Minocqua area fishing report 2.16.10 Snow held off till Sunday, making for a good weekend for ice fishing. Reports, while not outstanding, were good for mid February and should only build through the end of the ice season.
Pike: Good-Very good. Pike action increased dramatically over last week. The big fish of a week ago didn't show, but lots of numbers. Medium shiners on tip-ups in 6-10' for the majority of anglers working "action pike", but the big fish still want the big pike suckers and shiners a little deeper.
Largemouth Bass: Very good. Usually not a cold month fish, but taking medium shiners and jigs tipped with waxies from anglers targeting other species. Nice fsih to 19" holding in green weedy bays on most lakes. Try flashy spoons and jigging shads.
Perch: Good-Very Good. Both mud flat and weed edge anglers experiencing good catches. Mud fish over 20-30' mud taking wigglers, red spikes on Hali jigs, pimples, forage minnows. For weed edge perch in 12-16' use small minnows on tip-downs. Mimic minnows, forage minnows tipped with waxies also working.
Walleye: Good. Early evening bite starting 4:30-5pm. Target 12-16' weed edges with medium shiners or move out to sandgrass flats in 18-28' using 3-4" suckers. Jigging rapalas (#5, #7) also effective on submerged humps.
Bluegill: Fair-Good. Bite best in afternoons (1pm till 4pm). Moussees, waxies on black or purple moon glos. Plastic in dark colors also effective. Fish 1-3' off bottom.
Crappies: Fair. Deep water breaks of 18-30' holding brief but productive bites at dawn and again at dusk. Rosie reds on tip-downs best. Some weed action in bays on low pressure days on jigs tipped with plastic or Chena.
Whitefish: Fair. Dawn to 8am in 40', move out to 70-80' after that. Fish till 3-4pm. Pimples, Macho minnows, #50 Hali jigs tipped with waxies or Gulp Alive.
Fishing for gamefish continues through Sunday March 7th ending at midnight. Three weekends left to target walleyes and pike. Overall fishing action remains good for this time of year probably due to good light penetration. Travel is great. Ice thickness averaging 17-20".
Kurt Justice
Kurt's Island Sport Shop
www.kurtsislandsports.com
