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  12/17/2024

by Kurt's Island Sport Shop

Ice conditions improved significantly by mid-week, closing up some trouble spots and adding inches to the ice and confidence to the anglers. With many of the more popular spots reporting 6-8” and with the weather very mild, many anglers headed out over the weekend. Fishing was good overall, yet anglers should still use caution when venturing out to areas untraveled or on larger deep lakes.

Walleye: Very Good – Not all day, but for anglers willing to get out pre-dawn or fish the first hour and a half after dark, nice catches in 4-8’ of water using medium goldens or river shiners on tip-ups. Jigging Rapalas (#5), Shiver Minnows (#2) and Hyper Glides (1.5:2’s). also working well. Keeping bait 2’ off bottom to just over weed tops working best as Eyes moving into shallows at dusk to actively feed. Nice fish, many slots (20-24”) and several 26-28”ers reported.

Northern Pike: Very Good – Nice thick fish in the upper 20” to low 30” size on big suckers and shiners. Some right at dusk surprising anglers targeting Walleyes in 4-8’ of water.

Bluegill: Very Good – Mornings until about 10-11 AM then again picking up about 3 PM until dusk. For the most part, shallower weeds of 4-8’ using light jigs tipped with waxies or plastics. Anglers fishing small, deeper lakes with less weeds finding Gills in 12-14’ using tungsten jigs tipped with spikes or plastics. Nice Gills, most in the 7 ½-8” range, but enough 9”+ to make things interesting.

Crappie: Good – Anglers working fish along 8-12’ weeds using jigs with small flutter blades like Lethal Cecil’s and Tikka Flashes scoring well. Warm temps keeping holes open, so tip-downs are working well baited with small rosies or crappie minnows. Clam Niku Bolt Minnows and Flutter Fly’s also producing.

Yellow Perch: Good-Fair – Some reports of nice eaters in the 8-9” range taking jigs with waxies meant for Gills. Depth still shallow 4-10’ while ice is relatively thin.

Second weekend of warm up and light rain making some areas slushy and spooky (dark). Cool off (highs to 20 degrees and upper teens) mid-week with some single digit lows should firm up the top and hopefully add a few more inches to make snowmobile and ATV travel better. The week of Christmas to New Year’s looks good, with nice winter temps and a little snow.

There have been a few trucks reported on the ice…NOT GOOD! With only 8” and less of ice, it’s not safe for these drivers or the other people enjoying the ice. Please hold off from driving full size trucks on these lakes until we get a good 14-16” of solid ice out there.

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.