Minocqua Area Fishing Report 7/23/2024
by Kurt's Island Sport Shop
Even in the midst of summer, things can sometimes be hit or miss!
A cooling off one day (surface temps dropped 4° one night), high sky’s (expected not necessarily welcome), changing winds, full moon, etc.
With fishing it’s always something though at least in the summer there is more consistency.
-Largemouth Bass: Good-Fair
Seems to be a decline in action and size of late. Typical weed bites, using wacky worms or drop shotting craw imitations. Live baiting using leeches and crawlers on 1/16 ounce weedless jigs as well as some top water action in the evenings.
-Smallmouth Bass: Good
Possibly a bit better on some lakes than largemouth. Deep rock humps using drop shot with plastic craws and minnows or Ned rigging has produced some dandy fish of late in the 19-to-21-inch range this past week. Work tubes along coontail edges of 14 feet as well. Have a rod set up with a walking the dog type bait on calm days, ready for action as schools chase minnows on the surface.
-Northern Pike: Good
Best on lakes with expansive weed flats working spinner baits over weed tops. Swim baits, and chatter baits also producing. Reports of some eaters, but not much on larger fish.
-Walleye: Good/ Fair
Had some good shallow water (less than 6 foot) walleye action late in the week. Walleye feeding on 2-inch perch. Red tails and large fatheads were the ticket. On deeper rock big leeches or red tail scored 1/8-ounce jigs in 14 to 22 feet of water.
-Bluegill: Good
Up to their old tricks by following baits meant for other fish to up to the boat. Tiny spinners like number zero mepps, beetle spins or 1 inch twister tails to “draw them in”. Ultralight rods to cast ultralight baits and enjoy.
-Crappie: Good
Picking up nice crappies of 10 to 12 inches over tall weed patches shaking medium to large fathead minnows on 1/32-to-1/16-ounce jigs. Slip floats with the same set just at weed top depth or casting Charlie Bee’s or Road Runners over the same.
-Yellow Perch: good to fair
Not a lot of reports, mostly anglers surprised to find larger perch of 10 to 11 inches plus taking 4-inch wacky worms meant for bass. A half crawler on a 1/16-ounce jig is always a good search bait.
-Musky: Fair
Not a lot of reports at this shop. Most from anglers using bucktails over 8 to 12-foot weeds in the mornings and Topwater tail baits like Fat Bastards or Whopper Poppers in the evening.
A little cool down mid-week combined with a full moon may slow things a bit, but a warm-up by the weekend looks to bring the bite back up. Early morning and evenings will be best while midweek may see better action late mornings.
