Northern Wisconsin Fishing

Seasoned anglers and novices alike enjoy testing their skills in the Minocqua area’s lakes, rivers and streams. Most support a variety of fish, such as Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Large and Smallmouth Bass, Trout and Walleye, and most have public access.

Minocqua Area Fishing Report  5/5/2026

by Kurt's Island Sport Shop

And they’re off! The 2026 Walleye opener is in the books. A bit of a soft opener overall with participation somewhat down (with the exception of the usual “gathering” places). Reports varied depending on what lakes/flowages people fished. The cold opening morning (23° around Minocqua) did not help. Lake surface temps had been hovering around 48-49° but rebounded with warmer afternoons pushing temps into low-mid 50’s. Most reports show signs that Walleye are past spawn in the Lakeland area, though further north on deeper, colder lakes with temps in low 40’s, spawn still occurring.

Walleye: Good – Really depended on whose boat you were in, very good in some, not so good in mine. Shallow water with sand in 3-6’ using jigs tipped with large fatheads or 3” twister tails during the day. At dusk casting shallow running stickbaits proved best accounting for nicer fish on X-Raps, Husky Jerks, Rattlin Rouges and Thunder Sticks. Fish to 27” this weekend with many over 20+”.

Crappie: Good – Cold nights pushed Crappies off the shorelines where they had been warming themselves in 1-2’ of water. Four to six feet is where they seem to have moved out to. Anglers using small floats to suspend minnows and small plastics did well. Check water temps if on a boat – warmer water of 1-2° from one side of the lake to the other can mean all the difference.

Northern Pike: Good – Light biting but willing on live bait. Finding any green weeds was key, feeding up on small Perch. Slow retrieving 4” swimbaits also picked up some Pike.

Yellow Perch: Good – Similar to Northern Pike, putting on a post spawn feed in shallow, soft bottomed bays with any signs of green weeds. Small to medium fatheads on 1/32 oz jigs or under floats in 3-6’ depths.

Largemouth Bass: Good – Better early last week before cold nights. Look for warmest water near wood (trees, piers) or in soft, dark bottomed bays. Casting twitchbaits, swimming 3” twister tails or paddle tails and surprisingly (to me, but have gotten from several different “bassers”) chatterbaits! Big Largemouth to 20+” as females searching for the warm spas.

Smallmouth Bass: Fair – Not being targeted, still catch and release only, but some incidental catches by anglers working 18-22’ gravel slides for Walleye.

Another cool down mid-week (lows 28-30°) with highs only in mid-40’s will stall the lakes warming. By weekend back into mid to upper 50’s. The gradual warm up may help overall, not rushing fish and giving some time to build patterns.

Popular Fishing Lakes

Some of the more popular fishing lakes favored by visitors and locals include, Big Arbor Vitae, Clear Carrol, Madeline, Squirrel and Squaw. Bassmaster recently named the Minocqua chain one of the 25 best bass lakes in America’s central region and one of the top 100 in the nation. There are numerous wilderness sites for a quiet escape. Some good bets are the Willow Flowage Scenic Waters Area and the many lakes dimpling the Northern Highlands-American Legion State Forest.

Mid Lake, which has shallow water that warms quickly, is the place to be in spring, when Musky and Northern swim here to spawn.