Minocqua area fishing report 3.2.11Wind made things a little sharp outside. Tough for anglers using certain techniques.
Pike: Good. Lots of tip-up action on large shiners. No monsters reported but fish from 24-30" common with lots of little (under 20") fish keeping the flags flying.
Bluegills: Fair to Good. A missed out on location has been deep sandgrass on lakes lacking much for shore line weeds. Small, light colored (white, glow) jigs tipped with single waxie, spike accounting for a lot of action. Weed fish in 6-10' sitting 2-3' off bottom most days.
Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good. Tip-up and jig anglers alike hooking into good numbers and size (to 20") LMB. Shiners on tip-ups, fatheads on tip-downs and even small jigs tipped with waxies meant for panfish. This species will probably get busier this weekend with the warm up.
Perch: Fair. Changing weather seemed to put fish off. Lookers in deep mud, but window of opportunity small. Wigglers still best on Gapen Flickers, Northland Forage Spoons and #2 pimples. Rosie reds on tip-downs accounting for some. Along 8-10' weed edges, stick to minnows on rocker jigs.
Crappie: Fair. Experience similar to perch. Small windows of good action. Minnows on tip-downs best (or under small float). Slow drop method tough last week due to high wind.
Walleye: Fair. Best on deep off-shore humps. Shiners/suckers or try #7 jigging rap in Firetiger/Perch patterns. Some anglers reporting limit catches after dark (6:30 to 7:30pm).
New moon plus a return to warmer weather should make this a very good closing weekend to the game fish season (ends Sunday at midnight). Anglers should see good low light time bites and be able to finnesse crappies and gills with less wind. Ice picked up in thickness by maybe an inch, but still with average of 20" and not much snow cover (1/2 to 1"). Could be over by early April.
Bring creepers, access excellent, but walking slippery.
Kurt Justice
Kurt's Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
