Minocqua area fishing report 9.9.10
A cold and windy Labor Day weekend kept lots of anglers off the lakes. High winds Friday and Saturday plus cold nights (low 35 degrees Sunday morning) dropped lake temps into the mid 60's. High pressure system till Monday didn't help. Things changing for mid week though with milder temps, clouds and some rain forecasted.
Largemouth: Good. Back in the forefront. Fish being found shallow at times. Outside weed edge fish taking 4" worms on shaky head grubs, 3" twisters on 1/8 oz jigs and 4" worms fished wacky style. Inside weed lines seem to be holding more fish (some as shallow as 1 foot) hitting shallow running cranks (shallow shad raps), lipless cranks (Rattle Traps) and Spinnerbaits (Boonie Baits 1/8 to 1/4oz). Some anglers still reporting success on top water (frogs, Jitterbugs) while plunking beaver style plastics and pork frogs still effective in pockets.
Musky: Fair-Good. Action just starting to pick up late this weekend. Bucktails along deep weed edges best (probably why Largemouth taking up inside edges). Topwater still moving fish during low light periods. With water cooling, live baiting with suckers has been more successful.
Smallmouth: Fair-Good. Seem scattered for smallies. Finding some on deep rocks, some on sandgrass flats and others along coontail edges of 12-16'. Carolina rigging skirted grubs tops.
Northern: Fair. Better in this cool down. Casting Boonie Baits over weed tops and jigging 4-5" chubs on 1/16oz slo-poke jigs best. This species will likely pick up action if water temps stay in low 60's.
Perch: Fair. Not a lot of anglers targeting this fish during the past weekend, but a few nice perch taken using 1/2 crawlers on jigs meant for walleyes.
Walleye: Fair. Like smallmouth bass, this species scattered. Showing up on rock humps, still some along weed edges. Jig and minnow/crawler combo accounting for most fish. Anglers drifting mud flats of 18-30' with Lindy rigs/spinner rigs also catching fish.
Crappie; Fair. Fish deep wood, pilings with small minnows. Piers after dark, cast 1-2" twister tails on 1/32 - 1/16 oz jigs.
Bluegill: Fair. Stable weather will bring back the catches. Worms best.
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Kurt Justice
Kurt's Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
