in it as well passing through the culvert at the south end of the lake, though I have never tried to fish for them or any species during the summer. I have spent time on Big Carr fishing for SMB, musky and walleye…

Mark

Last Weeks report from Kurt:

Seems more like the end of August than the beginning. Lake temps ranging 68-70 degrees, not much for air temps above mid 70’s this week.

Perch: Good. Some very nice perch to 12 ½” on ½ crawlers, crayfish tails. Mix of weed and wood best in 3-8’. Also over sandgrass in 14-18’ on the deep clear lakes.

Bluegills: Good. Gills to 9” + on crawlers and medium leeches.

Pike: Good. They are liking this weather. Boonie bait spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and Rattle Traps worked over weed tops in 4-8’. Nice “eaters” of 22-28” with a few low 30” fish reported.

Largemouth Bass: Good-Fair. Bite a little quiet. Fish very shallow in 2-6’. Leeches, crawlers, Boonie baits and Sug-gos taking fish from the shallows.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair. Drop-shotting 2 ½” Craw Pappies, 3” worms and Gulp Alive Minnows over 14-20’ gravel humps best.

Musky: Fair. Bucktails best bet as cool weather has shut down top-water action. Smaller rubberbaits also working.

Walleye: Fair. Gravel humps of 14-22’ using full crawlers on 1/8oz jigs. Drifting deeper (25-40’) with harnesses and crawlers on big lakes scoring fish to 28”.

Crappie: Fair. Mostly smaller fish hovering in weed tops on small jigs/plastics or minnows.

Seems like the fish need to repattern themselves. Some have moved shallower (LMB ) and others deeper (walleye) than usual for this time of year.

Kurt’s Island Bait
Minocqua, WI

From Kurt’s Island Bait in Minocqua:

Cool weather persists so lake temps continue to hover at the upper 60 degree mark with a nice warm afternoon cracking 70 degrees. Little hope for more in the forecast. Not a typical summer, some adjustment needed in your August fishing patterns.

Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good. Not a typical “hot” summer bite. Very little top-water. Plunging heavy jigs/weighted hooks with creature baits best way to get big largemouth. Pre-rigged plastic worms, Rattle Trap style cranks and spinnerbaits also working over and around weeds.

Walleye: Fair-Good. Some nice fish, few nice catches. Deep rocks best for larger fish (24-27”) on large leeches, crawlers on jigs or Lindy rigs. Eater fish (15-18”) on deep weedlines of 14-18’ on crawlers.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair-Good. Not a normal August. Smallies not as concentrated as usual on rocks. Some fish there. Try drop-shotting 2 ½” Crawpappis. Leeches, crawlers and frozen softshells over sandgrass flats providing spotty action.

Musky: Fair-Good. Cooler temps predicating a bit slower retrieves. Pull out the jerk baits and gliders as well as twitch baits to work over and outside weed flats. Count down plastics in 14-26’ outside of tall weeds.

Pike: Fair-Good. Live bait has been best this week. Jig a chub or sucker under a float. Slower retrieve double Colorado bladed spinnerbaits and plastic fish imitation jig/combos.

Perch: Fair. Fish shallow, but in heavy weeds. Try ½ crawler and jig or medium fat on a slip-bobber rig. Deeper sandgrass flat bite is spotty – use frozen softshells for these fish.

Crappie: Fair. Action actually decent on the Minocqua chain. Size running small. Tiny jair/plastic jigs below slip-floats over 8-12’ curly leaf cabbage.

Bluegills: Fair. Signs of migration away from weed beds. Suspending out over 12-20’. Small leeches, worms, mini-mite plastics.

Fish are being caught, but not with the regularity expected for this time of year. Some transition happening. Tough to come up with big catches. After late spring, Mother Nature seems to be toying with the idea of an early fall.

Mark

going up on Sunday! hopefully to catch some walleyes and bass, crappies wouldn’t be bad either! thanks for all the info, i really appreciate all the help, all i have is one mlore favor to ask, do you know where i can find a lake map of little carr?

The best I can do is this… Big Carr

Mark

thanks for all the help! its greatly appreciated!

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 8-20-13:

Summer is back!!! Temps are rising and fishing action with it.

Largemouth Bass: Good. Topwater action is back! Frogs, Jitterbugs, ChugBugs best on warm evenings in shallows. In morning and midday, Wacky worming senkos, Carolina rigging 7” plastic worms/lizarrds producing nice catches to 4#s.

Musky: Good – improving. As with LMB, warming temps bringing action on topwater. Whopper Ploppers, Pacemakers making a big splash for evening anglers. Bucktails and chatterbaits as well as fast working twitchbaits also catching skies.

Walleye: Good. Best on deeper lakes. Work 20-24’ sandgrass outside weed edges with crawlers or leeches. Off shore gravel humps using slip-bobber rigs or Lindy rigs. Night action on big leeches and lighted slip-floats.

Bluegills: Good. Starting to suspend outside weed edges of 14-18’, 6-8’ down. Small leeches on 1/32 oz jigs or below slip-floats best. Tiny plastics also working to catch limits, mostly 7 ½-8” but some nice 9” fish also.

Crappies: Good. Fish tall weeds in 10-16’. Tickle weed tops with Mini-mites, Gapen Freshwater shrimp, small minnows. Lots of smaller 7-9” fish but enough 10-12”ers to keep things interesting.

Smallmouth Bass: Good. Gravel humps off shore. Not seeing numbers as usual, but with warming weather this should improve. Tubes and jigs, drop-shotting 2 ½” Gulp alive minnows, 3” Senkos or 2 ½” Yum Craws best. Search out gravel tops of 18-26’.

Nothern Pike: Fair-Good. Faster moving Boonie Baits, Mepps #3, Chatterbaits picking up action as water warms.

Perch: Fair-Good. Softshell craws, ½ crawlers over sandgrass flats for fewer, but bigger perch (11’+) otherwise stick to weeds of 5-8’ with medium fatheads or leeches to sort out keepers of 8-9”.

Surface temps are back in low 70’s (72-73 degrees) and climbing. Nights are warmer, so morning bites are back. Topwater action taking off as is night fishing for walleyes. Odd summer, this is usually the time for cool downs, but we will take this.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sports Shop

Mark

From Kurt’s Island Bait for the date 9-03-13:

After a week of some heavy rains, thunder and lightning, the Labor Day weekend turned out to be a great weather weekend. Water temps rose to 76-78 degrees on most bodies of water, rather warm for the end of August though the fish did not seem to mind.

Largemouth Bass: Very good. Loving the blades! Anglers throwing spinnerbaits and #3 and #5 Mepps catching lots of bass along shoreline or weeds. Faster moving baits seeming to get most of the daytime attention. Evenings go up top: plastic frogs, prop-baits, chug baits and buzz baits doing extremely well.

Smallmouth Bass: Good. Taking over rock humps. Jigs tipped with leeches, crawlers, creature baits as well as drop-shotting 2 ½” soft minnow imitations, small craw imitations and 3” slim worms enticing lots of action from smallies of 14-20” off 18-28’ rock/gravel tops.

Pike: Very good. Also loving the blades. Spinnerbaits and #4-#5 Mepps as well as Rizzo Whizzs picking up a lot of nice pike. Even the larger bucktails meant for muskies being harassed by pike. Weed beds in the typical 6-10’ depths best.

Musky: Good-Very good. While spotty some days, some very good fish this week including a 50 ¼’ and 50 ¾” caught from the same boat within 10 minutes this weekend. Once again bucktails have been tops, though topwater fast moving jerk baits (Smity jerks accounting for 12 fish over 2 days) and rubber baits scoring nicely.

Bluegills: Very good. Very active and nice sized gills taking small leeches, ½ crawlers and Gulp Alive maggots along deeper weeds and some suspending out 8’ down over 20’ depths.

Crappies: Good. Many found suspended out with bluegills. Minnows, Gulp alive 1” minnow and mini-mite jigs producing best.

Walleye: Fair-Good. Action has been up and down. Some of the traditional hot-spots haven’t really started yet. A move to weeds this past week produced the best catches. Pitching large fatheads, ½ crawlers and leeches along 10-12’ weed edges caught walleyes to 26”. Rock became quiet, though some action out over sandgrass did produce.

Perch: Good. Anglers targeting perch using frozen soft shells or crawlers along 12’ weed edges catching nice perch of 9-11”. Warm, calm afternoons finding perch in 5-7’.

As of this morning (9/3) night time temps falling into mid 40’s. Water temps will start to drop. Not a bad thing in the fall. As temps get back to the low 70’s and upper 60’s expect action to pick up for walleye, crappie, pike and musky.

Kurt Justice
Kurt’s Island Sports Shop

Mark

Thanks for sharing these reports with us Mark