Hayward Lakes Sherry
09-02-2009, 11:13 AM
August 31, 2009
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
This is a great time to live in – and visit – the north woods, and it only gets better as the fall changes progress.
Numerous hunting seasons are opening in the coming days. Early Canada goose season is open statewide Sept. 1-15. A separate early Canada goose permit ($3) is required.
Fall wild turkey, ruffed grouse, archery deer, cottontail rabbit, crow, and squirrel seasons open Sept. 12. Turkey season runs Sept. 12-Nov. 19. Ruffed grouse season in the Northern Zone (A) is open from Sept. 12 through Jan. 31, 2010.
The Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc. invites the public to attend its Tuesday Sept. 1 meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. DNR fisheries biologist Tim Simonson will speak about musky management, his presentation beginning at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Mike Persson 634-4543.
The Wilderness Wings Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society will hold a fundraising banquet and shoot at Summit Lake Game Farm Saturday Sept. 12. The all-day event begins with registration at 7-8 a.m. and ends with dinner at 7 p.m. Dinner and shoot combination packages are available. For tickets or more information, contact Phil Johnson (715-354-7241) or Dave Reardon (715-634-2674.)
Muskies:
Musky action is very good, and the Chippewa Flowage excellent in the past week or so. Anglers are not just seeing lots of fish; they are getting their hooks into them, too. (Unlike earlier this summer.) Fish deep weedlines during the day, but best action is from mid-afternoon into night. Fish are on weedlines, edges of deep weeds, rocks, and points, and suspending in open water. Bucktails, Bull Dawgs, crankbaits and plastics are the current favorites, and there is still quite a bit of topwater action, too.
Walleye:
Walleye are scattered and suspending, and action is fair to good. The best bite is late evening and after dark. The deep, clear lakes are producing the most action. Fish deep weeds, brush, rocky bars and shorelines, and transition areas. Depths vary from lake to lake. And it wouldn’t hurt to check the mudflats. Leeches and crawlers on harnesses and slip bobbers are best, with some jig/minnow action. Beetle Spins, and trolled stick and crank baits are also effective.
Northern:
Northern pike action is good to very good. Work shoreline weed beds and openings to bays for the best action, but larger fish will be cruising deeper weedlines. A variety of artificials will entice pike, including spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, stick and crank baits, and plastics. And fishing a big northern sucker under a bobber is never the “wrong” bait. DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt recommends using a wire leader to minimize bite-offs.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is fair to good, and best in late afternoon. Bass are beginning their move to deeper weedlines, though you can still catch fish in the slop and lily pads. If they aren’t there, try mid-depth weeds, logs, stumps, and bogs. Top baits include spinner, buzz, and crank baits, scented worms, soft plastics, and frog imitations. Vary the speed of your presentation. Crawlers, leeches, and minnows will also catch bass.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action changes from only fair to outstanding. Only the fish know why – and they aren’t talking. Target deep rocks, rock bars, humps, wood, and hard bottom areas. Rivers and flowages are particularly good. Spinners and spinnerbaits, crankbaits, tubes and soft plastics are all working, and leeches and crawlers on jigs or under slip bobbers are also producing.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is fair to good on most lakes. Fish are scattered and suspending, from shallow to 15 feet or deeper. Concentrate on weeds, bogs, and cribs and try shallower water in the evening. Use crappie minnows, plastics, and small leeches, on dressed jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber. Smaller spinners and crankbaits can also be effective.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is also fair to good. The ’gills are in 5-15 feet of water, near weeds, wood, bogs and cribs, with larger fish on the deeper end. Jigs or plain hooks tipped with worms, waxies, crawler chunks, minnows, leeches, and plastics – with or without a bobber – will catch bluegill.
Perch:
Anglers are making some decent catches of perch on area lakes, with Round Lake one of the best. Fish leaf worms and fatheads on deeper weeds and near bottom on the flats.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 5-6: Exeland Trout Festival.
Sept. 6: Cable Rod & Gun Club annual Pig Roast & Turkey Shoot (715-798-4459.)
Sept. 9: Bear season opens.
Sept. 12: Seasons open: Ruffed grouse; Turkey; Crow; Archery deer; Cottontail rabbit; Squirrel.
Sept. 12: RGS Sportsmen’s Banquet (354-7241; 634-2674.)
Sept. 13: Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Kids Fish O’Rama (715-634-4440.)
Sept. 19: Woodcock season opens.
Sept. 25-26: Cable Area Fall Festival (800-533-7454.)
Sept. 26: 25th Annual Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662.)
Sept: 30: Trout season closes on most inland streams. (See regs for exceptions.)
Oct. 2-4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. 32nd Annual Fall Muskie Tournament (715 634 2921.)
For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.
Hayward Lakes Area Outdoor Report
Steve Suman
This is a great time to live in – and visit – the north woods, and it only gets better as the fall changes progress.
Numerous hunting seasons are opening in the coming days. Early Canada goose season is open statewide Sept. 1-15. A separate early Canada goose permit ($3) is required.
Fall wild turkey, ruffed grouse, archery deer, cottontail rabbit, crow, and squirrel seasons open Sept. 12. Turkey season runs Sept. 12-Nov. 19. Ruffed grouse season in the Northern Zone (A) is open from Sept. 12 through Jan. 31, 2010.
The Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies, Inc. invites the public to attend its Tuesday Sept. 1 meeting at Dick-Sy Roadhouse. DNR fisheries biologist Tim Simonson will speak about musky management, his presentation beginning at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Mike Persson 634-4543.
The Wilderness Wings Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society will hold a fundraising banquet and shoot at Summit Lake Game Farm Saturday Sept. 12. The all-day event begins with registration at 7-8 a.m. and ends with dinner at 7 p.m. Dinner and shoot combination packages are available. For tickets or more information, contact Phil Johnson (715-354-7241) or Dave Reardon (715-634-2674.)
Muskies:
Musky action is very good, and the Chippewa Flowage excellent in the past week or so. Anglers are not just seeing lots of fish; they are getting their hooks into them, too. (Unlike earlier this summer.) Fish deep weedlines during the day, but best action is from mid-afternoon into night. Fish are on weedlines, edges of deep weeds, rocks, and points, and suspending in open water. Bucktails, Bull Dawgs, crankbaits and plastics are the current favorites, and there is still quite a bit of topwater action, too.
Walleye:
Walleye are scattered and suspending, and action is fair to good. The best bite is late evening and after dark. The deep, clear lakes are producing the most action. Fish deep weeds, brush, rocky bars and shorelines, and transition areas. Depths vary from lake to lake. And it wouldn’t hurt to check the mudflats. Leeches and crawlers on harnesses and slip bobbers are best, with some jig/minnow action. Beetle Spins, and trolled stick and crank baits are also effective.
Northern:
Northern pike action is good to very good. Work shoreline weed beds and openings to bays for the best action, but larger fish will be cruising deeper weedlines. A variety of artificials will entice pike, including spoons, spinners and spinnerbaits, stick and crank baits, and plastics. And fishing a big northern sucker under a bobber is never the “wrong” bait. DNR fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt recommends using a wire leader to minimize bite-offs.
Largemouth Bass:
Largemouth action is fair to good, and best in late afternoon. Bass are beginning their move to deeper weedlines, though you can still catch fish in the slop and lily pads. If they aren’t there, try mid-depth weeds, logs, stumps, and bogs. Top baits include spinner, buzz, and crank baits, scented worms, soft plastics, and frog imitations. Vary the speed of your presentation. Crawlers, leeches, and minnows will also catch bass.
Smallmouth Bass:
Smallmouth action changes from only fair to outstanding. Only the fish know why – and they aren’t talking. Target deep rocks, rock bars, humps, wood, and hard bottom areas. Rivers and flowages are particularly good. Spinners and spinnerbaits, crankbaits, tubes and soft plastics are all working, and leeches and crawlers on jigs or under slip bobbers are also producing.
Crappie:
Crappie fishing is fair to good on most lakes. Fish are scattered and suspending, from shallow to 15 feet or deeper. Concentrate on weeds, bogs, and cribs and try shallower water in the evening. Use crappie minnows, plastics, and small leeches, on dressed jigs or plain hooks, with or without a bobber. Smaller spinners and crankbaits can also be effective.
Bluegill:
Bluegill action is also fair to good. The ’gills are in 5-15 feet of water, near weeds, wood, bogs and cribs, with larger fish on the deeper end. Jigs or plain hooks tipped with worms, waxies, crawler chunks, minnows, leeches, and plastics – with or without a bobber – will catch bluegill.
Perch:
Anglers are making some decent catches of perch on area lakes, with Round Lake one of the best. Fish leaf worms and fatheads on deeper weeds and near bottom on the flats.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 5-6: Exeland Trout Festival.
Sept. 6: Cable Rod & Gun Club annual Pig Roast & Turkey Shoot (715-798-4459.)
Sept. 9: Bear season opens.
Sept. 12: Seasons open: Ruffed grouse; Turkey; Crow; Archery deer; Cottontail rabbit; Squirrel.
Sept. 12: RGS Sportsmen’s Banquet (354-7241; 634-2674.)
Sept. 13: Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Kids Fish O’Rama (715-634-4440.)
Sept. 19: Woodcock season opens.
Sept. 25-26: Cable Area Fall Festival (800-533-7454.)
Sept. 26: 25th Annual Hayward Fall Festival (715-634-8662.)
Sept: 30: Trout season closes on most inland streams. (See regs for exceptions.)
Oct. 2-4: Hayward Lakes Chapter Muskies, Inc. 32nd Annual Fall Muskie Tournament (715 634 2921.)
For more information on area events and activities, see the Calendar of Events, visit Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau, or call 1-800-724-2992.