We hope you all had a great summer and are finding time to do some fishing this early fall. Fishing in the Minocqua, WI area has been good, offering excellent opportunities for anglers targeting muskies, walleyes, bass, and panfish.
Current Fishing Conditions in Minocqua, WI
Muskies and most fish species moved shallow until the last couple of days, when air temperatures in the mid to upper 70s caused most fish species to scatter a bit. There are still quite a few muskies shallow, making it a great time to fish in the Minocqua area.
Shallow Water Fishing Techniques
In my opinion, a good game plan for muskies is to start fishing shallow from the shoreline out to 8-10 feet. If nothing is happening, slide out and position your boat just outside the weedline and cast up to cover part of the shallow zone as well as the weed edge.
Targeting the Weed Edge and In-Between Zones
Concentrating on the shallow zone, the weed edge, and the in-between zone will put you in the best position for success. These zones on most lakes in the Northwoods of Wisconsin typically range from the shoreline to the 15-foot depth.
Recommended Musky Baits
For muskies, a variety of musky baits will work—really anything you can work in the shallow zone, the weed edge, and the in-between zone. We have a good selection of fresh musky suckers, and they will definitely work; however, keep them out of the weeds so they don’t get tangled up, causing unproductive fishing time. The following are great options:
- Figure 8 The Boss
- Bucher Jointed ShallowRaider
- Red October Custom 7.5 Ninja Tubes
- Chaos Tackle Mid Medussa Shallow
- Livingston Lures Big Makk Surface Bait
- Livingston Lures Mustang
Fishing Tips for Walleyes, Bass, and Panfish
For walleyes, bass, and panfish, I would consider the same plan: focus on shallow waters, the weed edge, and the in-between zones for the best results.
Nightcrawlers, redtails, XL fatheads, and walleye suckers are all excellent choices for live bait when targeting walleyes, bass, and panfish. You can also give these lures a try:
We hope you all have great fishing in Minocqua, WI this early fall. Please let us know if we can be of service to you, as it would be our pleasure.
Good Fishing and God Bless,
Jim Stewart